The National tribune., 1896-11-26

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MORGAN ELUDING HIS PURsUERs.
far away with such force without any
support. At the same time Braggs
army was falling back and scattering.
1t looked at times as if it were simple
bravado or love of ambition; as if the
leader was willing to be captured if he
could end his career in q blaze of eX-
element created by his dash and dar-
ing; his men broken into squads and
scattered and captured, and he himself
prisoner in the Ohio Penitentiary.
Old soldiers of this late day, who were
in the raid, on both sides, love to talk
about it, and recount the incidents of
that remarkable ride that was 600
miles long.
John Morgan's confinement in the
Ohio Penitentiary after his capture has
been much commented upon by rebel
writers as being most cruel and tyran-
nical. 1t mi ght have looked so to Nor
gan and his staff, but to Northern ewes
, it was considered quite good enough for
one who bad stolen as many horses and
burned as many bridges as he had. His
predatory warfare had been the most
wonderful, and had now been carried
into the Northern States, and after his
capture cry went up to GeD. Burnside
from all over the land to put the boss
horse-thief" into safe place, and keep
him there as long as possible. He had
now made himself terror to the North
as well as to the loyal people of Ken
tucky and Tennessee, and there was a
general clamor for Gen. Burnside to
place Morgan where he could do no
more harm.
Burnside looked around for a place
to confne him, consulted Gov. Todd,
and between them it was thought that
the Ohio Penitentiary would make the
most secure place that could be found
for the purpose. 1t did look little
rough, but it was small heaven COM
pared with Andersonville, where our
men were starved to death by inches
and shot dead if they stepped one foot
over the dead-line. Basil Duke and
Capt Hines both testify that they were
well fed while in the penitentiary.
After selecting the safest place we had
in Ohio, we were not able to hold the
willy raider but five or six months, when
he and half dozen of his lieutenants
broke Jail and made their way back to
the Southern Confederacy. This was
another feat performed by the strategic
chieftain of numerous raids. He was
soon found at the head of another force.
The scattered troops were collected to-
gether and new recruits gathered up,
and Morgan found himself at the head
of another small command; but he had
lost his prestige. His trip north was
contrary to Gen. Bragg's wishes and a
failure, and himself and men nearly all
captured. 1t never did any great good
to the South or very great damage to
the North. 1t drew some few troops
mostly cavalry, from the Army of the
Cumberland and detracted some atten-
ton from Bragg's army, which soon beat
a retreat from Tennessee.
The manner in which
MORGAN ESCAPED
from the Ohio Penitentiary is minutely
given by Basil Duke in his History oi
Morgan's Cavalry" but / will not at
tempt TO quote it here.
On the morning of the Sd of Septem
Der, 1864, Morgan made his appearance
in the town of Greenville, Tenn, the
old home of Andrew johnson, and after
thoroughly placing pickets around the
place, he took up his headquarters a
the residence of Mrs. DR.. Williams, neal
the center of the town. Soon after tht
appearance of the guard, and after Nor
gan made his quarters in the house, {
younger Mrs. Williams, daughter-in-lav
J of the lady in whose house Morgan wa
stopping, disappeared. A scout was sem
to look for her, but she could not b.
!. found, and as she returned with tht
enemy the next morning, it seems tha
she had ridden all the way to BulPi
Gap, distance Of Is miles, and hac
given information as to the strength O.
the guard and of Morgan's whereabouts
1t appears that Morgan had taken extrs
| precaution to place his pickets. and at :
late hour retired to rest, feeling that al
the avenues to the town were guarded
and feeling much fatigued slept soundly
II About o'clock the next morning