OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 58A ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 June 28, 2005 ************************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio. And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid Bits -- part 58 A Notes by S Kelly [ ] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits - part 58 A. Morgan's Raids One of the most exciting event to the people of Ohio in the Rebellion was the raid of Morgan. When this dashing officer, at the head of less than 2,000 of his troopers, crossed the entire width of Ohio from west to east, and although more than 40,000 men were in pursuit, his audacity would have triumphed in his successful escape back within the Confededrate lines but for the circumstances which even wise foresight could not have anticipated. The Object of the Raid Little progress had been made in the organization of the State Malitia, when in July, 1863, there came another sudden and pressing demand for it. In July, 1863, Rosecrans at Stone River was menacing Bragg at Tullahoma. Burnside at Cincinnati was organizing a force for service against Buckner in East Tennessee. The communications of Burnside and Rosecrans extended through Kentucky, covered by some ten thousand troops under Gen. Judah. Bragg felt that if these communications were treatened by a division, the advance of Rosecrans or Burnside would be delayed, and these officers kept from reinforcing each other. Gen. John Morgan was the man selected for this service. He had orders to go where he chose in Kentucky, to attempt the capture of Louisville, but was forbidden to cross the Ohio River. Morgan Crosses Kentucky On the 2nd of July he crossed the Cumberland with twnty-four hundred and sixty men, and after a skirmish with Judah's cavalry, was half way to Columbia before Judah ( who had trusted the swollen condition of the stream to prevent the crossing) could get his forces together. The next day he had a severe fight at the crossing of the Green river with a Michigan regiment under Col. Moore; they made a determined resisitance, and Morgan, having no time to spare, was obliged to withdraw.found another crossing and hurried on through Campbellstown to Lebanon. Here were stationed three regiments, but two of them being some distance from the town he overwhelmed the one in the town before the other two could get up and hastened on to Springfield, eight miles north, where he paroled his prisoners and turned northwestward, marching direct for Brandenburg, on the Ohio River, sixty miles below Louisville. having tapped the telegraph wires, he learned that the forces at Louisville were too strong for him and gave up all designs against that city, but captured a train from Nashville when within thirty miles of Louisville. Two companies were sent ahead to secure means of transportation across the Ohio River, which the main force reached on the morning of the 8th, having crossed the State of Kentucky in five days. Here he found the two companies sent forward had captured two packet boats, the " J.J. McCombs " and " Alice Dean," and he prepared for crossing, when some Indiana militia on te other side opened fire upon them with musketry and an old cannon mounted on wagon wheels; Morgan sent two of his regiments across, and bringing his Parrott rifles the militia were forced to retreat, the two rebel regiments pursuing. The main force was about to follow, when a little tin-clad, the " Springfild," came streaming down the river. " Suddenly checking her way." says Basil W. Duke, Morgan's second in command, " she tossed her snub nose defiantly, like an angry beauty of the coal pits, sidled a little toward the town, and commenced to scold. A bluish-white funnel-shaped cloud spurt out from her left-hand bow, and a shot flew at the town; then changing front forward she snapped a shell at the men on the otherside. I wish I were sufficiently master of nautical phraseology to do justice to this littel vixon'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." Moran Crosses the Ohio into Indiana It was a critical moment for the raiders, as every hour of delay brought Hobson nearer in pursuit; but when Morgan's Parrotts were turned upon her she was compelled to retire, owing to their equality in the range of guns; the raiders then crossed the river, burned their boats, and had marched six miles before night. Up to this point the movements of Morgan had created but little alarm in the north; they had been used to panics from threatened invasions of Ohio and Indiana. Heretofore such invasions had amounted to little more than raids through Kentucky for horses, the Ohio river being looked upon as the extreme northern limit of these expeditions; but when it was learned that Morgan had crossed the river, consternation spread throughout Indiana and Ohio, all sorts of rumors and conjectures were circulated as to his intentions; at first Indianapolis and its State Treasury were said to be his objectives, then Cincinnati and its banks, then Columbus and its Treasury, and the alarm extended to the lake shore. Morgan had anticipated this alarm, desired it and did all he could to circulate delusive and exaggerated reports of his strength and intentions and, by means of expert telegraphers, tapped the wires and kept informed of the movements against him. It was part of his plan to avoid large towns and large bodies of militia, to cause false alarms the concentration of forces in the larger towns for defence, and then by rapid marching pass around the defended points, cross Indiana and Ohio and into Kentucky before his purpose could be divined or any adequate force be brought against him. Morgan reaches the Ohio Line. He rapidly crossed Indiana, burning bridges, looting small towns, overwhelming any small force that offered any opposition, and releasing the prisoners on parole, until Monday, July 13th, he reached Harrison, on the State line between Indiana and Ohio. Here Gen. Morgan began to manouver for the benifit of the commanding officer at Cincinnati. he took it for granted that there was a strong force of regular troops in Cincinnati. Burnside had them not far off, and Gen. Morgan supposed that they would of course be brought there. Morgan thought if they could get past Cincinnati safely, the danger of the expedition would be more