xt72v698698t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt72v698698t/data/mets.xml Simms, Jeremiah Hickman, 1851- Simms, Virginia Dare Shriver. 1913 books b92e47518l342009 English J. H. Simms : East Liverpool, Ohio Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Morgan s Ohio Raid, 1863. Last night and last day of John Morgan s raid. text Last night and last day of John Morgan s raid. 1913 2009 true xt72v698698t section xt72v698698t
Last Night and Last Day

of John Morgans Raid

GENERAL JOHN H. MORGAN Confederate Raider

__ &

MORGAN'S RAID AND -CAPTURE-

|! THE STORY FROM ITS INCEPTION TO THE LAST NIGHT AND LAST CAMP AT BERGHOLZ, FORMERLY "OLD NEBO." I

Chronicled by J. H. SIMMS, of East Liverpool Morning Tribune.

AN HISTORICAL SUMMER.

The summer of 1863 was noted for the rapidity with which history was made from day to day. Surely there is some truth i: the old saying "Coming events cast their shadows before them," yet not one seemed to notice that the finger on the sign board of war that summer was being turned to point towards "Round Knob," in Columbiana County, Ohio, the highest point above sea level in the state, or the entire Ohio or Mississippi valley, a spot near where lately has been planted a monument to mark the highest point of invasion reached by any confederate troops during the conflict of civil war from 1861 to 1865. That spot is where Confederate General John Morgan and his raiders were captured, and East Liverpool has had something to do with the placing of a monument to mark the historic spot.

HISTORY HATCHING

On the tenth day of May, 1863, Captain H. R. Hill, of East Liverpool, who was then stationed at Cincinnati with his regiment, the 115th 0. V. I., received a special commission from General Burnside to put on citizens clothes and proceed to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, where the notorious Clement L. Valandingham, formerly of Lisbon, was to make a speech on the evening of the tenth. Capt. Hill, or "Col. Hill" as we all know him now, went to Mt. Vernon, where he stood on the stage, a few feet distant from the speaker, and posing as a newspaper reporter, took notes of the utterances of Valandingham, which resulted in his arrest, trial, and conviction for violation of the famous military edict known as "Gen- Order No. 38," which read as follows :

'"All i>fi-s(nis within our lines who commit acts for the benefit of enemies of our country will be tried as spies or traitors, and if convicted will suffer death. The habit of declaring sympathy for the enemy will not be allowed in this department. Persons committing such offenses will be at once arrested, with a view to being tried as above stated, or sent beyond our lines into the lines of their friends. Treason, expressed or implied, will not be tolerated in this department."

VALANDINGHAM DEFYS IT.

Valandingham, being angered at this order, expressed his determination to defy it. He announced that he was a free man, and did not have to ask Dave Todd, Abe Lincoln or Ambrose Burnside for his right to speak. After Col. II. R. Hill made his report to Gen. Burnside, a portion of the 115th Ohio was sent by special train to Dayton, where Valandingham was taken by the "boys in blue." some of whom were from East Liverpool, from his residence after breaking in three locked doors. Valandingham was taken to Cincinnati, where he was given a

military trial, which resulted in his conviction, (on notes taken by a fellow native of Columbiana County). The sentence was banishment, and was approved by President Lincoln.

On Sunday night, May 24th, Valandingham was quietly sent into Murl'reesboro on a special train, in charge of a squad of the 13th regular infantry. So secret was this trip that none save Gen. Rosecrans knew of his coming and arrival. Had the troops known who was in their midst, all restraint would have been lost, and Valandingham would have been killed on the spot, so intense and burning was their hatred for the man whose every speech, made in and out of Congress for two years, had tended to encourage the enemy, which rendered it more difficult and more dangerous for the boys who wore the blue.

' Sketched by Dudley Hawkins

General John Morgan and his Tennessee bride.

