General John Hunt Morgan Death: The September 24, 1864 edition of Harper's Weekly reported on the death of General John Hunt Morgan, the famed Confederate raider. The paper featured Mr. Morgan on the front cover, and provided a brief story with the details of his death. An image of the original newspaper is presented at right for your consideration. The portrait of Morgan is captioned, "The late Rebel General John Morgan". The article is as follows: JOHN MORGAN. THE late rebel General JOHN MORGAN, the most noted guerrilla leader of this war, was a native of Kentucky. When the war broke out he was a planter with considerable means ; but he left his plantation and joined the Confederate army, when he was attached to
General HARDEE's division. After the capture of
Nashville by the Federals, in the spring of 1862, he was left by General JOHNSTON on the opposite side of the Cumberland, to watch the movements of
BUELL's army. He did not, however, confine himself to regular operations of this nature, but gathered about him a set of adventurous young Kentuckians, whom he led in a series of predatory operations against railroads, supply-trains, and loyal citizens.
In the summer of 1863 MORGAN made a raid into Ohio, which terminated in
his capture. With 28 of his command he was placed in the Ohio
Penitentiary. | 
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He afterward escaped by means of a tunnel, and was promoted to a brigadier-generalship. The following are the incidents of his capture and death : MORGAN was on a reconnaissance near Greenville, in East Tennessee, September 4, and was lodging at an inviting house near the village. This house happened to be the residence of Mrs. WILLIAMS, whose husband is an officer on
General BURNSIDE'S staff. When MORGAN was asleep Mrs. WILLIAMS procured a horse, rode fifteen miles, and returned with a company of
Union soldiers. As they arrived at the house MORGAN had just awoke. He drew his revolver and undertook to escape, when he was fired upon and killed. - - - End of Harper's Article - - - |
