The .particulars of the movement
leading up to the fight at Greeneville,
Tenn., and the death of Gen. John H.
Morgan at that place on the morning of
September 4th, 1864, would necessarily
occupy but small space were it not for
his prominence, and the persistence with
which newspaper and periodical writers,
as well as historians, have attempted to
convert this incident into fiction,
almost from the date of its occurrence
to the present time. Almost every year
some new version of this affair has
appeared, each differing so materially
from its predecessor as to mystify the
reader and raise doubts in his mind as
to the accuracy, of any of them.
The writers were staff officers in the
Thirteenth Ten-nessee Cavalry, one of
them Adjutant of the Regiment, and the
other one Sergeant Major, at the time
Gen. Morgan was killed. We were both
present at Bull's Gap on the night the
Regiment was ordered to Greeneville, and
every order given by Col. Ingerton that
night and during the operations of the
next day, was transmitted to the
officers through us or given directly to
them in our presence. Realizing the
importance of placing on record an
accurate account of this event, and with
a view of correcting the many absurd and
ridiculous stories published concerning
it, we have examined with the greatest
care
Gen. Gillem's official report made at
the time, official correspondence in
regard to it, the report of Gen. Basil
Duke, who succeeded Gen. Morgan as
commander of the Confederate forces
after the death of that officer, and
many newspaper and magazine articles
written by men who claimed to have
participated in that affair. The most
accurate detailed account of it we have
found is that written by Hon. A. B.
Wilson, Attorney-at-Law, and a resident
of Greeneville, Tennessee, which was
recently published in the "Nashville
Banner" of March 20, 1902, and also in
the "National Tribune,"
Gen. John H. Morgan, the famous Kentucky
Raider, gained a national, and almost
world-wide reputation as the "Marion of
the South" by his raids into Kentucky,
Indiana and Ohio. The long pursuit and
his capture by the Federal forces and
imprisonment in the Ohio penitentiary,
from which he subsequently made his
escape, are matters with which all
readers of history are familiar. After
his escape from prison he reorganized
his command and made one or two other
unsuccessful raids into Kentucky, in
which he met with disaster and defeat,
and it has been alleged the authorities
of his Government had lost confidence in
him, while his admirers believed he was
the victim of envy and jealousy. While
under this cloud, and desiring to
restore himself in the favor of his
Government, he conceived the idea of
getting together such of his old
command, "the Morgan Men," who were
greatly attached to him, as were
available, and such other forces as he
could, assemble them in Southwest
Virginia, and swoop down on Colonel
Miller's Brigade, which was now the only
defense of Upper East Tennessee, capture
and destroy it, and menace, or possibly
capture Knoxville. Could he have
consummated these plans the country
would have again rung with his praise,
and he would have regained the
confidence of the Confederate
authorities and the plaudits of the
Southern people. Had this expedition
been successful this daring officer
would no doubt have realized his fondest
hopes and brightest dreams, but fate
decreed otherwise.
According to official papers captured on
the morning of the fight at Greeneville,
Gen. Morgan had at this time about 2,500
men making due allowance for absentees.
They were composed of Gens. Vaughn's,
Duke's, Giltner's, A. E. Jackson's,
Palmer's and Smith's brigades. On the
day before this engagement these forces
were scattered in various places from
within a few miles of Greeneville to the
State line at Bristol.
Having arranged for the concentration of
all these brigades at Greeneville for
the purpose, as we have noted, of
surprising Gen. Gillem and Col. Miller
at Bull's Gap, or possibly having
information that Miller's Brigade was
still on the south side of the Holston
river, hoped to reach that stronghold in
advance of them.
Whatever may have been his designs Gen.
Morgan in person, with part of his
command, left Bristol on the morning of
September 3, 1864, and making an almost
unprecedented march of 56 miles over
very muddy and hilly roads, reached
Greeneville about 5 p. m. that day. Gen.
Vaughn's brigade, (commanded by another
officer in Vaughn's absence) not having
come so far, probably reached
Greeneville at an earlier hour and
passed on, through the town and encamped
at Blue Springs about eight miles west
of Greeneville in the direction of
Bull's Gap, where Miller's Brigade was
encamped. It was evidently the intention
of this brigade (Vaughn's) to await the
remainder of Gen. Morgan's force and
join them on the following day. One
brigade was sent out on the Rogersville
road, and strong pickets were sent out
on all the roads leading into
Greeneville over which it was supposed
an enemy could or would attempt to reach
the town.