VALANDINGHAM'S NIGHT RIDE-

At two o'clock in the morning Valandingham was hustled into a spring wagon and started for "Dixie." Not one of those who accompanied Valandingham that night will ever forget it. The procession passed silently along the streets of Murfreesboro, through the camps of three thousand slumbering Union troops, and out on the Shelbyville pike towards the Confederate lines. Picket after picket was passed, the countersign opening the gates in the several lines of living men which circled the town of Murfreesboro. The men on guard looked in silent wonder. Little they thought that old spring wagon contained "the Great Copperhead" on his way South. Stone river was passed, and at the break of day signs of the Confederate front began to appear. Break-

fast was taken at the home of a Mr. Butler. From there a flag of truce was sent forward, which soon returned, announcing that Col. Webb, of the 5lst Alabama, would receive the prisoner. Major Wiles, provost marshal, of the district of Murl'reesboro, and Capt. Goodwill of the 37th Indiana, alone accompanied Valandingham within the Confederate lines and handed the prisoner over to a single Confederate soldier. Only by secrecy and with all possible dispatch could Valandingham have been taken through the I'nion lines.

COLUMBIANA COUNTY GETS IN.

Valandingham was born in the town of New Lisbon. Mis accuser was horn in the town of East Liverpool. Both were members of old Columbiana County families, well known and prominent. It has been stated thai the arrest of Valandingham. along with the widely circulated reports of great indignation and almost open rebellion which followed the arrest and conviction of Valandingham. was largely responsible for Morgan's raid-Events which then and there originated, and concerned Columbiana County people, led to the carrying of war almost to the very doors of Lisbon and East Liverpool, and are introduced because they belong to the story which follows.

MORGAN'S RAID CONCEIVED.

Whitelaw Reid in his "Ohio in the War" says. "Rosecrans was a1 Stone river, in July L.863, and menacing Bragg at, Tullahoma. Burnside was organizing a force at Cincinnati to operate in East Tennessee. Bragg felt that if Rosecrans' communications were threatened, the advance of Burnside to the assistance of Kosecrans would he delayed. (Jen. John II. Morgan was the man selected for this service. He had orders to go where I.....hose in Kentucky, to attempt the capture of Louisville, hul was forbidden to cross the Ohio river. Morgan at once made preparations for his raid, and in defiance of orders to the contrary, concluded to cross the Ohio river and ascertain for himself how many friends the southern confederacy had in southern Indiana and in southern Ohio."

General John II. Morgan was born at Ilunts-ville, Alabama, June 1, 1826, and he was killed by a Union soldier September 4, 1864, while attempting to escape from a farm house, near Greenville, Tenn. This occurred not long after his escape from the Ohio penitentiary, following his capture near West Beaver Church in Columbiana County, Ohio, on Sunday, July 26, 1863.

MORGAN STARTS.

Morgan crossed the Cumberland river on July 2, 1863. The next day he had a severe
MORGAN'S RAID AND CAPTURE

fight at the crossing of Green river with a Michigan regiment under Col. Moore. The Michigan troops made a determined resistance, when Morgan withdrew and found another crossing. He marched direct for Brandenburg, on the Ohio river, sixty miles below Louisville, and started with from 2,500 to 3,000 troops-Having tapped the telegraph wires, he learned that Louisville was full of Union troops. After capluring a train thirty miles out of Louisville, Morgan sent two companies ahead to Brandenburg to secure means of transportation for crossing the Ohio river. He crossed the state of Kentucky in five days and arrived at Brandenburg on the morning of July 8th. The two companies he sent ahead captured two Ohio river steamboats, well known to every resident of the Ohio valley livdng here fifty years ago. They were the steamers "John T. McCombs" and the "Alice Dean.". The "McCombs" was the first steamboat running between Pittsburg and Cincinnati that carried a steam calliope. The ."Alice Dean" was named for one of the Dean girls, of Rochester, Pa., ami was built and owned by Capt. Dean, one of the pioneer Ohio river steamboatmen.

The late Capt. Thomas Calhoun, of Georgetown. I'a., was pilot on the "McCombs" when captured and burned by Morgan.

CROSSES THE OHIO.

