1863-07-08: John Hunt Morgan’s Raid in Ohio
By Kristina, posted on April 9th, 2010.Filed under: Timeline Events
Tagged as: buffington island, John Hunt Morgan, Morgan's Raid.
On July 8, 1863, Brigadier-General John Hunt Morgan, a Confederate cavalry leader, led approximately two thousand soldiers across the Ohio River into southern Indiana. Morgan’s superiors had dispatched the cavalry leader into northern Kentucky to cause disorder among the Union military. Morgan exceeded these orders by crossing north of the Ohio River, but he did create turmoil for the United States army.
Crossing into Indiana, Morgan’s Raiders spread false rumors that the Confederates intended to attack Indianapolis, Indiana. Rather than doing this, the men spent five days in southern Indiana, procuring supplies and horses from Northern civilians. On July 13, as the Indiana militia descended upon Morgan’s men, the Confederates entered Ohio, near the Hamilton-Butler County line. Morgan led his men to the outskirts of Cincinnati, where he spent the night of July 13-14, within sight of the Union Army’s Camp Dennison. The next day, Morgan divided his men. He sent a small portion of his men through Warren, Clinton, Fayette, Ross, and Jackson Counties, while the main force traveled through Clermont, Brown, Highland, Pike, and Jackson Counties. The larger group crossed the Scioto River at Piketon and proceeded to Jackson, where it reunited with the smaller detachment. The reunited Confederates proceeded east through Jackson, Gallia, Vinton, and Meigs Counties, in an effort to reach the Ohio River.
View of the entry of Morgan's Raiders into Washington, Ohio, from Harper's Weekly, Saturday, August 15, 1863.
On the night of July 12, Ohio Governor David Tod issued a proclamation, calling out the Ohio militia to protect the southern counties from Morgan’s Raiders. Many militiamen did not hear of the proclamation in a timely manner. The Confederates faced little opposition until July 18, when they encountered a small earthwork, defended by Ohio militiamen. Severely outnumbered, the militiamen retreated under the cover of darkness. However, their presence had allowed Union cavalry, under Brigadier-General E.H. Hobson, to catch up to the Confederates. Union General Ambrose Burnside also had sent Northern soldiers and gunboats to patrol the Ohio River. Morgan’s men attempted to cross the Ohio River at a ford near Buffington Island. The Confederates succeeded in getting a small number of men across the river before Union gunboats and soldiers under Hobson and General H.M. Judah arrived.
A battle ensued at Buffington Island. The Northern force numbered approximately three thousand men, while Morgan’s Raiders included 1,700 soldiers. Some uncertainty exists about the battle. Morgan hoped to lead his men across the Ohio River, and Union soldiers and gunboats intercepted him. Morgan did not file a battle report, and the Union officers involved left out many details in their final reports. Estimates for the number of wounded or killed Southerners range from fifty-two to 120 men. Union soldiers captured an additional eight hundred to 1,200 men. Among the captured men was Morgan’s brother-in-law. Northern soldiers lost twenty-five men in the battle, including Daniel McCook of the Fighting McCooks. During the Civil War, fifteen McCook family members fought for the North, earning these men the nickname, the Fighting McCooks.
Morgan’s remaining men managed to break through the Union lines and continued in a northerly direction along the Ohio River, hoping to find a place to cross. Twenty miles from Buffington Island, Morgan’s Raiders found an unprotected crossing. Several hundred of the Confederates succeeded in crossing the river before Union gunboats arrived. Morgan and his remaining soldiers retreated westward through Meigs and Gallia Counties and then moved in a more northeasterly direction through Vinton, Hocking, Athens, Perry, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Carroll, and Columbiana Counties. At Salineville, in Columbiana County, Union Cavalry under the command of Major W.B. Way and Major G.W. Rue surrounded Morgan’s Raiders and succeeded in capturing Morgan and most of his command. Morgan’s capture marked the end of his raid of the North.
The Northern soldiers took Morgan and most of his captured men to Columbus. The enlisted men were confined in the Camp Chase Confederate prison camp, Morgan and several of his officers were confined in the Ohio Penitentiary. Morgan arrived there on October 1. He and several of his men immediately made plans to escape. They tunneled out of their cell into an airshaft on November 13, 1863. They remained in their cell until November 27, when Morgan and six of his soldiers utilized the airshaft to reach the prison yard. They then fashioned a rope from their prison uniforms and scaled the wall. Utilizing some of the one thousand dollars that his sister had smuggled into the prison inside a Bible, Morgan purchased a train ticket to Cincinnati. He then made his escape across the Ohio River into Kentucky. Morgan returned to the Confederate military but lost his life less than a year later on the battlefield.
Morgan’s Raid netted few positive results for the Southern military. It did provide some hope to Confederate civilians that their military could still succeed following the Northern victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in early July 1863. It also caused fear among Indiana and Ohio residents and cost several of these people some personal property that the raiders had seized. Almost 4,400 Ohioans filed claims for compensation with the federal government for items that they lost to the Confederates during the raid. The claims amounted to $678,915, with the government authorizing compensation in the amount of $576,225. While the Confederates succeeded in instilling fear in the civilian population, the raid inspired many of these people to fight even harder to defeat the Confederacy. In addition, the Confederate military lost a large number of veteran cavalrymen. Morgan also failed to destroy any railroad tracks, bridges, or supply depots. The raid caused no significant harm to the transportation and communication infrastructure of the North. The Raid had as many negative effects as positive ones for the Confederacy.
