Raiding with Morgan Read online

  Raiding with Morgan

  AS HE SAT ON HIS HORSE AND LOOKED OUT UPON THE RIVER.]

  The Young Kentuckians Series

  Raiding with Morgan

  BY Byron A. Dunn

  Author of "General Nelson's Scout," "On General Thomas's Staff," "Battling for Atlanta," "From Atlanta to the Sea"

  ChicagoA. C. McClurg & Co.1903

  COPYRIGHT BY A. C. MCCLURG & CO A. D. 1903

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  PUBLISHED SEPT. 30, 1903

  PREFACE.

  General John H. Morgan was one of the most picturesque figures in theCivil War, an officer without a peer in his chosen line. During the twoyears of his brilliant career he captured and paroled at least tenthousand Federal soldiers, and kept three times that number in the rear ofthe Federal army guarding communications. When we consider the millions ofdollars' worth of property he destroyed, and how he paralyzed themovements of Buell, we do not wonder that he was considered the scourge ofthe Army of the Cumberland.

  General Morgan was a true Kentucky gentleman, and possessed one of thekindest of hearts. The thousands of persons captured by him almostinvariably speak of the good treatment accorded them. The followingincident reveals more clearly than words his generous spirit. In reportinga scout, he says:

  "Stopped at a house where there was a sick Lincoln soldier, who died thatnight. No men being in the neighborhood, his wife having no person to makea coffin or bury him, I detailed some men, who made a coffin."

  The adventures of Calhoun as a secret agent of the "Knights of the GoldenCircle" opens up a portion of the history of the Civil War which may bealmost unknown to our younger readers. During the war the whole North washoneycombed with secret societies, whose members denounced Lincoln as ausurper and a bloody monster, and maintained that the government had noright to coerce the South. They resisted the draft, encouraged desertions,and embarrassed the Federal Government in every way possible. In secretmany of the leaders plotted armed rebellion, the liberation of Confederateprisoners, and the burning of Northern cities. They held out inducementsto the South to invade the North, and there is but little doubt thatMorgan was lured to his destruction by their representations.

  Shortly after the close of the war the author met a gentleman who hadserved on the staff of General Breckinridge. This officer affirmed that hecarried a message from Breckinridge to Morgan, saying that the former hadpositive information that forty thousand armed "Knights" stood ready toassist Morgan if he would invade Indiana. Everything goes to show thatMorgan relied on these reports, and it was this belief that induced him todisobey the orders of General Bragg.

  It is an interesting question whether General Breckinridge was reallyprivy to the plans of the "Knights," and whether he secretly encouragedMorgan to disobey orders, hoping that the appearance of a Confederateforce in the North would lead to the overthrow of the Lincoln Governmentand the independence of the South. The author has taken the ground thatBreckinridge was fully cognizant of Morgan's intended move.

  This volume mentions only the greatest of the General's raids, and theauthor has tried to narrate them with historical accuracy as regards time,place, and circumstances. In stating the number of his men, his losses,and the damage he inflicted on the Federals, the General's own reportshave been followed; these, as was to be expected, differ widely in manycases from those of the Federal officers.

  The tale of the exploits of Calhoun is substantially true, though the herohimself is fictitious, for every one of his most notable feats wasaccomplished by one or other of Morgan's men. It was Lieutenant Eastin, ofMorgan's command, who killed Colonel Halisy in single combat. Calhoun'sachievements in the escape from the Ohio Penitentiary were actuallyperformed by two different persons: a sharp dining-room boy furnished theknives with which the prisoners dug their way to liberty; Captain ThomasH. Hines planned and carried to a successful termination the daring andingenious escape. Captain Hines fled with General Morgan; and everyadventure which befell Calhoun in "The Flight to the South" actuallybefell Captain Hines. The Captain's marvellous story was published in theJanuary number of "The Century," 1891, and to this narrative the author isindebted for the leading facts.

  B. A. DUNN. August 1, 1903.