As nearly as we have been able to
ascertain, Gen. Duke's brigade went into
camp near College Hill, a short distance
east of the town, and the artillery, six
pieces with the caissons, was placed in
position on this hill and near the
college building. Gen. Palmer's men were
southeast, and Jackson's northeast of
the town. Quite a large squad of
Confederate soldiers, fifty or more, had
apparently come in on Main street and
weary from the long forced march, after
feeding their horses and getting
something to eat, had tethered their
horses to the fences and wrapping their
blankets around them, laid down to rest
and sleep in the street.
Gen. Morgan himself, with the following
staff officers, and others: Major
Hines, Captains Clay and Rogers, Dr.
Morgan, (a brother to the General)
Lieutenant Claude M. Johnson, Major
Gossett, (the latter not a staff
officer) and probably a number of other
aides and orderlies and others took
shelter and established headquarters in
the spacious residence of Mrs. Williams,
the building now known as the Morgan
Inn, located near the corner of Church
and Irish streets, Greeneville, Tenn.
General Morgan before retiring that
night had issued orders to his
subordinate officers in regard to the
operations of the following day, and
among other things had ordered that the
company commanders have their men, whose
guns were loaded, discharge them for
fear the ammunition might be damp, as it
had been raining. Such was the
situation, as nearly as it can now be
told, at Greeneville and Blue Springs,
on the night preceding the death of Gen.
John H. Morgan.
At Bull's Gap, Miller's Brigade,
consisting of the Ninth Tennessee
Cavalry, commanded by Lieut.-Col. John
B. Brownlow, the Thirteenth Tennessee
Cavalry, commanded by Lieut.-Col.
William H. Ingerton, part of the 10th
Michigan Cavalry, commanded by Major
Newell, and two sections of the First
Tennessee Light Artillery, commanded by
Lieut. W. J. Patterson, all under the
general command of Gen. Alvin C. Gillem,
as will be seen by reference to Governor
Johnson's order published in another
part of this history, was lying quietly
in camp.
The most authentic account of the manner
in which the information was received by
Gen. Gillem and Col. Miller that led to
the night march which resulted in the
death of Gen. Morgan, is as follows : On
the evening of September 3d a lad about
12 or 13 years old named James Leady,
whose parents were Union people, was
sent from Greeneville to Capt. R. C.
Carter's mill, near Blue Springs, with a
grist of corn or wheat. As he was
returning home he was stopped by some of
Vaughn's soldiers, and his meal or flour
taken from him. Incensed at that
treatment, and being a Union boy, he
made his way to Bull's Gap and reported
to Gen. Gillem and Col. Miller that a
Confederate force, numbering 200 or 300
men, were encamped at Blue Springs. The
boy was closely questioned but his
information seemed to be reliable. A
consultation was held among the Federal
officers, and a proposition made to send
a force by an unfrequented road to the
rear of this force and move the
remainder of the Brigade up the main
road, surprise and capture it. It was
alleged that Gen. Gillem strenuously
opposed this movement as unmilitary and
dangerous in the extreme, and refused to
take the responsibility of making it.
But, Col. Miller, Lieut.-Col. Brownlow
and others of the officers favoring it,
and Col. Miller assuming the
responsibility, the movement was decided
upon. Col. Miller went in person then to
Col. Ingerton's tent and explained the
situation to that officer, who was in
command of the Thirteenth Tenn. Cavalry,
and ordered him to get out his Regiment
and proceed under the direction of a
guide, Capt. William Sizemore, who was
well acquainted with the country, to a
point a short distance west of
Greeneville, and take position and hold
himself in readiness to attack Gen.
Vaughn's force when the remainder of the
Brigade, which was to move up the State
road, succeeded in dislodging and
driving that force back on his position.
It was about 10 o'clock at night,
September 3d, and while forming the
Regiment it was discovered that the
clouds and darkness presaged a storm.