Morgan prepared to cross the river, when a company of Indiana militia on the other side 6f tlie river opened lire witb musketry and an old cannon mounted on wagon wheels. Morgan sent one of his regiments across the river, and bringing his Parrot! rifles into line, the militia was Forced to retreat ; Morgan's main Force was about to Follow when a little ironclad, the "Springfield.'* came steaming down the river.

Basil W. Duke, Morgan's second in command, in his story of Morgan's raid says, "This little gunboat tossed her snubnose defiantly like an angry beauty of the coalpits. She sided ;i little toward the town and commenced to BCOld. A bluish-white Funnel shaped cloud spOUted out From her left bow and a shot llew.at the town; then changing Front, she snapped a shell at the men on the other side. I wish I wen- sufficiently master oF nautical phraseology to do justice to this little vixen's style of fighting, but she was so unlike a horse, or even a piece of light artillery, that I cannot

venture to attempt it- This was a critical moment For the Morgan raiders, as every hour's delay broughl tin- troops in pursuit nearer: but when Morgan's I'arrotts were turned upon the ' Springfield" she was compelled to retire, owing to the inequality of the range id' guns. We then crossed the river with our entire force, after which we burned the steamboats and marched six miles before night."

Put few people ever knew what become of those two well known Ohio river steamboats the "MeCombs" and the "Alice Deans." Up to this time the Ohio river had been the extreme northern limit of threatened Confederate invasion. Morgan's raid now commenced in earnest, and consternation first spread throughout Indiana. All sorts of rumors were circulated. Morgan by means of his expert

TELEGRAPHERS TAPPED THE WIRES

and sent delusive and exaggerated reports of his strength and his intentions. Messages were sent announcing Morgan's intention to burn Indianapolis and loot the Indiana state treasury. Other dispatches were sent that he would loot the banks of Cincinnati and burn the eitv.

Morgan did this purposely, and by means of tapping the wires, he kept himself informed of all Union troops looking to his capture. He followed his well conceived plans of avoiding all large towns and cities, and by rapid marching, passed through the undefended portions of the country. While going through Indiana he burned all the bridges, looted all the small towns, overwhelmed all small forces that offered any resistance and captured many prisoners, but immediately released them on parole. Morgan destroyed more property in those first few days in Indiana than anywhere else. He had more time.

MORGAN INVADES OHIO.

Morgan reached the state line between Indiana and Ohio, Monday, July 13th, at the little town of Harrison, and Basil Duke says:

"Morgan here began to maneuver for the benefit of the commanding officer at Cincinnati. He took it for granted that there was a large force of regular troops in Cincinnati. Burnside had them within his reach, and Morgan supposed, of course, he would bring them to prevent his passing into Ohio. If he could get past Cincinnati safely, Morgan thought the danger of capture would be more than half over. Here we expected to be confronted by ihi' concentrated forces of Burnside and Judah, and we anticipated great difficulty in eluding or cutting our way through them- Once through this peril and our escape would be ciit a in. Thinking that the great effort to capture him would be made where he crossed the Hamilton & Dayton railroad, Morgan's object was to deceive the enemy as to the exact point where he would cross and thus denude that point as much as possible of troops. Morgan sent detachments in several directions, and sought to create the impression that he was marching to Hamilton. When Morgan entered Ohio his forces amounted to about two thousand men. the others having been killed or captured in skirmishes, or. unable to keep up with the rapid marching of his flying cavalry, had fallen behind exhausted, where they were picked up by tin- citizen soldiery following Morgan's line of march. While Cincinnati was filled with alarm of Morgan's advance, he was very apprehensive of danger from that city. By the greatest march Morgan ever made, he

