The Coolidge examiner., 1933-09-15


up the glen"
The raid. led by Gen. John Hunt Morgan Tin
1863 colonel of a cavalry regiment in Gen.
Braxton Bragg's Confederate army-his briga-
dier-g generalship coming later) was one of the
most spectacular and daring enterprises in the
Civil war. Boldly conceived and skillfully exc
cuted, its leader failed in his announced pur-
pose of watering his horses in Lake Erie" but
he did succeed in reaching the point farthest
north attained by any Southern troops on active
service during the war and the expedition just
missed being carried to a triumphant conclu-
sion-through fault OF Morgan's, but because
a swift and unexpected rise of the Ohio river
prevented his reaching safety at the last mo-
ment For as ballad later composed by one
of his hardriding troopers and sung by his sur
viving comrades, had it
"Oh, Morgan crossed the river,
And l went across with him
was captured in Ohio
Just because | couldn't swim !"
When on June IL Morgan and approximately
I.5OO cavalrymen crossed the Cumberland river
in Tennessee and started north. his secret desti-
nation was Ohio. After a number of skirmishes
with Union troops stationed as garrlsons of
towns along the line of march, he reached the
Ohio at Bragdensburg, July Z. captured two
two Federal gunboats, and then crossed the
river to Indiana. He was in the heart of
enemy territory. his little force pursued by thou
sands of Federals from the Kentucky camps, and
facing hostile militia populace and soldiery
wherever he might turn. Descending on Cory
don he found 1000 militia drawn up to bar his
way. He dispersed them and moved on without
halting through Salisbury and Palmyra to Salem.
From Salem he proceeded on up the Ohio, de-
stroying and burning as he went, in effort to
cripple the transportation system and deprive the
Federals OF their stores. At Versailles he en-
countered a strong force of enemy troops sent
to capture him but eluded them and continued
on his way. After threatening Cincinnati. he
skirted the city and reach Camp Shady. There
he destroyed a large number of Federal army
wagons much forage and other supplies. Con-
tnuing east laying waste to rail lines he fin
ished his dash through Ohio at Pomeroy. At that
time it was estimated o, 900 Federal troops were
hot in pursuit of the daring raiders
Even then Morgan might have made his escape
into Virginia, but for an unexpected rise in the
Ohio that delayed the command and prevented it
from crossing the river Immediately. While they
were compelled to wait, Federal troops and gun
boats came up. The raiders pushed further up the
river TO another ford. Here many crossed before
the pursuers caught up, and made their escape.
Hemmed in by Federals. the remainder of the
command split up in small groups-some escap-
ing. some being captured. General Morgan and
n large number of his followers escaped, doubled
back on the trail and headed toward Athens and
GAINESVILLE.
But the game about up. Maj George Rue
of the Ninth Kentucky cavalry had thrown a
Gordon of troops across the path of the fleeing
raider south of New Lisbon and there on July
26. 1868. Morgan surrendered to his fellow-Ken-
tuckian who for the past two years had been
kept busy chasing John Morgan out of Ken
tucky." bronze tablet set in a huge bowlder
ON the little-traveled Beaver Creek road today
marks the high water mark of the Confederacy
Even If Morgan failed to water his horses in
Lake Erie" it remained for two other Confed
crate leaders John Y. Beall and David ii. Ross
10 enjoy a spectacular, though brief career, on
that body of water and to create almost as much
CONSERVATION in Union hearts as had the bold
kentuckian.
AT the outbreak of the Civil war Ross was an
eighteen-year-od cadet in the Macon Guards
the pride of Georgia Captured at the battle OF
Knoxville Tenn. Ross was sent to Union pri
son camp on the shores of Lake Erie from which
he soon escaped and made his way to Toronto
where he became acquainted with Jacob Thomp
son formerly secretary of the interior in Presi
dent Buchanan's cabinet, but agent fol
the Confederacy in enliSting Southern sympa
tIiizers among the Canadians and in aiding Con
federate sympathizers to escape.
T1sr" pSon sent Ross to Windsor to report tC