than half over. Here he expected to be confronted by the concentrated forces of Judah and Burnside, and he anticipated great difficulty in eluding or cutting his way through them. Once safely through this peril, his escape would be certain, unless the river remained so high that the transports could carry troops to intercept him at the upper crossings. Thinking that the great effort to capture him would be made as he crossed Hamilton and Dayton railroad, his object was to deceive the enemy as to the exact point where he would cross it and denude that point as much as possible of troops.. He sent detachments in various directions, seeking, however, to create the impression that he was marching to Hamilton. When Morgan entered Ohio his force amounted to les than 2,000 men, the others having been killed or captured in skirmishes, or, unable to keep up with the rapid marching of his flying column, had fallen behind exhausted, to be picked up by citizensoldiers who hovered round his line of march in hopes of picking up military script in reward. Passes Around Cincinnati While Cincinnati was filled with apprehension and alarm at Morgan's advance, he, on the other hand, was equally apprehensive of danger from that city, and by the greatest march he ever made slipped around it in the night. It was a terrible, trying march. Strong men fell out of their saddles, and at every halt the officers were cmpelled to move continually about in their respective companies and pull and haul 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 until they were awakened by the enemy. At length day appeared just as they reached the last point where they anticipated danger. They had passed through Glendale and all of the principal suburban roads, and were near the Little Miami Railroad. They crossed the railroad without opposition, and halted to feed the horses in sight of Camp Dennison. After a short rest there and a picket skirmish, they resumed thier march, burning in this neighborhood a pack of government wagons. That evening at four o'clock, they were at Williamsburg, twenty eight miles east of Cincinnati, having marched since leaving Summensville, in Indiana, in a period of thirty-five hours, more than ninety miles -- the greatest march that Morgan had ever made. Feeling comparatively safe here, he permitted the division to go into camp and remain the night. While Morgan was swinging his exhausted men around Cincinnati the following despatches were sent to Gen. Barnsides in that city; " 11:30 P.M. A courier arrived last evening at Gen. Burnside's headquarters, having left Cheviot at half-past eight P.M., with information for the General. Cheviot is only seven miles from the city. He states that about 500 of Morgan's men have crossed the river at Miamitown, and attacked our pickets, killing or capturing one of them. Morgan's main force, said to be 3,000 strong, was then crossing the river. A portion of rebel force had been up to New Haven, and another had gone to Baltimore, and partially destroyed both o those places. The light of the burning towns was seen by our men. When the courier left Morgan was moving up,it was reported, to attack our advance." " 1 A. M. A courier has just arrived at headquarters from Colerain. He reports that the enemy, supposed to be 2,500 strong, with six pieces of artillery, crossed the Colerain pike at dark, at Bevis,going toward New Burlington, or to Cincinnatti and Hamilton pike, in direction of Springdale." " 1:30 A.M. A dispatch from Jones' Station states the enemy are now ecamped between Venice and New Baltimore." " 2 A.M. Another dispatch says the enemy are coming in, or a squad of them, from New Baltimore toward Glendal, for the supposed purpose of destroying a bridge over the Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton railroad, near Glendale." " 2 A.M. A dispatch from Hamilton says it is believed that the main portion of Morgan's force is moving in that direction, going east. At this writing -- quarter-past two A.M. -- it is the impression that Morgan's main force is going east, while he has sent squads to burn bridges on the C. H. & D.R.R., and over the Miami river, but he may turn and come down this way, on some of the roads leading through Walnut Hills or Mt. Auburn." The next day it was apparent that Cincinnati was not to be attacked, and the officials began to comprehend something of Morgan's purpose. The militia, which, owing to incomplete organization, had not been of much service heretofore, began to be more effective disposed: some at Camp Chase, for protection of the capital and to be thrown down into Southeastern Ohio to head off Morgan in front; others were assembled at Camp Dennison, to be sent after him by rail. All through the southern part of the State companies were mustered, and hurried by extra trains to points of danger. Hobson, who had done some remarkable marching, was only a few hours behind, and so close that Morgan had but little time for buring bridges or impressment of fresh horses. Judah, with his troops, was despatched by boats up the river to head off the galloping column. More than 50,000 militia, called by Gov. Tod, were preparing to close in on him from all parts of the State, and Morgan's raid now became a chase. An overwhelming force was closing in upon him from every side. Throughly realizing his situation, Morgan hastened forward to the ford at Buffington Island. In the meanwhile the excitement and apprehension throughout Southern Ohio was unprecedented. Horses and cattle were hurried to hiding-places in the woods; silver plate, jewelry, and other valuables were buried, while many families left their homes and fled to more secure territory. Many ridiculous thing were done. A story related as ridiculous and humorous is that one terrified lady, in a pleasant island town, forty miles from the rebel route, in her husband's absence, resolved to protect the family carriage horse, knowing no safer plan, brought the horse into the house and stabled him in her parlor, locking and bolting doors and windows. The horse's dismal tramping on the resounding floor sounded through the long night like a distant sound of artillery shells, and kept half the citizens awake and watching for Morgan's entrance. Horses and food were taken whenever wanted by raiding parties on both sides during the war, but