I was asked by Col. Milton, our commander, to give a “talk” to our
Camp this evening. I see, though, in his notices which he sent out—I
received one—and in the newspapers, he has dignified what I am to say
to you as an “address.” I will leave it to you, after I get through,
whether it is one or the other, or both.
I regret that I have not had an opportunity to prepare much that would
be worth while to my Comrades who are here to-night, but will deal
with some of my own experiences during the Civil War and give you
a narrative of them. This I will undertake to do, with the hope my
account may prove somewhat interesting to you. I can only vouch for the
truthfulness of what I shall detail from my own personal knowledge.
There is no tie of friendship so strong and lasting as that wrought by
a common service among soldiers engaged in a common cause. Time and
distance are powerless to sever such a tie or to erase from memory the
vivid recollections of dangers encountered and hardships endured.
On a September night nearly fifty-eight years ago, John H. Morgan
led forth from the City of Lexington his little squadron of faithful
followers, who formed the nucleus of that gallant command which
afterward, under his matchless leadership, executed so many brilliant
military achievements and won for him and themselves imperishable
renown. Gen. Morgan’s bold, original, and skillful methods of warfare
attracted the admiration of thousands of young men in Kentucky, and
even other States, who enthusiastically gathered under his banner.