Col. Ingerton immediately gave orders
for the company commanders to get out
every well mounted soldier in each
company ready to move. The Regiment was
soon in column and conducted by Captain
Sizemore moved out in a southerly
direction from the Gap, over a kind of
woods-road made by hauling wood to camp,
finally reaching what was called the
Warrensburg road, crossed Lick Creek on
a bridge, near Warrensburg, and came to
an obscure road or bridle-way called the
Arnet road, which was almost impassable,
even in daylight. The storm had now
broken loose, and it would have been
impossible to find the way but for the
continuous blaze of lightning that
enabled the men to see the road. The
lightning blinded the horses, however,
so that when the column halted they
would often run against each other. But
the Regiment struggled on, men and
horses often falling into ditches and
others running against each other, the
Third Commandment was broken that night
more than once, as the men cursed the
promoters of this night expedition. A
short distance from Greeneville, just
about daylight, the Regiment left this
road and passing through a woodland,
reached the Newport road and moving on
to the State road formed on an eminence
one mile west of Greeneville, facing
west, companies G and I, commanded by
Captains C. C. Wilcox and S. E.
Northington, were formed a short
distance in rear of the Regiment, and
nearest to Greeneville. The Regiment was
partially screened from view by a growth
of cedars and some scattering trees. It
was now in position to intercept the
force at Blue Springs—Vaughn's
brigade—when driven back upon it by the
remainder of the Brigade.
The reader will note that the
"Thirteenth," commanded by Lieut.-Col.
Ingerton, occupied a position within one
mile of College Hill, where General
Morgan's force of not less than 1500 to
2000 men, making allowance for the two
brigades not there, were encamped. That
the Regiment, numbering on this night
less than 500 men, only the well mounted
men being present—was in line with its
rear towards Gen. Morgan's main force,
and facing, and expecting to intercept
and attack Gen. Vaughn's brigade, when
driven back upon it by the remainder of
Miller's Brigade. It will be observed
that this was a most perilous position
for Col. Ingerton, and it being now
broad day-light, had Gen. Morgan or Gen.
Duke been apprised of the situation, the
Regiment would have been attacked in the
rear by a largely superior force, while
a force almost equal to its own was
between it and the remainder of the
Brigade. Although Gen. Gillem, after the
victory, claimed that he started out to
attack Morgan, we cannot believe that
any sane officer would have ordered a
regiment into the position now occupied
by Col. Ingerton, had he known that Gen.
Morgan's entire force was at
Greeneville. Gen. Morgan having made the
almost unprecedented march of 56 miles
on the day he arrived at Greeneville, it
is more reasonable to suppose that
neither Gen. Gillem or Col. Miller
suspected that Gen. Morgan had reached
Greeneville, but that the force at Blue
Springs was an unsupported scouting
party which they hoped to capture by
sending a Regiment in its rear and
attacking it from the front, and this
was evidently their design. The Regiment
had been in position but a short time
when the artillery was heard in the
direction of Blue Springs, notifying us
the fight was on, and to be in readiness
to attack the enemy vigorously when he
approached, but there were several miles
intervening and our men awaited with
nervous, but silent expectation as it
was believed that, finding himself
hemmed in between two forces the enemy
would make a desperate attempt to break
through our lines, or turn our flank.
Our men felt that they were expected to
hold that line at all hazards until the
force below closed in and forced the
surrender of the enemy. At 12 o'clock,
midnight, Gen. Gillem and Col. Miller
with the remainder of the Brigade, which
consisted of the Ninth Tennessee
Cavalry, commanded by Lieut.-Col. John
B. Brownlow, part of the Tenth Michigan
Cavalry, commanded by Major Newell, and
two sections of the First Tennessee
Light Artillery, commanded by Lieut. W.
J. Patterson, moved out from Bull's Gap
as rapidly as the darkness and storm,
and the condition of the roads, would
permit, came upon the enemy about 6 A.
M., captured the videttes, who were
found asleep, and attacked the main
body, which after a few rounds from the
artillery, retreated towards
Greeneville. This force was completely
surprised, and was unable to stand the
gallant charge of the Ninth Tennessee,
and the Tenth Michigan Cavalry,
interspersed with the morning salutes of
Lieut. Patterson's well-directed
artillery.
It was not very long until the advance
guard (about 20 men) of Vaughn's
Brigade, which we have seen was driven
from Blue Springs appeared in sight of
Ingerton's force posted west of
Greeneville, and not suspecting danger
from that direction, was within 5o yards
of our line before it saw us. Lieut. W.
F. M. Ryder who was in command of
Company L near the road, evidently
mistaking Col. Ingerton's signal to keep
quiet, fired on the guard, this was
followed by a fusilade from his company,
wounding several of the guard and
killing a number of the horses. The
prisoners were disarmed and placed under
guard.
During the confusion attending this
incident a citizen rushed into our lines
inquiring for the commanding officer.