SLIPPED AROUND CINCINNATI

in the night. It was a terribly trying march. Strong men fell out of their saddles and at every halt the officers were compelled to move continually among the companies and pull in all the men who would drop asleep in the road. It was the only way to keep them awake. Quite a number crept off into the fields and slept, where they were awakened and captured by the enemy following. At the break of day we reached the last point where we had to anticipate danger. We passed through Glen-dale and all the other little suburban town^. and then were near the Little Miami railroad, which we crossed without opposition. We halted to feed our horses in sight of Camp Dennison. After a short rest, during which we burned a park of government wagons, we resumed the march. At four o'clock that afternoon, we were at Williamsburg, twenty-eight miles east of Cincinnati, having marched since Leaving Summansvi]le, Ind.. in a continuous period of thirty-five hours, more than ninety miles. This was the greatest march Morgan ever made, and one of the longest on record _9_

Peeling comparatively safe at Williamsburg, Morgan allowed his men to go into camp and remain for the night-''

THE CHASE COMMENCES.

Prom this on the chase after Morgan became an exciting one. The Union troops were following so close behind that Morgan had but little time for burning bridges or hunting up fresh horses. Judah and his troops were dispatched on boats up the river to head Morgan off. Gov. Todd called out over fifty thousand Ohio militia, but had he called out three hundred thousand, Morgan would have whipped them all and got away. They proved no more hindrance to Morgan than so many children. Militia from Camp Dennison followed Morgan until near Batavia, where they halted and felled trees across the road, which they said were to '' check Morgan should he return.''

Morgan spent the night of July 14th at Williamsburg. Prom there he marched to Washington Court House, passing through Georgetown, Jackson, Vinton and Berlin, reaching the ford at Buffington Island July 18th. Morgan's daring column was seemingly approaching its goal, having evaded all the Union troops in Kentucky and throAvn the Indiana and Ohio militia at one side as so much straw. ,

Just fifteen days after starting, Morgan halted at the north banks of the Ohio at Buffington, ready to cross back into Kentucky. It was necessary to wait a few hours for daylight, so that he could safely cross into the midst of a population where he might look for sympathy and aid. Morgan's look for welcome, with aid and assistance from Indiana and Ohio "copperheads," didn't materialize. Southern sympathy faded away when.horses were asked for and taken.

BUFFINGTON ISLAND FIGHT.

Morgan had arrived opposite Buffington Island at eight o'clock in the evening, but it was a night of solid darkness as the Confederate officers afterward declared, and they were compelled to await morning before attempting to cross. By morning the Union troops were up. At daybreak Duke advanced with a couple of regiments to storm the Union earthworks, which had been erected to protect the ford. He was rapidly making arrangements for crossing the river when Judah's advance struck him-At first Duke repulsed them and captured the adjutant of Judah's staff. Duke was not able to rejoin his command before it was routed by the Fifth Indiana. As the raiders reformed they were assailed by Hobson's three thousand cavalrymen, who had been on their trail over three states, but always a few hours behind. Then followed the brief but decisive battle of Buffington's Island, where Morgan was routed horse and foot, from which he retreated with only twelve hundred men. His brother, with Cols. Duke, Ward, and Huffman, were among the prisoners taken by the Federals. The loss of life on the Union side was small, but among the killed was Major Daniel McCook, father of one of the tribes of "Fighting McCooks," formerly of Lisbon, and of one of Columbiana County's pioneer families.

MORGAN'S FLIGHT CONTINUES.

From Buffington's Island the dreariest experience of the rebel raider began. About twenty miles above Buffington, Morgan made another attempt to cross the Ohio river. Between two and three hundred of his men succeeded in getting across when the United States gun-boats again put in an appearance. The
MORGAN'S RAID AND CAPTURE.

