MORGAN’S FIRST RAID.
All through the month of April General Halleck had been concentrating the
mighty armies of almost the entire West for the purpose of crushing
Beauregard at Corinth. For a month the two armies lay but a few miles
apart, almost daily skirmishes taking place between the outposts.
During the month General O. M. Mitchell had overrun Middle Tennessee, and
was holding the Memphis and Charleston railroad from Decatur to
Bridgeport, Alabama. Two railroads led south from Nashville, Tennessee,
both connecting with the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, one at Decatur,
and the other at Stevenson, Alabama. Both of these roads were of vital
importance to General Mitchell, for on them he depended for transportation
for the sustenance of his army.
These roads had been badly damaged by the Confederate army when it
retreated from Nashville, and General Mitchell was busily engaged in
repairing them. If repaired and held, it meant that Chattanooga must fall,
and the Confederate army be driven still farther south.
John H. Morgan, now promoted to a colonelcy, believed that with a small
force the rear of the Federal army could be raided, the railroads cut,
bridges burned, and their communications so destroyed that they would be
forced to fall back. General Beauregard was not so sanguine. While great
damage might be done, and the Federal army subjected to much
inconvenience, the contest, after all, would have to be decided by the
great armies. Then he needed every man, as Halleck was about to move.
At last he gave Morgan permission to make his raid, but with a force not
to exceed five hundred.
It was in the last days of April that Morgan started with his little
force, on what seemed to many certain destruction. But every man in the
command was full of enthusiasm. They had unlimited faith in their leader,
and where he went they would follow.
Following almost the exact route taken by Calhoun, Morgan’s first blow
fell on Pulaski, Tennessee. So swift and unexpected had been his movements
that the Federals were taken completely by surprise. The place was
surrendered without a struggle.
Moving rapidly north, the command attacked and, without any loss, captured
a wagon-train en route from Columbia to Athens. Thus at the very
commencement of his raid, Morgan captured Pulaski, with all its military
stores, a wagon-train, and some two hundred and seventy prisoners, and
this without the loss of a man. Among the prisoners captured were a son of
General O. M. Mitchell, and our old acquaintance, Lieutenant Haines.
The prisoners were all paroled, and were astonished at the kind treatment
they received. Both Captain Jumper, who was in charge of the wagon-train,
and the son of General Mitchell were loud in their praise of the way they
were used by Morgan.
After destroying all the Federal property captured, and damaging the
railroad as much as possible, the command continued on their raid, their
route taking them by the plantation of Mr. Osborne. The welcome they
received there was a royal one. Colonel Morgan stopped and took dinner
with the family.
Here he heard of the adventure of Calhoun, and he laughed long and
heartily over the way Calhoun had recovered his horse.
“Tell him,” said Miss Osborne, “that I forgive him his abrupt leaving, as
no harm came to father. By the way, Lieutenant Haines has become quite
friendly, coming out to see us two or three times.”
“No one can blame him, even if you give him but a moment of your company,”
replied Morgan, gallantly. “But Miss Osborne, I am sorry to say we took
your friend prisoner. He was paroled, and no doubt is now on his way
North.”
Miss Osborne blushed, and then said, “A good riddance; I trust I shall
never see him again. But he was kind to papa. He even returned the horse;
would not keep him.”
“That is lucky,” responded Morgan, “for if he hadn’t been returned, one of
my men would be riding him now, and your chance of getting him would be
small.”
From Pulaski Morgan pushed northeast, avoiding Shelbyville and
Murfreesboro, both of these places being too strongly garrisoned for him
to attack with his small force. He crossed the Nashville and Chattanooga
railroad ten miles north of Murfreesboro, burned the depot, and destroyed
as much of the track as his limited time would admit. From there he rode
straight for Lebanon, Tennessee, which place he reached just at nightfall.
The inhabitants received him with the wildest demonstration of joy. But
trouble was in store for him. His men, wearied with their long ride, and
elated over their continued success, became careless. They knew they were
among friends, and thought that no harm could come to them, so they slept
without fear.
The Federal authorities had become thoroughly alarmed over his progress.
Strong bodies of troops were in swift pursuit, from Shelbyville, from
Murfreesboro, and from Nashville.
Just before daylight the Federals charged into the little city with whoop
and hurrah. Taken entirely by surprise, Morgan’s men thought only of
flight. Two companies under the command of Colonel Robert C. Wood being
cut off from their horses, threw themselves into a college building in the
outskirts of the city, and for three hours defended themselves with
desperation. At last being out of ammunition they were forced to
surrender.