no such plundering was known as that of Morgan's raid. It was said "that the disposition for wholesale plunder exceeded anything that any of us had ever seen before." The men seemed activated by a desire to pay off in the enemy's country all scores that the Union army had chalked up in the South. The great cause for apprehension which our situation might have inspired seemed only to make them reckless. Calico was the staple article of appropriation. Each man ( who could get one ) tied a bolt of it to his saddle, only to throw it away and get a fresh one at the first opportunity. They did not pillage with any sort of method or reason; it seemed to be a mania, senseless and purposeless. One man carried a bird-cage with three canaries in it for two days. Another man with a chafingdish, which looked like a small metallic coffin, on the pommel of is saddle, till an officer forced him to throw it away. Although the weather was intensely warm, another man slung seven pairs of skates around his neck, and chuckled over the acquisition. Very few articles of real value was taken; they piliaged like boys robbing an orchard. Like children with toys when they were tired of their loot would throw their plunder away. Ridiculous action was not confined to Morgan's men. Some Militia marched from Camp Dennison after Morgan until near Batavia, then halted, and felled trees across the road, " to check him should he return." A drawbridge was partially distroyed at Marietta, although Morgan did not come within twenty miles of that place. At Chillicothe they fired on some of their own militia, and burned a bridge over a stream always fordable. The evening of July 14, Morgan encamped at Williamsburg, twenty-eight miles east of Cincinnati. From there he marched through to Washington. going through Georgetown, Jackson, Vinton, Berlin, Pomeroy, and Chester, reaching Buffington Island on the18th. At last the daring little column approached its goal. All the toops in Kentucky had been evaded and left behind. All the militia in Indiana had been dashed aside or outstripped. The 50,000 miltia in Ohio had failed to turn him from its predetermined path. Within precisly fifteen days from the morning it had crossed the Cumberland-- nine days from its crossing into Indiana-- it stood on the banks of the Ohio. A few more hours of daylight and it would be safely across, in the midst again of a population to which it might look for sympathy if not for aid. But the circle of the hunt was narrowing. Judah, with his fresh cavalry, was up, and was marching out from the river against Morgan. Hobson was hard on his rear. Col Runkle, commanding a division of militia, was north of him. And at last the local militia in advance of him were beginning to fell trees and tear up bridges to obstruct his progress. Near Pomeroy they made a stand. For four or five miles his road ran through a ravine, with ocassional intersections from hill-roads. At all these crossroads he found militia posted,and from the hills above him they made passag through the ravine a perfect running of the gauntlet. On front, flank, and rear militia pressed; and, as Morgan's first subordinate ruefully expresses it, " closed eargerly upon our track," In such plight he passed through the ravine, and shaking clear of his pursuers for a little, pressed on to Chester, where he arrived about one o'clock in the afternoon. Here he halted an hour and a half to breathe his horses and hunt a guide. This delay in the end proved fatal. This done, he pushed on and reached Portland, opposite Buffington Island, at eight in the evening. He found at the ford an earthwork hastily thrown up and guarded by a small body of men; it was a night of solid darkness, as the rebel officers declared it, and the worn-out condition of horses and men decided him to await the morning before attacking the earthwork and attempting to cross. Another for him an unfortunate delay. By morning Judah was up. At daybreak Duke advanced with a couple of rebel regiments to storm the earthwork and found it abandoned. He was rapidly making the dispositions for crossing when Judah's advance struck him. At first he repulsed it and took a number of prisoners, the adjutent-general of Judah's staff among them. Morgan then ordered him to hold the force on his front in check. He was not able to return to his command until it had been broken and thrown into full retreat before an impetuous charge of Judah's cavalry, headed by Lieutenant O'Neil, of the Fifth Indiana. He succeeded in rallying them and reforming his line. But now, advancing up the Chester and Pomeroy road, came the gallant cavalry that over three States had been galloping on their track -- the three thousand of Hobson's command.-- who now for two weeks had been only a day, a forenoon, an hour behind them. As Hobson's guidons fluttered out in the little valley by the river bank where they had fought, every man of that band who had so long defied a hundred thousand knew the contest was over. They were almost out of ammunition, exhausted, and scarcely two thousand strong, Against them were Hobson's three thousand and Judah's still larger force. To complete the overwhelming odds that, in spite of their efforts, had been concetrated upon them, the tin-clad gunboats steamed up and opened fire. Morgan comprehended the situation as fast as the hard riding troopers,who, still clinging to their bolts of calico, were already beginning to gallop toward the rear. He at once essayed to extricate his trains, and then to withdraw his regiments by column of fours from right of companies, keeping up meanwhile as sturdy a resistance as he might. For some distance the withdrawal was made in tolerable order; then under a charge of a Michigan cavalry regiment, everyting was broken and retreat became a rout. Morgan with not quite twelve hundred men escaped. His brother with Colonels Duke, Ward, Huffman, and about seen hundred men, were taken prisoners. This was the battle of Buffington Island. It was brief and decisive. But for his two grave mistakes of the night before Morgan might have avoided it and escaped. The loss on the Union side was triffling, but among the killed was Major Daniel McCook, father of one of te tribes of the " Fighting McCooks." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Continued in Tid Bits- part 58 B.