Col. Ingerton being pointed out to him
he said : "For God's sake get out of
here as quickly as possible, Gen. Morgan
is in town, and has a force of 5000 men
(which no doubt the citizen believed)
and if you do not retreat at once every
one of you will be killed or captured."
The excited citizen added, however, that
Gen. Morgan, with his staff and a small
guard, were at the residence of Mrs.
Williams in town, some distance away
from his command. Col. Ingerton had no
thought of retreating, but sent
Sergeant-Major Angel for Captain Wilcox
and gave orders for him and Captain
Northington with their two companies to
"dash into town, surround the William's
residence and bring Morgan out dead or
alive."
It might be well to explain here why
Gen. Morgan and his men were not aroused
by the firing in such close proximity to
them, which had been heard by the
citizens of Greeneville, and which had
brought the citizen out to warn Ingerton
of his danger. It is said, as before
stated, that on the preceding night Gen.
Morgan had given orders to his officers
to have the men discharge their guns the
next morning, fearing the ammunition
might be wet, as it had been raining. If
he or his guard heard the firing, which
is more than probable, they supposed it
was their own men discharging their guns
as directed.
We give below a diagram of the Williams
grounds and house so that the movements
of the two companies and the events that
follow may be better understood :
1. Williams residence. 2. Place where
Gen. Morgan fell. 3.. Mason house. 4.
Fry Hotel. 5. Stable. 6. Gate on Main
street. 7. Shop. 8. Episcopal Church. 9.
Court-house. 10. Where body of Gen.
Morgan was taken out. IL Old Summer
house. 12. Where Campbell fired from
College Hill, where Morgan's troops
encamped, 1/4 mile from Williams' house.
Through the courtesy of Hon. A. B.
Wilson, of Greeneville, Tennessee,
himself a gallant officer of the Fourth
Tennessee Infantry, we give some
quotations from an article recently
written by him and published in the
"National Tribune."
These quotations refer mainly to the
history of the Williams family, the
location of the premises where Gen.
Morgan was killed, and incidents
attending that event, with corrections
of the many false stories which have
been published from time to time
concerning it. Besides Mr.
Wilson's excellent version of the
affair, which is in our judgment, the
most accurate yet published, as far as
it goes, we have recently visited the
scene in person with the view of gaining
new information, and verifying what we
were already in possession of. We feel
that every fact connected with this much
talked of event, owing to the prominence
of Gen. Morgan, will be read with great
interest in the years to come.
Before recording the details of the dash
made into Greeneville by Captains Wilcox
and Northington, with their two
companies, we wish to emphasize the fact
that no other Federal troops entered
Greeneville that morning previous to the
death of Gen. Morgan except these two
companies, and none knew that he had
been killed until his dead body had been
brought out of town and laid down by the
roadside about three-fourths of a mile
west of Greeneville.LOCATION OF THE WILLIAMS RESIDENCE WHERE
GENERAL
MORGAN'S HEADQUARTERS WERE.
The house, a large brick structure, is
now the Morgan Inn. It is near Irish
street, which runs parallel with Main.
From the house a walk led through the
grounds to a gate opening on Main
street. On this walk, and about half
way, there was a Summer-house covered
with vines. The other buildings on the
square consisted of the Mason House, on
the corner on Main street, an old
store-house separating it from the Fry
Hotel; a shop on the next corner; an
Episcopal Church, and a few
outbuildings.
A large portion of the grounds, and
that portion fronting on Depot street,
was embraced in a vineyard, while much
of the residue was a vegetable garden.
Mrs. Williams also owned a large farm
four miles north of Greeneville.
"When Gen. Morgan came to Greeneville he
put up at the Williams residence,
leaving his command on the east side of
the town, and about a quarter of a mile
distant, thus placing himself directly
between his own forces and the enemy.
His entire staff stopped at the same
house with him, and their horses were
stabled just across Depot street from
the Williams ground."
THE WILLIAMS FAMILY.
The lady with whom Gen. Morgan lodged
was Mrs. Catharine D. Williams. She was
the widow of Dr. Alexander Williams, who
had died a few years previously. Dr.
Alexander Williams was in his lifetime
considered the wealthiest man in the
town, and his beautiful grounds,
embracing three-fourths of a square and
in its center was a place for pleasure
resorts, for which purpose their use was
never refused. Mrs. Williams, although
charitable to all, was an ardent
Southern sympathizer, and, besides, was
in some way related to Gen. Morgan, or
rather to his. wife.
