Frederick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Morgan, Gen. Daniel 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Alice Warner http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00015.html#0003503 February 25, 2008, 12:18 pm

Author: Howe

In the Presbyterian grave-yard, at Winchester, is the grave of Gen. Daniel
Morgan. His monument is a horizontal slab, raised a few feet above the ground.
It bears the following inscription:

Major-General DANIEL MORGAN
departed this life
on July the 6th, 1802,
In the 67th year of his Age.
Patriotism and valor were the 
prominent Features of his character,
And
the honorable services he rendered
to his country
during the Revolutionary war,
crowned him with Glory, and will
remain in the Hearts of his 
Countrymen
a Perpetual Monument
to his
Memory.

The military history of the brave commander of the celebrated rifle corps of the
revolution, -- whom to confront was almost instant death -- is generally well
known. At the end of the war, Gen. Morgan retired to his estate, named Saratoga,
a few miles from Winchester. After the expedition against the insurgents in the
Whiskey insurrection, he was selected from this district to Congress, where he
served two sessions. In 1800 he removed to Winchester, where, after a
confinement of two years from extreme debility, he expired. The house where he
resided and died, was the frame building now (1844) occupied by the Rev. Mr.
Boyd, in the NW part of the town. His widow moved to Pitts Burg. His two
daughters married officers of the revolution. A writer in a recent number of the
Winchester Republican has, in an article descriptive of the Wincehster
grave-yards, some interesting facts respecting Gen. Morgan, which we here annex:

This "thunderbolt of war," this "brave Morgan who never knew fear," was, in
camp, often wicked and very profane, but never a disbeliever in religion. He
testified that himself. In his latter years, General Morgan professed religion,
and united himself with the Presbyterian church in this place, under the
pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. (now Dr.) Hill, who preached in this house some
forty years, and may now be occasionally heard on Loudon street. His last days
were passed in this town; and while sinking to the grave, he related to his
minister the experience of his soul. "People thought," said he, "that Daniel
Morgan never prayed;" -- "Peaople said old Morgan never was afraid;" -- "People
did not know." He then proceeded to relate in his blunt manner, among many other
things, that the night they stormed Quebec, while waiting in the darkness and
storm with his men paraded for the word /i/ to advance /i/, he felt unhappy; the
enterprise appeared more than perilous; it seemed to him that nothing less than
a miracle could bring them off safe from an encounter at such an amazing
disadvantage. He stepped aside an kneeled by the side of a munition of war --
and then most fervently prayed that the Lord God Almighty would be his shield
and defence, for nothing less than an almighty arm could protect him. He
continued on his knees till the word passed along the line. He fully believed
that his safety during that night of peril was from the interposition of God.
Again, he said, about the battle of the Cowpens, which covered him with so much
glory as a leader and a soldier -- he had felt afraid to fight Tarleton with his
numerous army flushed with success -- and that he retreated as long as he could
-- till his men complained -- and he could go no further. Drawing up his army in
three lines, on the hill side; contemplating the scene == in the distance the
glitter of the advancing enemy -- he trembled for the fate of the day. Going to
the woods in the rear, he kneeled in an old tree-top, and poured out a prayer to
God for his army, and for himself, and for his country. With relieved spirits he
returned to the lines and in his rough manner cheered them for the fight; as he
passed along, they answered him bravely. The terrible carnage that followed the
deadly aim of his lines decided the victory. In a few moments Tarleton fled.
"Ah," said he, "people said old Morgan never feared;" -- "they thought old
Morgan never prayed, they did not know;" -- "old Morgan was often miserably
afraid." And if he had not been, in the circumstances of amazing responsibility
in which he was placed, how could he have been brave?
The last of his riflemen are gone: the brave and hardy gallants of this valley,
that waded to Canada and stormed Quebec, are all gone -- gone, too, are Morgan's
sharpshooters of Saratoga. For a long time two, that shared his captivity in
Canada, were seen in this village, wasting away to shadows of their youth,
celebrating with enthusiasm the night of their battle, as the year rolled round
-- Peter Lauck and John Schultz. But they have answered the roll-call of death
and have joined their leader; the hardy Lauck wondering that Schultz, the
feeblest of the band, whom he had so often carried through the snows of Canada,
should outlive him. There is interest round the last of such a corps.


Additional Comments:
From "Historical Collections of Virginia, by Henry Howe, 1845."

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