gun-boats opened fire on the Confederates, and checked the crossing. Morgan with about nine hundred of his men were forced back to the Ohio shore, and again commenced their flight northward. The men were very much exhausted by their long continued raid and running fight. They were demoralized and discouraged, and were weakened probably most of all by loss of hope and faith in themselves and their leader. They were hounded and harrassed on ever}r side. Every loophole of escape was soon closed, and they were hunted like wild beasts night and day, driven hither and thither from daylight till dark by the Union-troops following them. Yet Morgan was a daring raider, a superb cavalry leader, and from the jaws of every disaster, he succeeded in withdrawing the remnant of his troops, and in getting away day after day. This he was able to do even on the last day of his raid, and the day of his capture, to which attention will be called when that part of the story is reached. Morgan next headed for the Muskingum, but he was unable to cross that river on account of a large force of Ohio militia. He again doubled on his trail, and turned again towards Blennerhassett Island. The clouds .of dust made by Morgan's' men in their rapid riding betrayed the movement to his pursuers and they closed in on three sides. Late in the evening the Union troops slept on their arms, expecting to make Morgan surrender the following morning, but the Confederate raider, with his men, stole out along the hill side over a route that had been thought impassable. The men walked in single file and led their horses, and by midnight Morgan and his daring band of raiders were again in rapid flight. By hard marching Morgan succeeded in

AGAIN GETTING AWAY

from the Union troops. He found an unguarded crossing at Eaglesport, on the Muskingum, a tew miles above McConnelsville. and by stealing all the fresh horses to be had, Morgan found an open country and away he rode towards Bellaire and Wheeling. By this time (lev. Todd had called more troops from the front. The Ninth Michigan Cavalry was withdrawn from Kentucky and hurried by special train through the night from Cincinnati to Bellaire. Other detachments of Cavalry from Kentucky were also hurried to the upper Ohio valley and distributed along the road between Bellaire and the mouth of Yellow Creek. Morgan was thus prevented from coming close to the river at any point. The movement of these troops was known to Morgan; he secured the information in some way, either from scouts or by cutting the telegraph wires and intercepting messages. Morgan was probably nearest the upper Ohio river when he reached Wintersville, about five miles out from Steubenville. Here he ran into a detachment of Union Cavalry that went out from Steubenville. Morgan's forces were halted until Shackelford's cavalry, which had been pursuing him all the way through Indiana and Ohio, came up in his rear. There was quite a severe skirmish, and a number were severely wounded on both sides, but Morgan proved as wily as ever.

MORGAN RESTS AT NEBO-

Again he got away over the Jefferson County hills, and that night, July 25, 1863, about dark Morgan went into camp at old "Nebo," now known as the town of Bergholz. This was his last night, and his last camp, while on that

memorable raid, and it is the story of the last night and the last day of Morgan's raid that the two writers have started to tell. One writer has been over every foot of the trail from Bergholz to the point of capture, within sight of the West Beaver Church. All the people who were living along the route which Morgan traveled who could possibly be found, have been interviewed. Some who were there on that historic Sunday are now living on the Pacific coast, and their story has been obtained by correspondence. Morgan and his men traveled nearly fifty miles that Sunday. All along this route photographs and sketches have been taken with which to illustrate this story. It has been quite a task, and it has required a great deal of time to obtain what information has been secured. It has been fifty years since the 'incident took place. Had the work been undertaken twenty-five or thirty years ago. it would have been much easier and could have been made much more complete. There are but few living now who have any recollection of the events. In several instances old residents, whose story was obtained a few months ago. have since died.

The sketches used in illustration are the work of Dudley Hawkins. Easl Liverpool Morning Tribune artist and reporter, and some of the photographs were taken by Miss Bora Kelly, of Alliance. Ohio, whose parents formerly lived at Nebo. where Morgan camped that las! night.

Other photographs were taken by Miss Virginia Dare Shriver, also of Alliance, to whom was entrusted writing the story of Morgan's Last Camp, together with securing interviews with those yet living in the vicinity of Bergholz. Her story follows:

Birds-eve View of Bergholz "Old Nebo" 1909.

3
i

THE LAST NIGHT OF -MORGAN'S RAID-

MORGAN REACHES EAST SPRINGFIELD.

On the afternoon of .July 25, 186:3, escaped prisoners from Morgan's raiders came to East Springfield with the news that Morgan was coming. It was true. Coming from Richmond. Ohio, through Ohesire and Wintersville, the confederates reached Springfield about five o'clock.

