The newest edition (1999) of George Dallas Mosgrove’s Kentucky Cavaliers in Dixie, edited by James Ramage, reproduces a very interesting and long-forgotten letter in the appendix. Ramage explains that the letter had not been seen since it was originally published in 1866. It is here reproduced for the benefit of our membership and our readers in the hope that it may serve to right the wrong that was done in the press so many years ago.
Elizabethton, Tenn. May 5, 1866
EDITORS UNION FLAG--I noticed in the Era of a recent date, a communication copied from the Atlanta Intelligencer, respecting the death and capture of Gen. John H. Morgan of the Confederate States Army, which is a base fabrication, and which myself and the brave boys that I led upon that occasion are implicated and charged with uncivilized and inhuman treatment towards prisoners of war.
I cannot refrain from vindicating myself and men upon the occasion, and denounce the author of the same as a base caluminator, devoid of all honor and principle and not worth to occupy the most dismal cell in our State or National prisons. The facts in the case are simply these.
In the month of September, 1863, General Gillem’s command was stationed at Bull’s Gap, Tennessee, and General Morgan was encamped in, around and beyond Greeneville, Tennessee, and on the night of the 3rd of Sept. 1863, a boy came to our camp and informed General Gillem that General Morgan intended to attack him the next morning, whereupon Colonel Ingerton was despatched with the 13th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, to cut off the enemy at Greeneville, Tennessee, and after marching all night came within one and a half miles of Greeneville, where he halted and formed his command in line of battle, during the time that said command was in line of battle, Col. Ingerton, Adjutant Scott and myself captured a dispatch bearer who was bearing dispatches from the rebel commandant at Blue Springs--said dispatch was directed to General John H. Morgan, widow William’s residence, Greeneville, Tennessee. I was ordered at once with Company G, 13th Tenn. Cav., to proceed to Greeneville, and if possible, capture General Morgan and staff. I immediately proceeded to Greenville and upon entering the town had my command so arranged as to surround the premises of the widow William’s residence without noise or difficulty. Having surrounded the premises I ordered Sergt. Willcox with seven men to search the house, and on searching the house the entire staff was found and made prisoners, and during the search Gen. Morgan by some means made his escape into the garden, without the notice of the guard. After having searched the house minutely and not finding the General, I ordered Sergt. Willcox and one man to explore the lot, and upon entering the same the discovered some person crawling out of a ditch, whereupon he ran and in entering a cluster of grape vines, Pres. Campbell, who was an outside sentinel discharged his piece at him, it taking effect, entering at the left hip ranging along the spinal column and coming out at the left nipple. I was about twenty steps outside of the premises when the boys exclaimed that they had killed some person. I immediately tore down the fence and rode in and found Sergt. Willcox, Campbell and Birchfield looking at him. I ordered them to turn him over and search him. Upon his person was found a letter addressed to General Morgan, Greeneville. I rode to the fence where I had the entire staff under guard, and informed Mr. Clay A.A.G. that I believed it was General Morgan. He asked permission to see him--it was granted, and he informed me that it was General Morgan. The enemy pressing me I ordered Gen. Morgan’s remains to be placed on the horse that Campbell was riding (before him) and immediately started for the command, and met Col. Miller with his Brigade, where I had left the Regiment, and turned the remains of Gen. Morgan over to the Surgeons of the Brigade, who had his remains conveyed back to Mrs. William’s at Greeneville, where he was neatly dressed and surrendered on the 4th of Sept. 1863, to a Confederate flag of truce.
Gen. Morgan when killed had no pistols about his person, and when shot threw his pistols into a cluster of grape vines which were afterward found by Mrs. Col. Fry and turned over to Gen. Gillem.
Now, Mr. Editor, the foregoing are facts respecting this affair, for the perusal and serious consideration of your loyal thinking readers.
The facts set forth can be substantiated by the best and most loyal men of our section. Men too who have proudly faced death upon many a hard fought battle field. Men who defended the country from principle without the hope of compensation, and men too who have never shrank from the fostering arms of Justice. But to the point, this sagacious unmitigated and unparal[le]led liar and unrivalled scoundrel, "who, 'twoud be base flattery to call a coward," goes on in this truly loyal paper termed the Atlanta Intelligencer, and makes assertions that is as base as hell, and as dark and damning as midnight darkness. It would require too much space to answer the many unmitigated lies couched in his small instrument and I will be compelled to ask the reading public to examine carefully the statements of both, and respectfully submit my statement to the reading public whose minds no doubt have been poisoned to a certain extent by base publications.
C. Willcox
Ex-Captain Co. G, 13th T.V.C.
I believe, ladies and gentlemen, that as regards the death of the "Rebel Raider," we have been misled by journalistic propaganda for the last one-hundred-thirty-six years. Hopefully, it will become better-known that the soldiers who captured and killed General Morgan acted honorably and honestly [and no different from how any Southern soldier would have responded given a reversal of the circumstances], and that the Southern newspapers named above were not interested in printing anything which did not inflame the hearts if their regular readers.
Permission to reprint the above letter was graciously granted by Dr. James Ramage of Northern Kentucky University and the University of Nebraska/Bison Press.
This edition of George Dallas Mosgrove’s Kentucky Cavaliers in Dixie is available wherever books are sold or from the University of Nebraska Press, 800-526-2617, and on the web at nebraskapress@unl.edu.