Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-02-28
4.e az ed. Wnl. 4. Morqa,..

death OF Col. VIM. A. Morgan IL APP
pears be died suddenly whilst sitting in
chair talking to his daughter and his
grandchildren.
The following sketch of the life of Col
Morgan is taken from the Memoirs of
Gen. Turner Ashby aud his Compeers" !:
Among those who, by impulse as well
as by special invitation, went to Win.
chester to pay his earnest tribute of love
and honor to the memory of our beloved
Ashby, was that gallont and distinguish
ed officer, Col. William A. Morgan, of
Jefferson county.
Upon several occasions, after the death
of General Ashby, he had been assigned
temporarily to the command of the bri.
gade; and how worthily he discharged
the responsible and honorable trust re-
posed in him, can be judged by the fact.
that, when his arrival in their midst was
known, the officers of the brigade, then
in council, resolved, as mark of their
respect to receive him all standing.
All present on that occasion will re-
member his chivalric and soldierly bear
ing, as he entered the room to receive the
greeting of his former comrades-in-armp.
He looked every inch a soldier. and al
though his sword had been laid aside in
obedience to circumstances. it was evil
dent his armor had been FURNISHED and
ready for use at the call of duty and
honor.
His gallant services with the Laurel
(Ashby) Brigade, to say nothing of his
conspicuous heroism throughout the
whole of his military career, will,
trust, justify the extended notice
of this officer, not only as tribute to his
modesty. and worth, but also a debt to
history, and qualification to his many
friends, of whom he is so justly the pride.
Col. Morgan was the oldest of three
brothers, all of whom leaped into the
saddle at the first call of their State, to
protect her safety and honor. They were
among the very frat to reach Harper'e
Ferry (only ten miles distant from their
home), where the bloody fray began, and
/ Lu6y Ill CDulluuGu uUlO lIl6 euu,
never wavering for an instant.
The one next younger than the Col,
onel, Daniel, was buried the day of the
surrender at APpomsttox, (having died
two days before, of wounds received on
the retreat of the Confederate forces from
Petersburg); and thus by a remarkable
coincidence, the sun of his hopes and
that of the Confederacy, for which he
suffered martyrdom, rose and set at the
same time.
The two began the struggle together
they remained faithful friends through
out the terrific strife; and they both at
last found their graves on the same day
and about the same moment.
Col. Morgan began his career as cap.
tain of the Shepherdstown troop, which
was incorporated with the 1st Regiment
Virginia Cavalry, then commanded by
Lieut. Colonel afterwards GENERALLY j. E
B. Stuart. This regiment became famous
not only for its proves in battle, but al.
so for having been commanded by Stuart
William E. Jones, Fitz Lee, Drake, and
Morgan. The last named was its lasr
Colonel; and, while for his personal anC
military qualities he was beloved by the
whole regiment, he always sustained it,
high reputation in the field.
Col. Morgan participated in over three
hundred battles and skirmishes, and had
fourteen horses killed and mortally
wounded under him the last one haying
fallen under him at Appomattox, few
minutes before the order was given tc
cease firing. Being in command oil
Paine's Brigade ut the time, (that officer
having been wounded few days before, J
he succeeded in cutting his way through
the serricd column of the enemy, and es-
capped safely with his command to Lynch.
burg, where he afterwards disbanded il
by order of General Lee.
Starting for home with his horse, sabre
and pistols, Everything else including
his diary and private papers, having been
destroyed on the disastrous retreat y his
sabre WAS stolen from him in crossing
New Canton Ferry. When within few
miles of his home, party of Federal SOL
diers forced him to give them his pistols.
and that night his horse was stolen by
some unscrupulous thief The last was
comparatively an insignificant loss, be
ing new acquaintance made on the BAT
tlefieId at Appomattox after his own had
been stricken down but the sabre and
pistols had been his tried and faithful
companions throughout all his campaign
and hardshrPs. Upon his returning to
his wife and children, he found himself
reduced TO the ownership of the war worn
and bullet pierced suit of rusty gray,
which covered his jad,d and manly form
On Col. Morgsn's beautiful estate in
Jefferson county, is the famous Morgan
Spring of Revolutionary memory, REFER,
ed to SO eIOquently by the Hon. A. R.
BoteIer, in that brilliant and patriotic
speech delivered by him in the United
States Congress Just before the breaking
out of the late struggle, and which thrill
ed the popular heart throughout every
section of the country by its patriotic SEN
timents aud palhos
If you have catarrh. don't daily with
local remedies, but purify and enrich
your blood with Hoods Sarsaparilla.
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