In this unfortunate affair Morgan lost nearly two hundred of his best
troops. The rest were more or less scattered. He himself was chased for
eighteen miles, and the pursuit ceased only when he, with the remnant of
his troops, had crossed the Cumberland.
The Federals thought they had thoroughly whipped Morgan, and he would give
them no more trouble. But they did not know the man. He had started for
Kentucky, and to Kentucky he would go. After crossing the Cumberland, he
halted, gathered his scattered command together, and then with less than
three hundred men, started for Glasgow.
“Lieutenant Pennington will meet us at Glasgow with reinforcements,” he
told his men.
But there were some of his officers who had misgivings. Chief among these
was Captain Conway. Speaking to another officer, a Captain Mathews, Conway
said: “It’s strange that the Colonel has such confidence in that young
upstart. As for me, I look for no reinforcements. The best thing we can do
is to get back as soon as possible.”
“Captain, what is the matter?” asked Mathews. “What has that young fellow
done that you have taken such a dislike to him?”
“Nothing; but the idea of sending a mere boy on such an important mission!
Why did he not send some one back with influence?”
“Pennington is well connected; you know his father is Judge Pennington of
Danville.”
“That makes little difference. His mission will be a failure; see if it
isn’t. We shall see no reinforcements at Glasgow.”
Just then Morgan came riding along, and seeing Conway said, “Captain, I
want to thank you for the gallant manner in which you held back the enemy
while the command crossed the Cumberland. You did nobly.”
This praise so pleased Conway that for a time he forgot his supposed
grievance.
Without further trouble from the Federals, the little command reached
Glasgow, where they were received with open arms by the inhabitants.
Houses were thrown open to them and food provided in abundance. But
nothing had been heard of any reinforcements.
“What did I tell you?” said Conway to Mathews.
“Wait,” was the answer.
The night was an anxious one. Morning came, but still nothing was heard of
any reinforcements.
“We will wait another day,” said Morgan.
About noon cheering was heard, and Morgan’s men nearly went wild with
enthusiasm, as nearly two hundred splendidly mounted men came galloping
into camp.
When the captain in command reported, Morgan thanked him in the warmest
terms, and then looking eagerly around, said: “Where is Lieutenant
Pennington? I do not see him.”
“Lieutenant Pennington,” answered the Captain, “asked leave to take twenty
men and scout toward Cave City. I gave him permission to do so. He has an
idea that the railroad might be reached and broken at that point.”
“Ah! I have thought so myself,” replied Morgan. “I shall wait for his
report with interest.”
The arrival of the two fresh companies had raised the command to as large,
or larger, than it was when it started from Corinth, and every man was
eager to go on. It was nearly night when Calhoun reported with his little
company. He was jubilant over what he had discovered.
“Colonel,” he said, “we can easily capture Cave City, and thus sever the
connection between Louisville and Nashville. The place is lightly
guarded.”
“Oh! If we could only take the place, and capture the train on which my
gallant men taken prisoners at Lebanon are being taken North, I should be
supremely happy,” said Morgan, with much feeling.
“Perhaps we can,” replied Calhoun, with enthusiasm.
“How about going farther north than Cave City?” asked Morgan.
Calhoun shook his head. “It will not do,” he replied; “all the towns are
too strongly held for your small force to cope with.”
“At least we can try Cave City,” answered Morgan, and orders were given
for the command to be ready to march at sundown. The vicinity of Cave City
was reached about two o’clock in the morning. The column was halted and
the men were ordered to rest until daylight.
As soon as it was light, Calhoun, with a soldier named Emory, was sent in
advance to the place. They were disguised as countrymen, and were to
linger around the depot, and when the charge came they were to prevent the
telegraph operator from sending warning of the raid.
Dressed in homespun clothes, and riding sorry steeds, Calhoun and Emory
played their part to perfection. Their entrance into the little place
caused no comment, and excited no suspicion. Sauntering into the depot,
they gazed curiously around.
[Illustration: SAUNTERING INTO THE DEPOT THEY GAZED CURIOUSLY AROUND.]
“What’s that?” asked Calhoun, pointing at the clicking telegraph
instrument.
“That, my boy,” said the operator, patronizingly, “is a telegraphic
instrument. Did you never see one before?”
“No. What makes it tick?”
“Lightning, my son, lightning; that’s a lightning-catcher.”
Calhoun opened his eyes in wonder. “Jes’ heah that,” he said to Emory.
“What is it fer?” he continued, turning his attention to the operator once
more.
“To send messages,” replied the operator, amused at the ignorance
displayed. “With this little instrument, I can talk with any one at
Louisville or Nashville.”