One of her sons was a Captain in the
Confederate army, and her oldest son
who, now an old man, resides in
Greeneville, was with Morgan's forces at
the time. In the absence of her sons,
Mrs. Williams's family consisted of
herself and her daughter-in-law, Mrs.
Lucy Williams, the wife of her son
Joseph A. Williams, who was absent from
home with some visiting friends.
It would appear at first thought that
General Morgan acted most imprudently in
separating himself from his command with
none but a small guard and his staff
officers to protect him, that too in a
country whose inhabitants were largely
hostile to the cause for which he was
fighting, but when we consider that he
had made a long and wearisome march the
previous day, that the night was a
stormy one, and he, without adequate
protection from the rain, the hospitable
mansion of Mrs. Williams, where he had
often been before, was a strong
temptation for him to stop there, and
take a much needed rest to fit him for
the march and battle which according to
his plans would take place in the
vicinity of Bull's Gap, 16 miles away,
on the following day. Again, all the
main roads leading into the town were
strongly guarded, and if the rough
bridleway over which Ingerton came with
his Regiment that night was known to
him, he little dreamed that any officer
would attempt to pass over it on a night
like that.
It has been related since, that after
Gen. Morgan had taken up his quarters at
the Williams home that dismal night, he
expressed some forebodings of coming ill
and spoke of returning to his command,
but was lulled into security by the more
cheerful mood of his companions.
Possibly his good angel was whispering
words of warning in his ear which the
brave chieftain failed to heed.
THE CHARGE INTO TOWN.
Deeming the facts in regard to what
occurred in the town of the greatest
importance we have conversed with a
number of men who were present and
witnessed the killing of Gen. Morgan,
and who are men of integrity and
character and we believe that any
statement made by them would be true as
far as their memory will permit them to
tell the exact facts after the passing
of so many years. Among those whom we
have received statements from are: M.
D. L. Miller, of Keensburg; W. M.
Bishop, of Watauga; John M. Wilcox, of
Elizabethton; W. E. Shuffield, of
Lineback ; Joseph McCloud, of Hampton,
and John G. Burchfield, of Washington,
D. C. All of them were members of
Company G, and went into Greeneville
that morning with Captain C. C. Wilcox,
and all agree that the material facts as
we state them are true. One point of
difference which we have been unable to
settle satisfactorily is whether Captain
Northington with his company (I.) was
ordered into town at the same time and
did go with Company G., or whether after
the firing began he was ordered to the
support of that company. Our
recollection and best information favors
the latter as the fact. We have been
unable to get any statement regarding
this point from members of that company,
but we know Captain Northington and his
son, Lieut. H. C. Northington, went into
town with their company and played a
conspicuous part in the events of that
morning.
Receiving orders as we have seen from
Col. Ingerton to go into town Captain
Wilcox formed his company in column of
fours and started towards the point
where the State road intersects with the
main street of Greeneville. Near this
point he cut off 20 men and ordered
Lieut. White to take charge of them and
locate and surround the Williams
residence, while he with the remainder
of the company proceeded east on Main
street. It was yet very early in the
morning, and succeeding the rain, the
fog hung low, obscuring the vision for a
time. Reaching a point where a small
brick building of some kind stood then
on the corner of Main and Church
streets, they ran onto the men and
horses (rebels) whom we have mentioned
as having camped on Main street the
night before, probably Gen. Morgan's
guard. These men, just aroused, were in
great confusion, running to and fro, and
some of them shouted, "Kirk's
bushwhackers! get out of the way!" and
all ran in every direction, leaving most
of their horses in the streets. Captain
Wilcox halted his men here and detached
the following men: Sergt. John M.
Wilcox, Sergt. W. E. Shuffield, Corp.
John G. Burchfield, Corp. William
Humphreys and Privates W. M. Bishop, J.
H. and David White, Sol. Turner, N. T.
Campbell, Joseph McCloud, and one or two
others (about 10 or 12 in all) led by
Sergt. Wilcox, dashed on towards College
Hill where they found the enemy and
drove them from around their artillery.
One or two of the men actually tried to
hitch the horses, which were harnessed
close by, to the caissons. During this
time the enemy appeared utterly
dumfounded and did not fire a gun. Capt.
Wilcox leaving part of his company back
near Church street rode up, and seeing
the enemy forming on all sides, ordered
this squad, that had in the meantime
picked up 25 or 30 prisoners, back to
Church street, to which place they
brought the prisoners.
