Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-09-22


the Twenty fifth Michigan volunteer
infantry commanded by Col. Orlando
FL. Moore. Col. Moore was one of the
youngest officers of his rank in the
army, and, having led his regiment
gallantly in several engagements, his
"brave boys of the Badger state" as
he termed them, felt toward him
sense of personal devotion and were
ready to follow their youthful COM
mander, who was but twenty-six years
of age, wherever he dared to lead in
the line of their duty.
As the Fourth of July is military
as well as a civil feast day among Amer
leans, extra rations had been issued.
and the stoclsade gayly decorated.
The officers and soldiers of the garri-
son had looked forward to the nation
al day with special interest in view
of promised visit to the stockade by
q number of the village and country
bellies, with whom they had had no bat
ties but many engagements.
The bright prospect of fcstal
gathering, however, vanished into
tnin air when at nine o'clock a, m. the
bugles of Morgan's cavalry sounded
and their long gray line of battle was
seen formed in two ranks and facing
the stoclsade, just beyond rifle range.
The force thus displayed numbered,
apparently, about fifteen hundred
rank and file, while the strength of
the garrison was but two hundred and
fifty men for duty, a portion OF the
regiment having been detached and
posted elsewhere.
An officer soon advanced from the
line under flag of truce holding a
letter in his right hand. The letter
was received by the officer of the day
and delivered to Col. Moore, and was
in these words:
HEADQUARTERS MoRGAN's DIVISION
"IS THE FIELD IN FRONT OF GREEN RIVER
"SToCKADE, July t. 1868, J
ITO THE OFFICER CoMMANDiNG THE FEEDER
Al Forces AT SToCKApE NEAR GREEN RIVER
BRIDGE, KY.-Sir: In the name OF the con-
federate states government / demand an i'm
mediate and unconditional surrender OF the
entire force under your command, together
with the stockade- i am, very respectfully,
sir, JOHN II. MORGAN.
"Commandng cavalry division c. 5. army"
twas a solemn and high-sounding
summons, and we'll calculated to over
awe an officer with so small COM
mand. but it did not, for it was sent to
soldier who was as dead game as the
sender of the naughty missive. The
answer, instantly returned, was as fol-
lows:
"rEBBs BEND GREEN IsIy RIVER; akssr'
GEN. JOHN H. MORGAN, C. s. ,ARMY-Gen-
eral: 1 have received your demand for the
surrender Of the troops under my command
together with this post Tho Fourth OF July
ls IN In nr "A N Afneripnn fn ir
such proposition. Very respectfully,
"ORLANDo H. MOORE.
"C0lorel Twcnty-lfth Michigan infantry U
s. ~, commanding post"
Cn receiving the defiant answer
Gen. Morgan at once opened fire with
a battery of artillery. AS the stoclsadc
was built only OF wooden posts driver
into the ground, with but slight EN-
banlSment of earth around the interior
and no bomb proofs, it was soon madu
untenablc, and Col. Moore withdrew
his force and formed his lines in Tho
adjacent woods. Morgan, after bric
cannonnde dismounted, the greater
part of his command and advanced tc
the attack, leading it in person.
was met with rapid vollcy firing by
the undauntcd Michigan riflcmen, bu
and the daring Kentuckans soor
gained the shelter of tho woods
There the conflict ragged for nearly. tw,
hours, each side availing itself %
every cover afforded 10y the contour o
the ground and the trees. They en-
gagged in u hand-to-hand combat OF
many parts Of the field, in which tn,
union soldiers had the advantage o
bayonets on their rifles Men fired an,
struck at each other while shieldin,
themselves on opposite sides of th,
same fallen tree trunk. Gen. Morgan
finding that the stubborn infantry Il
his front was exacting ofshis troops !,
bloody toll for every step Of theirgna
vance, fell back upon his reserve. IN,
soon after sent in a flag. reauestip,
permission to bury, his dead swlier
they lay. The request was refused
but he was informed that the
q, s.. b. q,