Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-02-06
MORGAN'S CAPTURE.
"Reminiscences of the Capture of the
Great Rebel Raider.


Great Rebel Raider.
Gen. Frank Wolford, OF Kentucky,
says Carp" in thG Cleveland Leader,
was one of the bravest soldiers of the
union army during the late war, and
he is now one of the most popular
members of the house of representa-
tives. He is an eloquent and ready
speaker, and his heart is as tender as
it.is brave. He Is not a handsome
man, nor does he affect the dude like
air of William Walter Phelps. He
looks somewhat like some pictures of
Punch Il have seen, and he could
pose for the traditional country judge
of the stage without the change OF
feature. He still feels the effects of
his wounds received during the war,
but he bears his 81 years with no
wrinkles on his kindly face and few
strands of silver in. his brown hair.
During the war Gen. Wolford was in
command of the Kentucky cavalry,
and it was ne who captured Gen.
Morgan, the great rebel raider.
cit was a hard chase" he said to
me the other day. Morgan was
brave and daring fellow, and as slip
perry as an eel. We had followed
him out of Kentucky, up through
Indiana, and almost across Ohio. 1t
was in southeastern Ohio, near the
river, that we finally caught him.
Six miles from the point where he
was captured | met Gen. Shackleford,
who wanted me to stop and dine with
him. But [ had heard that Morgan
was not far in advance, and l told
him that | would ride on ahead and
see, and if there was nothing IN the
report would come back to dinner.
My wound was troubling me, but l
went ON. After my six-mile ride !
came up to the boys, and found that
our army had surrounded the troops
of Morgan, and that Morgan was in
their midst. There were only 400 OF
them, and there were 10000 of US,
and we had fanked kim. Just as |
came up he turned and surrendered
to militia captain named Burbage,
Or Borbeck. and this man handed
him over to me. l did not, know
anything about the terms of surren-
der to Capt. Burbage, and supposed,
of course, he had surrendered uncon.
ditionally to me. l then asked him
if he would not take a couple OF off,
GERS and ride with me to Gen. Snack
leford's, and we would take dinner
together and arrange matters. As we
did so he asked me something about
his parole, and 1 discovered his idea
of surrender. l told him at Gnce that
our orders were to accept nothing but
an unconditional surrender, and [
considered MIN SO. He objected to
this, and l told him we would talk
over the matter with Gen. SackIeford
and settle it at dinner. We found that
Gen. Shacklsford held the same ideas
as | did as to our orders. General
Morgan then demanded, according to
the rules of war, as he said, to be
placed back in the same position as he
was before he surrendered. We of
fered to do this, but l told how dan
gerods would be his position.
Your life, said [, now that our
troops know who you are, would not
be worth feather. 1t would bs an
honor to any one OF the soulders to
kill you. We have surrounded you
and cannot assure you of safety if
you persist in the demand you make.
Gen. Morgan finally saw that [ was
right, and told him that l would take
him to Gen. Burnside at Cincinnati,
and let him decide as to his status.
When we got to Cincinnati General
Burnside had received orders from
President Lincoln to treat Morgan 10
the same way as the rebels had treated
Gen. Straight, and he was taken to
the OHIO penitentiary and incarcer-
ated there like common prisoner"
Some say, I here remarked,
that he did not escape from thence
by digging out, as was supposed, but
that he bribed his jsilers"
II don't know as to that replied
Gen. Wolford. Il only know that he
had enough money to have sr,bed
them if he had chance. He had
when l captured him 100000 in
greenbacks in a tin box | counted
it over myself, and gave it back 10
him when he went out OF my hands"
How was he finally captured Z"
l asked.
He was killed at his last capture"
was the reply. 1t was love affair
which ruined him. Notwithstanding
tile fact he had been married only
short tiae he had mistress, and it
was she who betrayed him. One night
when ne was asleep in her house,
away from his troops, she skipped
out, mounted a horse, and rode off to
the republican camp. A band of
soldiers was sent 10 capture him, and
Gen. Morgan was shot while trying
TO escape"