The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-02-15
MORGAN'S RAIDERS.
THE FAMOUS ROUGH RIDING CAM
PAlGN OF THE CIVIL WAR.

n Carried Panic and Confusion INTO
Ohio and Indiana, hut Resulted In
No Benefit whatever TO the Confcd-
crntc Cause.
Cavalry riding" said the major, as
exciting, but very cxhaustlng business.
Long distance raids In m enemy's
country can be made only where there
nrc n good many horses. John Morgan
could never have made his raid
through Indiana and Ohio In 1863 II
the counties raidcd had not been well
supplied with the best horses I'm the
: west. When he started from the Cum
bcrland river, In east Tennessee. Nor
gan believed that he would sweep
everything before him and that, IL
properly supported, he would capture
Cincinnati.
morgan, with n we'll organized bri-
gadc of cavalry 1000 strong. swept
northward from the Cumberland river
through Kentucky 10 the Ohio river Mt
Brandcnberg, 40 miles below Louis
Vile. There he captured two steam
boats, crossed the river, swept through
southern Indiana. galloped around Gin
Cinnati. not more than ten miles from
the city, and then moved eastward,
expecting to cross the Ohio river Mt
Burlington, but was driven back. made
another attempt at Wcllsvillc, but was
finally captured Mt New Lisbon
This was the most remarkable raid
of the war. 1t carried panic and CON
fusion into Ohio and Indiana, but I'm
results II was of no benefit whatever
TO the Confederate cause. Morgan be-
lievcd that there would he an uprising
In the Confederate interest I'm Ken.
lucky. There was not. He believed
that the peace Democrats I'm Ohio
would give him Mt least secret support,
but when his men stole the horses Of
the peace Democrats the latter Joined
the ranks OF Morgans pursucrs, and
before the raid was half over the
whole state was aroused. and men
who had taken no interest In the war
previous TO that time shoudcrcd their
squirrel rifles TO fight the raiders who
were stealing their horses and carry
Ing the horrors OF war TO their very
doors.
"Thcre was hard riding oil the time
for Morgnn's men. They left behind
them n wrcckagc OF broken down
horses. They kept ahead OF their I'm
Ion pursuers simply because they stole
horses right and left and rcmountcd
the men, but they were finally captur-
ed, and that fall Ohio gave the war
party the largest majority I'm the his
tory OF the state UP To that time. In
fact. the Morgan raid. by carrying the
war into the peaceful districts OF In
diana and Ohio. provoked furious
feeling of resentment. which innu-
enced people for 20 years.
"rhe comedy OF the raid was fur.
nished by the people OF the districts
wholly unused 10 war. wholly unpre-
pared for it and with exaggerated
Ideas of the fcroclty Of Morgan's men.
For two weeks Il was only necessary
for some mischievous boy 20 shout.
Morgan is comingr In any village In
central or southern Ohio 20 create a
panic. know that many OF the raiders
after Morgan got no rest night or day.
slept In the saddle. and not few OF
them fell OF their horses In sleep At
the end OF the raid they were rs cx-
hausted as Morgan's men. but with
more difficult task 60 perform they
never received half the praise given
TO the raiders.
IL remember" continued the major.
zone case I'm which woman stabbed
her carriage horses In the parlor for
two days to keep them out Of Nor.
gan's hands. saw Morgan's men ride
by that house aud saw some OF them
stop TO listen at the unusual sound OF
horses feet on n carpcted floor. but the
parlor horses were not disturbed. Some
Of our neighbors drove their horses.
cattle and sheep 30 miles into the lr.
terror and were away from home /,
week. Morgan's men looted right and
left and some Of them had bolts Of