The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-06-04
Read Better than Pension " on page ..
JOHN MoRGAN's DEATH.
A Terrible Nights Ride and Surprise or the Rebels
iu CrpruyiIle.

survivors who fought the rebellion are mostly
on the downward slope of life, but with adj
vancing years the memories of events that
took place during our soldior-days come troop
ing through the mind with renewed distinct
ness.
Among the "reminiscences Of my army life
that recur 20 me wildly is the killing OF John
Morgan, at Greenville, Tenn, on the morning
of Sept. {, 1864. The great rebel raider, after
his capture in Ohio the year before, and his
escape from the Columbus prison, had gathered
together another band of rOugh-rders and
started on predatory expedition, with the
probable intention Of making a descent on orr
weakly defended lines Of communication in
East Tennessee.
The only mounted Federal troops in East
Tennessee at the time were the 10th Mich.
Cav, of which ! was a member, the 9th and
18th Tenn. Cav, aud the LIST Tenn. battery.
The battery was known ms "Johnson's Pets"
aud was the finest manned and equipped
battery that ] saw during the war IL was
with US during the most of our service IN
that mountainous, rock ribbed country. Over
mountains through almost inaccessible by
ways and gOrges, wherever we went with our
| light cavalry, that battery was always In its
| place ready for action. 1t was under the
special patronage OF Andrew johnson, then
Military Governor OF Tennessee, and well
merited the reputation il earned for efficiency
in its difficult field OF operations.
4
The regiments 1 have mentioned, with the
battery, were brigaded during the Summer in
command of Gen. Gillem. who had just been
promoted 20 tho rank Of Brigadier. On the
night of Sept. 3, we were camped at Bulls
Gap, about Is miles west of Greenvlle on the
line of the East Tennessee & Virginia Rail-
road. From the peculiar movements Of the
command for several days before, we surmised
that something unusual was in the wind but
we knew as much Of the object of our numerous
marches and cOuntermarches as soldiers are
supposed TO know Of the plans of their supe-
riOr officers.
About 10 o'clock the bugle notes Of "oficers'
call rang out from regimental headquar-
ters aud orders were given for the 10th to
be IN line, in light marching order, at III. l
noticed mt the time that tho camps Of the 9th
aud 18th Tenn. were deserted. As we broke
into column, accompanied by the battery, and
took the direct Grcenville road, the half-mOon
was sinking behind a mass Of inky-black
clouds from which occasional mutterings Of
thunder promised nasty night for a forced
march, and before we had been an hour on the
road, the sky became overcast with pail of inn
ponetrable blackness. i thought had expert
enced dark nights bof0rc-nights when objects
could not be distinguished except they were out
lined against the sky; but that night was literal
/ Egyptian darkness intensified by the occasional
| vivid flashes OF lightning that each time left
I
the storm broke with all the fury Of a southern
equinoxal. The air was filled with flying
feuce-Tals and tree.limbs. The rain, driven
before the furious blasts camo down in torrents,
drenching us 10 the skin in an instant. The
horses stumbled, uBguded, over and against
/ distractions, until the whole command became
mixed up in an inteTminable confusion OF men,
horses aud guns. No officer attempted 10 give
a command as nothing less than a thunder
clap could be heard above the roaring Of the
tempest. Strange as IL may appear, by proc
ess ] think only known 10 soldiers. fires were
lighted amid all that terrific warning Of the
elements and order at last restored and the
march resumed, although the rain and dark
ness continued undated. Fires were lighted
at intervals or il would have been physical
impossibility 10 have reached Greenville that
night.
My company 90 had the advance Of the
regiment. Just at the break of day we capt
ured the advance videt Of the enemy asleep
under an imprOyiscd shelter in a fence corner,
and little farther on encountered a strong
outpost on the summit Of a hill but short
distance out from Greenville. Two companies
were dismounted, and deploying 10 the right
aud left, charged up the hill. Tho enemy
broke and fed toward Grecnyille with the
mounted portion Of the 10th close on their
heels driving them pell-mell through town,
into and through the main camp. where the
astonished rebels were sleeping the sleep Of
fancied security. The enemy had nine guns,
but before the gunners could get 10 their pieces
we had ridden them down and the whole camp
was in our possession.
East OF GTcenville was an open plateau
gently ascending from the suburbs for about
mile. IL was al the time an open space not
tree or building 10 obstruct the vision. The
enemy were cncampcd at the foot Of the plain
! IN the outer suburb Those who escaped our
fraFs. glrv.U H. IL
| over the plain. Just 10 the oppOrtnne moment
the 9th and 18th Tenn having left Bulls Gap
/ In advance Of us and taken the longer route
/ 10 the right and left, dcb0uched from the tim
Der on either side, and winging out a. they
came on they swept down over the plain with
+ ringing cheers aud drove the fleeing fugitives
back onto us like stampedcd herd Of Texan
steers.
The surprise was complete and overwhclm-
/ ing. aiterwRrd lad charge Of Morgan's stat
/ officers, rs prisoners aud they told me that
after the storm came on they felt perfectly se-
cure, as they supposed il 10 be impossible for
! troops 30 move on such a night As the fruits
Of our victory were being gathered in / sat on
my horse close beside my Colonel, when a horse
man came dashing up from the direction of
l town with the body Of a man, dressed only in
shirt and pants hanging limp over the pom
mel Of his saddle. He rode up 10 within few
! feet Of whore We were aud dumped his burden
ontothe ground, with The remark, That is John
| Morgan" j have never seen n statement 10
| that eject, hut ] am positive that life was not
| extinct At the time, for ] plainly saw several
| convulsve movements Of tho limbs after the
body was on the ground. The body was quickly
surrounded by curious group, and before Il
! could be prevented every button was cut from
the clothes and a portion Of the fine head of
hair cut away as mcmcHt0cs lock of hair
was handed me, which still possess.
The manner in which Morgan met his death
has often been told IN the columns Of THE Ma
TGoSAL TRIBUSE. aud in the main have been
/ correct rs 10 facts that came under my OBSERVE
! ton. Sergeant Of the 18th Tenn. fired the
fatal shot As we stood about the body tho
] Sergeant gave, in substance, the following
account Of the killing, Ii appears from his
story that Morgan reached Grcenvile with
his command the night before aud made his
| headquarters at the house Of a Mrs Williams
/ ia the northern outskirts Of the town. Mrs
Williams, like a majority Of the people Of East
Tennessee, was intensely loyal. and knowing
/ Of the whereabouts Of Gen. Gilem, mounted
/ her young daughter on spirited horse aud
she easily passing the rebel picltts, carried the
/ information that lod 20 our night march aud
its results. Tie Sergeant having been raised
ia Grcenville, aud bsing familiar with all tho
surroundings was taken into the confidence Of
| Gen. Gilcm in making bis plans for the attack
| lie got permission 10 enter the town In advance
and either capture Morgan or kill him, if he
should attempt 10 escape when the attacl,
should be made At the first advance Nor
gan broke from the house, dressed as the BODY
showed, and refusing 20 surrender, a chance