The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-09-10

"The most singular thing about the
movement was that the feeling though in
tense, was at this time remarkably free
from the commonplace bitterness that
marks the earlier stages of most civil
wars. While the people were falling
asunder, going each to their places Of arms.
there were no outrages, no combats be-
tween the passing parties of men who
were to be foes. On the contrary, it is
doubtful if in years the State had been as
free from all forms of disturbance as in
this time of parting. A great sorrow fell
upon the land. 1t was common enough to
see strong men weeping for the woe that
was to come upon their beloved State.
Zone of the most painful features was
the sundering of households that now took
place. When the division came, very
often the father went one way, the sons
another. Usually the parting lines in civil
wars are drawn by neighborhoods and
clans, but in this battle the line of separ-
alton went through all association what
soever. Families, churches, friendships,
seemed to have no influence whatever on
the way men went 1t was the most sim
gular evidence of independent mindedness
that is recorded in history.
'To the considerate observer, the most
interesting feature in this period was the
absolute forgetfulness of the mOneyed
value of the slave. Nearly one-fourth the
estimated value of the State was in
slaves, yet this interest never seemed to
enter into the minds of men; we never
hear of it in the public debates, and it
was equally absent from the private talk
of the times. There was no movement to
remove the slaves southwards, where they
still had their price. There was the same
absence of desire to secure other proper
~. There was no drifting out of capital
or population from the State, no effort to
convert real estate or chattels into money,
such as has SO often in other countries
marked the beginning of perilous times"
The As or 80 men composing the Lex
ington Rifles" with one or two exceptions,
made avowal frankly and publicly of their
Southern sympathies, but not a man made
an effort to go South until Capt. Morgan
signifed willingness and readiness to
lead them. The extreme illness of his
wife, who died in July, 1861, required
members of the rifles" patiently and rev.
erentially awaited his decision and direc-
tons.
LEAVING LEXINGTON.
When an order was issued for the dis
arming of the State Guard, and the Fed
eral troops at Camp Dick Robinson and
the home-guard organizations exhibited
evidences of hostility, Capt. Morgan de-
termined, if possible, to save his guns, and
Friday night, Sept. 20, summoned a few
Of his most trustworthy men to whom he
confided his plans and determination. The
guns were loaded into two wagons and
started out of Lexington on the Versailles
road, small guard accompanying them.
The men composing this guard left on
ehar hnu haA alv
time to prepare and carry with them even
necessary clothing, hardly time to visit
their homes to say good-by. Notwith-
standing a regiment of Federal troops
were encamped near by, and many of the
officers and men were in the town when
the guns were removed, the guard marched
out with their cartridge-boxes belted on,
loaded rifles on their shoulders and bayo-
nets fixed. In order to allay suspicion
Capt. Morgan kept ~ or Is men parading
and tramping heavily about the armory
| for an hour or two after the departure of
the Ordnance wagons" creating the i'm
preston that his company was engaged
| in the usual drill eyolutions. Without mis-
adventure the guard and wagons got out
of town. encountering, however. one Fed
eral soldier, who was taken prisoner and
marched some 20 miles before being re-
leased. Morgan himself accompanied the
wagons until he was satisfied they were
| beyond immediate danger of being cap
tured. He then returned to Lexington. On
the following day when the authorities
went to the armory to seize the guns and
could not find them there was ga hot time
in the old town." an angry discussion
leading to a shooting ARRAY between some
members of the rifles" and part of the
] troops and home-guards. The entire regi-