In the meantime Lieut. White with his
detachment had come in on what is now
Irish street and formed his men about
the Williams House. At about this time
also firing had commenced, men on both
sides shooting wherever they could see
an enemy, and the artillery on the hills
had opened up. Capt. Northington and his
men were also in town and had surrounded
the stable and captured the horses
belonging to Gen. Morgan and his staff,
which were in a stable on what is now
Depot street, and captured some
prisoners. Gen. Morgan and his staff had
been aroused and came down into the
garden or grounds, and attempted to
escape, but seeing no chance concealed
themselves in the summer house, potato
hole and outhouses. Gen. Morgan was the
last to come down and was but partially
dressed, having on no coat. He was armed
with two navy pistols which he carried
in his hands. He inquired of Mrs.
Williams. "Where are they?" meaning the
Yankees. She replied, "Everywhere." He
then started towards the Episcopal
Church and seeing the Yankees near it
turned towards the Fry Hotel, where he
hid under the porch of that building for
a short time; Major Gosset, it was said,
was under the porch at the same time and
watching an opportunity ran out, and
finding a loose horse, mounted and
escaped—the only officer with Gen.
Morgan that night that got away, About
this time Captain Wilcox with a squad of
men came down Main street and halted
near a gate leading into the Williams
ground from that street. Corporal J. G.
Burchfield rode on down to the Fry
Hotel, where he saw Mrs. Fry, a relative
of his, and stopped and shook hands with
her. She said to him, "John, Morgan is
in that brick house (pointing to the
Williams house) and I want you people to
catch him." Capt. Wilcox saw a man
running towards the Williams house and
riding his mule against the gate, which
was fastened, broke it down and ordered
his men inside the premises with
directions to look out for prisoners and
capture the man who had been seen. Sergt.
John M. Wilcox and Corporal Burchfield
and others of Company G. rode in, the
two former going towards where they had
seen the man. He ran out from near the
Summer house and fired at them; they
ordered him to halt but he continued to
dodge in and out of the grapevines and
the framework that supported them, they
calling on him to surrender. They did
not fire at him because their guns were
not loaded, as he probably surmised.
Things were growing warm now in all
directions. The artillery was firing
from the hill, and the enemy was
advancing and men shooting at each other
from almost every direction. The man in
his shirt sleeves started in the
direction of Depot street when he was
discovered by Private Andrew Campbell,
who was on that street 40 or 50 yards
distant from him. Campbell fired at him
from his horse but missed him. Campbell
then dismounted and placing his gun on
the fence fired again. The man threw up
his hands and was heard to say, "0, God!" and fell forward on his face, gave
one or two gasps and expired.
There was no insignia of rank on his
person and no one knew who he was. Sergt.
Wilcox and Corp. Burchfield, were the
first to reach his body as they had been
pursuing him. Captain Wilcox and others
were there in a few minutes. Captain
Wilcox thought from his appearance he
was not a common soldier, and suspected
at once that he was Gen. Morgan. He sent
for Captains Clay and. Rodgers who had
already been captured and asked them who
the man was, one of them, Captain Clay,
we have. been informed, said with much
feeling : "That is the best man that
ever lived, Gen. Morgan."
Captain Wilcox then ordered the men to
carry the body out to the street and
place it on a horse and take it back to
the Regiment. Captains Clay and Rodgers,
especially the former, protested against
the order and requested that the body be
removed to the Williams house. Captain
Wilcox told them he had orders to bring
Morgan out whether dead or alive and he
had to obey orders.
The body was then hastily carried out to
the fence and put on the horse in front
of Campbell, the man who, shot him. The
prisoners and horses had been placed in
charge of Company I., while Lieut.
White's detachment was ordered to
protect the rear. At the time the body
was placed on the horse the enemy was
advancing from the east and a small
squad from the south. The latter was
driven back by Lieut. White's
detachment. It seems strange that
notwithstanding the hundreds of shots
that were fired at these two companies,
both by infantry and artillery, we did
not hear of a single casualty. We can
only attribute this to the surprise and
confusion of the enemy which must have
caused them to shoot "wild."
The two companies now made a hasty
retreat back in the direction from which
they had come into town, but before
reaching that point they met the
Regiment coming to their assistance. The
body of Gen. Morgan was laid down by the
roadside and a guard placed over it.
