The Death of John Hunt Morgan

Buckeye Bill

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The Death of Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan : On September 4rd, 1864, Federal Lt. Colonel William H. Ingerton led the 13th Tennessee Cavalry to Greeneville, Tennessee where he learned that Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan was staying the night at the Dickson-Williams Mansion. He told his company commanders, Captain C.C. Wilcox and Captain S.E. Northington, "To dash into town, surround the Dickerson-Williams residence and bring Morgan out dead or alive." The Federal cavalry surprised the Confederate troopers. Some escaped on their horses while many others were shot or captured. Nicknamed the "Thunderbolt of the Confederacy," Morgan bolted from the house and searched for an escape route. His officers urged him to remain in the mansion and await reinforcements. Morgan refused : "The boys can not get here in time. The Yankees will never take me prisoner again." Morgan and his staff officers ran to Saint James Episcopal Church nearby, where they hid under the floor until Morgan heard Federal soldiers enter the church. He then rushed out toward the grape arbors here near the Williams's stables and his horse, Sir Oliver. As Wilcox's troopers surrounded the area, Morgan tried to walk away in the confusion. Federal Private Andrew J. Campbell ordered him to halt, and when Morgan failed to obey the order, Campbell shot and killed him. The death of John Hunt Morgan was a blow to the morale of Confederates in East Tennessee and throughout the South. @KLSDAD

* Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan.

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* The Dickson - Williams Mansion in Greeneville, Tennessee.

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* The Tennessee State Historical Marker (Dickson - Williams Mansion).

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* The Front of the St. James Episcopal Church.

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* The Tennessee State Historical Marker in front of the St. James Episcopal Church.

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* The Civil War Trails Marker in front of the Dickson - Williams Mansion.

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* Memorial to General John Hunt Morgan in front of the Greene County Courthouse in Greeneville, Tennessee.

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Now, now, folks. Morgan died in Oklahoma Territory in 1899, doncha know? :wink:
 
Morgan was one of the most significant Confederate raiders and helped sabotage the Union Army in the West by destroying supplies and disrupting supply lines.
 
Morgan was one of the most significant Confederate raiders and helped sabotage the Union Army in the West by destroying supplies and disrupting supply lines.

He had some notable successes and was very effective until 1863. But his great raid north of the Ohio cost the Confederacy a fine division of cavalry. You couldn’t have found a better body of mounted troops anywhere than those Morgan crossed the Ohio River with.

But his new command after his escape was nowhere near as good. And Morgan didn’t seem to be either.
 
He had some notable successes and was very effective until 1863. But his great raid north of the Ohio cost the Confederacy a fine division of cavalry. You couldn’t have found a better body of mounted troops anywhere than those Morgan crossed the Ohio River with.

But his new command after his escape was nowhere near as good. And Morgan didn’t seem to be either.
I am specifically referring to the Confederate counter offensives in the East (Virginia-Maryland) and the West (Mississippi-Tennessee-Kentucky) in the West during the summer and fall of 1862 when Morgan's actions occurred.
 
My friend, Josh Quinn, is currently in Abingdon, Virginia. Look what he found!

After the death of Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan, on Sept. 4th, 1864 in Greeneville, Tennessee, the Richmond Whig reported, "Another brave, daring and chivalric cavalier has sealed his devotion to his beloved South with his heart's blood. First Ashby, then Stuart, and now the dashing Kentuckian, whose name was known and cherished in every clime where his country or liberty had a friend." Under a flag of truce, Morgan's body was sent by rail to Abingdon, Virginia where it was laid out at the residence of Judge Campbell. The funeral took place at 4:00 PM Tuesday Sept. 6, 1864 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. The procession, "the largest and most imposing there has ever been in southwest Virginia", formed on Glade Spring Road for burial in the Sinking Spring Cemetery.

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Excellent photos! Had no idea Morgan was buried over and over - what an interesting little mound on that first one. Morgan was a good raider, that's certain, and I think they were gunning for him at the end! He was inclined to oblige them with a fight - swore he'd never surrender after that first time. He did his best work, I believe, in concert with Forrest and Van Dorn's operations - the Thunderbolt, the Wizard and Dam Born were a great team! After Morgan's capture, Forrest took on his unit but never tried to be their leader - instead, he reminded them they were Morgan's Men, and got a whole lot more out of them!
 
My friend, Josh Quinn, is currently in Abingdon, Virginia. Look what he found!

After the death of Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan, on Sept. 4th, 1864 in Greeneville, Tennessee, the Richmond Whig reported, "Another brave, daring and chivalric cavalier has sealed his devotion to his beloved South with his heart's blood. First Ashby, then Stuart, and now the dashing Kentuckian, whose name was known and cherished in every clime where his country or liberty had a friend." Under a flag of truce, Morgan's body was sent by rail to Abingdon, Virginia where it was laid out at the residence of Judge Campbell. The funeral took place at 4:00 PM Tuesday Sept. 6, 1864 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. The procession, "the largest and most imposing there has ever been in southwest Virginia", formed on Glade Spring Road for burial in the Sinking Spring Cemetery.

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@east tennessee roots posted another version of Morgan's death in which Morgan was killed by an Irish Confederate deserter who wore plain clothes and tracked Morgan down. The Irish deserter did defect to a Union Tennessee regiment after he deserted and was shun by his Unionist comrades after he assassinated Morgan.
Leftyhunter
 
@east tennessee roots posted another version of Morgan's death in which Morgan was killed by an Irish Confederate deserter who wore plain clothes and tracked Morgan down. The Irish deserter did defect to a Union Tennessee regiment after he deserted and was shun by his Unionist comrades after he assassinated Morgan.
Leftyhunter

A new one on me.....

Sounds like fuzzy history!

Bill
 
The Death of Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan : On September 4rd, 1864, Federal Lt. Colonel William H. Ingerton led the 13th Tennessee Cavalry to Greeneville, Tennessee where he learned that Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan was staying the night at the Dickson-Williams Mansion. He told his company commanders, Captain C.C. Wilcox and Captain S.E. Northington, "To dash into town, surround the Dickerson-Williams residence and bring Morgan out dead or alive." The Federal cavalry surprised the Confederate troopers. Some escaped on their horses while many others were shot or captured. Nicknamed the "Thunderbolt of the Confederacy," Morgan bolted from the house and searched for an escape route. His officers urged him to remain in the mansion and await reinforcements. Morgan refused : "The boys can not get here in time. The Yankees will never take me prisoner again." Morgan and his staff officers ran to Saint James Episcopal Church nearby, where they hid under the floor until Morgan heard Federal soldiers enter the church. He then rushed out toward the grape arbors here near the Williams's stables and his horse, Sir Oliver. As Wilcox's troopers surrounded the area, Morgan tried to walk away in the confusion. Federal Private Andrew J. Campbell ordered him to halt, and when Morgan failed to obey the order, Campbell shot and killed him. The death of John Hunt Morgan was a blow to the morale of Confederates in East Tennessee and throughout the South. @KLSDAD

* Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan.

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* The Dickson - Williams Mansion in Greeneville, Tennessee.

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* The Tennessee State Historical Marker (Dickson - Williams Mansion).

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* The Front of the St. James Episcopal Church.

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* The Tennessee State Historical Marker in front of the St. James Episcopal Church.

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* The Civil War Trails Marker in front of the Dickson - Williams Mansion.

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* Memorial to General John Hunt Morgan in front of the Greene County Courthouse in Greeneville, Tennessee.

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Very nice photos of a sad day for the Confederacy. " You have just killed the best man in the Confederacy.." words of Henry Clay's grandson on identifying the body of General John Hunt Morgan.
 
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