SOURCE: http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=470&nm=Battle-of-Buffington-Island
April 21st, 2010 at 11:41 am
THE MOST EXCITING DAY IN THE HISTORY OF WASHINGTON- The Elizabeth McMullin Story- This story has ben told many times. it is probably one of the best descriptions of the events of Morgan”s raid in Washington on July 24, 1863. Elizabeth, 86 years old, living in Old Washington in 1933, remarkably strong physically and mentally for one of her age. She was sixteen years old when Morgan came to the town. Her detailed story of the events of that “terrible day” will enable one to form a mental lpicture of the most interesting part of the Civil War that took place in Guernsey County. This is the story she told: “We lived at the west end of town. Father had gone to the war, and mother, my brorther, two sisters and I were left at home. On Thursday, July 23, we heard that Morgan might come our way. Captain John Laughlin, who lived south of town, was hom on a furlough. He was a telegraph operator and, in order to learn of movements, he kept close to the instruments all day. The people were advised by him to get ready, as it was his opinion, from what he could gather from the wires, that the rebels would take the road running through our town. “All had confidence in Captain Laughlin and they acted on his advice. Valuables were concealed and horses were hidden back in the woods far from roads. The Guernsey County Bank was was in Washington then. Mr. Lawrence, Mr. McCurdy and some others took all the money out of the safe and carried it to Wheeling for safekeeping. It was a busy day for everybody and that night nobody slept, excepting the children. “The next morning we could see smoke in the south. It was reported that Campbell Station had been set on fire. We expected Washington to be burned, too. Nearly all the men had gone to the war. Captain Laughlin changed his army uniform to citizens’ clothes and with some boys armed with guns went south to investigate. They soon returned with the report that Morgan was coming. We were all frightened. Captain Laughlin advised us to keep cool and offer no resistance. Nearly all the town gathered at the corner where the Campbell’s Station-Winchester road crossed the Pike (at the Colonial Inn). “Riding two abrest the rebels came up the road. Rev. Ferguson, our Presbyterian minister, stepped out in front and waved a white handkerchief. The rebels did not pass through as we hooped but dismounted and gathered along the street. They entered homes and ordered dinners to be prepared for them immediately. Morgan and his staff of fourteen men went to the American Hotel kept by James Smith. Rebel guards were placed around the town, two miles out of all sides. Anybody could come in, but nobody was permitted to go out. “Just before Morgan arrived, Charlie Simms came into town with the mail which he was carrying from Cambridge to Wheeling. The sack was thrown out of the bus and hidden. Charlie drove on but was captured and his horses taken. Believing that the mail was concealed at the post office the Confederates went there, took the sacks that had been made up to be sent out, and rifled them. They seemed to be looking for letters that might enlighten them as to the movements of the Union army, rather than for valuables. “Morgan and his staff ordered dinner at the hotel and Smiths called in some of us older girls to help prepare it. I waited on the table, Morgan seemed very tired and worried and talked but little during the meal. After eating they all went upstairs and lay n the beds. In the meantime, his soldiers, having eaten their dinners and fed their horses, were lying along the street from on end of the town to the other. Tey were in Washington two or three hours. “Captain Laughlin kept in communication with General Shackleford who, with his cavalry, mounted infantry and Ohio militia, was following Morgan. Suddenly a gun was fired by one of the rebel guards as a signal that Shackleford was near. Morgan and his staff immediately rushed down the stairs and out into the street. The soldiers ran to their horses, mounted them and heades for the Wincheter road (Morgan’s Way). All was confusion. “Looking to the sough we saw Shackelford’s army gathering on Cemetery Hill. We wondered what would happen and we soon learned. They began firing at the Confederates who, in turn, shot back. Women were screaming and children were crying. The shooting increased. Above the noise of battle we could hear voices coming from the Federal lines, ordering women and children to run to cellars. I ran into the one that was nearest, where twenty or thirty other persons soon gathered. “The firing continued. They were shooting across the town. The Union men were firing from the south; the Confederates from the north. We could hear the bullets whizzing over our heads and the crash of broken windows. It was terrible, as we did not know what would happen to us who were in the direct line of fire. “The shooting ceased and we ventured out. Morgan’s men had gone towards Winchester (Winterset) and Shackleford’s soldiers were sweeping across the town. They seemed to be coming from everywhere, which was a great relief to all of us. Two rebels lay dead in the street and the others were wonded. Dead horses lay here and there and others were so badly hurt they had to be killed. “Some of the Confederates were cut off from Morgan’s main army and taken prisoners. They were placed in the old academy building and guarded until the next morning, when they were marched to Cambridge and locked in the jail. They were afterwards taken to Columbus. “Some of us girls went into the room that had been occupied by Morgan at the hotel and on the bureau I found a picture of a young man. Some of the Confederates who were held as prisoners over at the academy said his name was William Cloud, Morgan’s physician. I have the picture yet. a reminder of the most exciting day in the history of Washington.