Morgan's Great Raid in Indiana

Thanks for sharing the great pictures. The raid was another invasion of northern territory in 1863. Also, the raid provided the only "battles" or skirmishes in Indiana during the war as far as I know. To this day, the intense instate football rivals of Indiana University and Purdue University play for the Old Oaken Bucket traveling trophy. The Old Oaken Bucket was found on a southern Indiana farm. According to the people who owned it, Morgan's raiders drank water from it while in Indiana. Possibly even the General himself....

Thanks for sharing!

There are not too many members on this board that are very interested with John Hunt Morgan and his raids. I really enjoyed my studies and tours regarding his raids into the states of Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.

Bill
 
I have always found his raid into Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio interesting. One, because Indiana and Ohio were largely untouched by any kind of military action. Two, being a life long Hoosier it is something that happened in my own state. Makes it a little more interesting when it happened on your own turf. Especially so when it was about the only action of its kind in this state. Even though I live long way from where it happened, it still makes it a little more interesting. Also, the raid was conducted in mostly hostile territory for the entire time. Quite a gamble and a daring undertaking by Morgan and his men.
 
The Battle of Corydon, Indiana occurred on this day in 1863. This conflict was part of Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan's Great Raid during the American Civil War. 2,500 cavalry troopers invaded the North in support of the Tullahoma Campaign. The Battle of Corydon was the only American Civil War battle in the state of Indiana.
 
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Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan's "Great Raid" into the state of Indiana continues on this day in 1863. Morgan's Raiders traveled to the small town at Salem, Indiana. They burned a railroad bridge and train depot, and tapped a telegraph line. After spending the night in Lexington, they headed to the northeast, terrorizing the small towns along the way, including Vernon, Dupont, New Pekin and Versailles.

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On this day in 1863, Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and his Raiders cross the Blue River near New Pekin, Indiana. Confederate Captain William J. Davis and some of his men were captured by the 73rd Indiana Infantry and a detachment of the 5th U.S. Regulars. Davis and several other soldiers were taken to New Albany, Indiana and secured in the county jail awaiting a trial.

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Thanks for another great post and more great information. I'm enjoying that your spotlight has been on Indiana for a few days. I'm actually reading right now The Civil War Diary of Colonel Alfred B. Wade of the 73rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Ironically, Colonel Wade was in Libby Prison in Richmond on this day. He led a raiding party into Alabama in late April 1863. His raiding party was captured on May 2, 1863 by men of General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry. Apparently other members of the 73rd Indiana were doing the same to Morgan's men a couple of months later.
 
Morgan was bold and audacious and I admire him for it. But his disobedience to Bragg cost the CSA one fine body of cavalry. Morgan’s command was as good as any to be found in 1863. And in loosing it he might have bought Bragg an extra year, maybe.
 
To accompany the bit about the capture of William J Davis and some of his men.
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I read in a newspaper from the day that the casualties of this event were 1 dead, 5 wounded and about 20 captured Confederates. Take that with a grain of salt though. The newspaper claims it was the local citizenry that captured them.

Wonderful new Indiana State Historical Marker! I didn't see it on my tour.

Bill
 
On this day in 1863, Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan and his Raiders cross the Ohio River from Brandenburg, Kentucky into the state of Indiana. After crossing the Ohio River on steamboats, Morgan's men set fire to one steamboat (Alice Dean) and sent the other steamboat (John B. McCombs) down river.

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Always enjoy reading about Morgan. The Morgan Men's Reunion is August 23-24. It will be headquartered at the General Morgan Inn in Greeneville, Tennessee. We are planning on going. My husband is member of the Morgan Men's Association. Will report on it after we go.

Several books have been recommended on Morgan in our latest newsletter. I am going to get them.

If any interested they are:

"Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan Escapes From the Ohio Penitent1ary" It is available at Amazon. It costs $12.49.

"Captain George A. "Lightning Elsworth: General Morgan's Amazing Telegrapher". It is available on Amazon.com. It costs $7.25.
 
* Morgan and his Raiders enter Indiana, via Steamboats, over the Ohio River at Morvin's Landing.


* In the summer of 1863, Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan launched an even more audacious raid through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. His inventive and highly successful tactics included having his telegraph operator masquerade as a Union soldier and send false and wildly divergent messages reporting on Morgan's actions, objectives and troop strength, creating confusion and hampering any response. Despite great initial success, Morgan was defeated at the Battle of Buffington Island, Ohio, on July 19, 1863, and some 750 Confederate cavaliers were captured. A few days later, pursued by Federal cavalry, 300 of Morgan's men crossed the swollen Ohio River into West Virginia; the rest continued north and east, hoping for a chance to slip across the river to relative safety. After another defeat at the Battle of Salineville on July 26, Morgan was captured and taken with some of his officers to the Ohio State Penitentiary, while the majority of the enlisted men were sent to Chicago's Camp Douglas as prisoners of war. (Civil War Trust)

Buffington's Island wasn't Morgan's first setback on that raid. On July 4, 1863, 200 men of the 25th MI Infantry held off over 1,500 of Morgan's troopers and supporting artillery at the Tebb's Bend of the Green River near Columbia, KY, repelling 8 assaults on their position and saving Louisville from sack and ruin.
 
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