An afternoon singing rehearsal was in progress at the Methodist Church, which was most hastily dismissed. Several horses left standing outside the church were stolen before their owners came out- Miss Celia Davidson, a maiden lady of uncertain years living near the church, gallantly resisted ami prevented the raiders from taking her horse.

The excited citizens familiar with overdrawn pictures of the met hods of partisan warfare expected nothing else but that their town would be burned to the ground, and that they would be fortunate to escape with their lives. Taking their best horses, and most, valued personal property many people fled for greater safety to the woods. Thoughtful neighbors gathered about the beds of the sick ready to carry them to places of safely at the first cry of "Morgan."

Hut the "Bloody Invader" had not come to kill and to destroy. Some say that his aim was Mooretowu. where the people were "Mack Abolitionists," and that he was led aside by guides in sympathy with the Union. However, this statement does not seem to be well authenticated. It seems more probable that Morgan's chief aim at that time was to escape from Shackleford's cavaln which was Following close upon his rear. It was to further this purpose that Morgan's men took every good horse on the route, and seized upon supplies of food and clothing wherever available- The prisoners they took were made to serve as guides, and were in most eases professed sympathizers with the southern cause. Some of the men entered the home of Mrs. Iloobler and found her preparing to leave the house.

"Where are you going?" was asked.

"I am sick." she replied, "and am going to the woods."

' Well." said the Confederate with a sly smile, "the woods is a poor place for a sick woman." So she remained where she was.

Passing through Springfield Morgan's troops proceeded toward Nebo. then a little cluster of houses near the present site of Bergholz. On the way they met the people of Circle Green, who were just returning from "Quarterly Meeting." The command now consisted of about five hundred and fifty men. some mounted, some not. some in uniform, but

many poorly clad, all starved looking, dirty and tired.

In front, in a carriage drawn by two white horses, rode General Morgan. He

ARRIVED IN NEBO

about eight o'clock in the evening. It was almost dark. The advance was on the D. G. Allen farm, the headquarters at Ilerdman

BY VIRGINIA DARE SHRIVER SIMMS.

filled with horses and men. She explained that she was going to the spring house to bring food for the men and was allowed to proceed. Mrs. Allen had baked and churned that day, and her white and broAvn bread and fresh butter must have been very satisfying to the hungry men. At any rate they consumed fourteen large loaves of bread and some twenty pounds of butter, besides ten gallons of milk, and eight gallons of buttermilk. Observing that Allen's kept bees, one of the men asked for honey. Mrs. Allen brought out a crock containing three or four gallons. The men ate about half of the honey, taking care not to waste what was left. By this time the rest of the Allen family was aroused, and the adult members had come to the feast as interested spectators. The children had crept to a place of safety all under one bed.

"While Mrs. Allen was dispensing hospitality to the men, she must have trembled, for one of them asked: "xVre you afraid .'" "Yes, said she, "I won't deny it. I am afraid."

"Well you need not be," he answered, "we never harm anyone who treats us as you have. When anyone gets contrary, we do sometimes dp things we ought not, but Ave won't molest anyone who treats us right. Besides," he added gravely, "this is nothing to what we have to submit to in the south. Your northern soldiers not only rob us, but they burn our houses and turn our wives and children out, homeless."

When the men had finished their meal, some of them asked for blankets, and Mrs. Allen gave them as many as she could. And thus, some with bedding and some without, they lay down upon the ground and slept, trusting to those on picket-duty to warn them of approaching danger. About three o'clock, the signal came. Two men ^rapped on the fence and said "Lady Washington-Lady Washington," and the men arose and hastily prepared to resume their ride with Morgan. One drowsy descendant of Rip Van Winkle was left sleeping in Allen's sheep stable where he was found next morning, long after the sun was up.

While this little by-play was progressing at the Allen farm, the central figure in the drama, General Morgan himself, was partaking of an excellent chicken supper at the home of Ilerdman Taylor. He was directed thither by Almon and Shepherd, guides whom he had captured in the neighborhood. Morgan could not have found a more hospitable place. When they had concluded their supper and fed their horses, Morgan took possession of half the house, for himself, with his officers and prison-

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