Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-05-24
The First Virginia Cavalry.
$40 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY,

$40 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY,
April 25, 1900.
EDITOR SHEPHERDsTowN REGISTER,
SHEPHERDsTowN, w. VA.-Dear Sir -
| have Just read in the REGISTER of the
10Th instant letter entitled, "Reminis-
cences by Survivor of the Gallant
First Virginia Calvary from the Valley
to Appomattox, and yet through
cut the whole of its two-column length
| could see no mention of Colonel Will
lam A. Morgan, the gallant officer ''who
$50 says Avirett's Life Of AShby) led
that heroic regiment into over three
hundred battles and skirmishes and had
twenty-five horses killed and wounded
under him during the war; nor did he
enjoy the luxury of furlough during
that whole four years struggle, he, dur
ing that whole period, being separated
from his home, except at the time OF
the battles Of Antetam and Gettysburg,
when he had few hours leave Of alb
Sence."
Can be mistaken that such man
lived? If not, then you might as well
leave Hamlet out of the play of Hamlet,
as Morgan's name out of the history of
the First Regiment of Virgins Cavalry,
for the fame of that heroic regiment
and Morgan's name are linked together
with the imperishable glory which be-
longs to the Lost Cause" yet not lost,
but whose illustrous deeds illumine the
brightest page in heroic history, among
whose heroes none will be found greater
than Stuart, Jones, FitZ Lee, Drake and
Morgan, the several commanders of the
glorious First Regiment.
know that General Fitz Lee believed
that such a man as Morgan lived, for he
mentioned him with special honor, for
his courage displayed at the battle of
Kelly's Ford, March II, 1868, in which
the gallant Pelham lost his life. And
Colonel Drake knew Morgan was real
ity, not only for gallant conduct in that
battle, but throughout the whole war.
As to that engagement at kelly's Ford,
| will mention an incident which may
be interesting. A rumor having gone
abroad that Morgan (then Lieutenant
COLONEL had been desperately and per-
haps fatally wounded in that terrible
conflict, | went from Richmond to Cor
louisville to ascertain the facts, and the
first man met when alighting from the
train was Colonel Drake. | instantly
said, Colonel, how is Morgan ~ His
reply was, IL see You have heard that
false rumor, but there is not word of
truth in it, Morgan is somewhere here
in this crowd as well as ever In his life -
and then, looking into my face with in
tense earnestnesS, said, And he is the
best man in the Army of Northern Nir-
ginia." | remarked that that was very
high praise. He replied, Eyes, it is, and
| mean it to be high praise" adding
that Stuart had the best Division in that
Army, Fitz Lee the best Brigade in that
Division, and he, Drake, the best Regi-
ment in that Brigade, and that Morgan
was the best man in his Regiment. This
enthusiastic utterance of Colonel Drake
came at that time because Morgan had
fought with conspicuous gallantry in
that bloody contest of few days be-
fore, and it made Drake proud of the
fame which his Regiment had gained
that day. And from what | know of
Lieutenant Billmyer and of his general
reputation as soldier | am sure that
Colonel Morgan, if living, would have
named him as live member of the
gallant First Regiment and have num-
bered him among the heroes of his Reg
iment. Surely none of these things could
have happened if Morgan was only a
heroic myth and not the real, living,
acting soldier who leaped into the sad
die the first day of the war and was
among the last to surrender at Appomat-
toX. Very truly yours, A. j. 5.