Col. Ingerton, who was in the act of
engaging Vaughn's command, which had been
driven back on us, hearing the heavy
firing in town, about-faced the Regiment
and hastened to the relief of Wilcox and
Northington. Meeting them on their
retreat, our Regiment formed in line on
the right, and just west of the town,
the remainder of the Brigade coming up,
the Ninth formed on our left, the Tenth
Michigan on the extreme left. The
battery unlimbered and opened fire on
the enemy. The entire Brigade charged;
the Ninth through the main part of the
town, the Tenth Michigan on the left,
and the Thirteenth on the right. After a
sharp resistance, with artillery and
musketry, the enemy gave way and
retreated in the direction of Henderson,
now Afton. The retreat soon became a
rout, the enemy abandoned his artillery,
threw away guns and blankets and strewed
the road with debris. Our horses were
too much jaded to take full advantage of
the victory and did not follow him but a
short distance.
Gen. Morgan's body had been laid on a
blanket near a small grove or cluster of
trees near the roadside about
three-fourths of a mile west of
Greeneville, and left under guard while
the fight was in progress. Immediately
after the fight was over, by direction
of Gen. Gillem, the body was placed in
an ambulance and taken back to town
where it was dressed and cared for by
Gen. Morgan's staff officers who had
been captured, and turned over to Gen.
Duke under flag of truce; it was related
at the time, that Gen. Gillem, in a
dispatch to Governor Johnson announcing
the victory and the death of Gen.
Morgan, made use of the famous Latin
quotation : "Veni, Vidi, Vici;" this was
commented on by some of the officers
saying, "there were other Caesars on the
field before Gen. Gillem arrived."
The Confederate loss as reported was 75
killed and wounded, 106 prisoners, one
piece of artillery and two caissons with
horses and equipments. The Federal loss
was very slight. The officers of Gen.
Morgan's staff captured were : Major
Hines, Dr. Morgan, Surgeon and brother
of the General, Capt. H. B. Clay, Capt.
Rodgers and Lieut. Johnson, and perhaps
others whom we do not now recall.
These officers were taken to Bull's Gap
in ambulances that afternoon, the
Brigade reaching that place about the
same hour it had left it on the previous
night, having marched through storm and
darkness over rough and muddy roads more
than forty miles.
This was the first fight of importance
in which the greater part of the
Regiment had been engaged. The officers
and men showed the gallantry and
endurance of veterans. The part assigned
to the Thirteenth gave this Regiment the
most conspicuous part, and the honor of
killing Gen. Morgan and capturing his
staff officers, while the remainder of
the Brigade were driving Gen. Vaughn's
brigade from Blue Springs. In the fight
that ensued after Morgan had been
killed, the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry
under Lieut.-Col. Brownlow, the 10th
Michigan, under Major Newell, and the
Light Artillery under Lieut. Patterson,
all deserve a full share of the honors.
The position of Companies G. and I. of
the Thirteenth, gave them the
opportunity of making the dash into
Greeneville and win the distinction of
killing Gen. Morgan and capturing his
staff, and Andrew Campbell, then a
private soldier of Company G, no doubt
fired the shot, and the act was
recognized by his promotion to First
Lieutenant of Company E.
Many officers and soldiers of the
Brigade, as well as of the Thirteenth,
have asserted that "they were present
and saw General Morgan killed." The
facts are, we think, that none of the
Brigade knew that Gen. Morgan was
killed, neither did any of our Regiment,
except a part of Companies G. and I.,
until after his dead body had been
brought out of town. There were none
others ordered into Greeneville, except
these two companies, and if any other
Federal soldiers or officers were there
at the time, or previous to his death,
they were out of the line of their
duties, as far as we can remember or
have been able to learn.
Captain Wilcox received the order to go
into town as the senior officer of the
two companies, and carried out his
instructions to the letter. Capt.
Northington, with his gallant company,
did his share of the work and is
entitled to his full share of the credit.
Every officer and soldier in the two
companies did his full duty that September
morning. It was a brave deed for these
men to dash into town in the face of
Morgan's command, scarce half a mile
away, and yet they were almost
inexperienced officers and soldiers at
that time.
Col. Ingerton though ignorant of the
situation when he assumed it, did not
flinch from the danger when it was
revealed to him, but did his duty like a
true soldier as he was.
Wilcox and Northington went into town
conscious of the fact that they were
charging under the very guns of the
enemy and in the face of "Morgan's men"
whose names were synonyms of gallantry
and daring. |