“What’s yo-uns givin’ we-uns,” drawled Calhoun. “Do yo’ take we-uns fo’ a
fule?”
A guard who stood idly by laughed long and loud. “A fine specimen of
Southern chivalry,” he chuckled.
Just then there came the sound of cheering, pistol shots, and the clatter
of horses’ hoofs, mingled with affrighted cries.
“By heavens! the town is being raided,” shouted the operator, as he sprang
to his instrument.
“Stop!” thundered Calhoun. “Touch that instrument and you are a dead man.”
The operator looked up amazed, only to find himself covered with a
revolver.
The guard at the same time was looking into the muzzle of a weapon held by
Emory.
“Drop that gun,” said Emory to the trembling man.
The gun went clanging to the floor.
“You two stand there in the corner with your hands above your heads,”
commanded Calhoun.
The operator and the guard obeyed with alacrity. “Keep them covered with
your revolver, Emory,” continued Calhoun, “while I see what I can find.
Think I will pocket these dispatches first; they may be of use.”
Just then he glanced out of the window and saw four or five soldiers
running toward the depot. There might be more following. Giving the
telegraphic instrument a kick which sent it flying, he started to leave in
a hurry. Then noticing the blanched faces of the soldiers, as they came
rushing into the depot, he called out, “No use running, Emory, we can take
the whole crowd prisoners, green as we look.”
And they did. There was no fight in the frightened men.
When the excitement was over Calhoun looked over the dispatches which he
had captured, and found that a passenger train was due from the south in
half an hour, and that it had orders to wait at Cave City for a freight
train to pass, coming from the north. This was good news, and Morgan’s men
waited, in glee, for the approaching trains.
At the appointed time the passenger train came rolling in. The reception
it received astonished every one on board. To Colonel Morgan’s great
disappointment his men captured at Lebanon were not on the train; but
there were a great many Federal soldiers, principally officers, aboard on
their way North. A few of these at first made some show of resistance; but
when they saw how hopeless their case was, they sullenly submitted to
their fate.
It was not long before the freight train came slowly puffing in. It was an
immense train of forty-five cars, heavily loaded with rations, clothing,
and munitions of war for Buell’s army. Morgan’s men freely helped
themselves from the rich stores to everything that they needed and could
carry, and then the work of destruction began.
The torch was applied, and soon the two trains were wrapped in flames. The
prisoners, who had gloomily watched the work of destruction, were now
lined up, and told that they would be released upon their giving their
parole. This they gladly consented to do.
It fell to Calhoun to take a list of their names, with rank and regiment.
“Don’t see why I should be asked to give another parole,” growled a
lieutenant. “I gave you fellows one at Pulaski, a short time since, and
was on my way home now, to stay until I am exchanged. How often do you
want to take a fellow prisoner, anyway?”
Calhoun glanced up much amused. The officer started, stared at him a
moment, and then abruptly asked, “Is your name Pennington?”
“It is, Lieutenant Pennington, if you please.”
“You and I have met before.”
“Ah! I know you now. I wish to thank you, for I am told you did not visit
your wrath on the Osbornes on account of my abrupt leave-taking.”
“No, the girl had concealed you in the house unbeknown to the old
gentleman, and as he had assured me there were no Confederates about, he
felt real cut up about it. He actually proffered me another horse in the
place of the one you took. Said I was his guest, and should not suffer.”
“Just like an old-fashioned Southern gentleman, the very personification
of honesty,” replied Calhoun. “It may interest you, Lieutenant, to know
that recovering my horse did me little good, for he went so lame I had to
leave him.”
“And took mine in his place,” spoke up a fine-looking Federal officer who
stood near, and whose name Calhoun had not yet taken.
“Captain Crawford, as I live,” exclaimed Calhoun, extending his hand.
“Captain, I want to give you my sincere thanks. That was a fine horse you
loaned me. Must have Kentucky blood in him. I am riding him yet. How about
your parole, Captain? You know you absolutely refused to give it to me.”
“I have changed my mind.”
“Ah! that is good. If you refused this time we might be obliged to take
you along with us, and that might not be agreeable to you.”
As the Captain gave his parole, he said, “This is the second time we have
met. There may be a third meeting, and it may be my time.”
“_Au revoir_,” gayly replied Calhoun.
Little did he think then of their next meeting, and what it would mean to
him.
The prisoners all being paroled, and the work of destruction complete,
Morgan’s command returned to Glasgow, loaded with booty.
The capture of the trains and the breaking of the railroad at Cave City
caused the greatest excitement throughout the Federal army. It showed the
Federal authorities how weak their line of communication was. Although so
much depended on Morgan’s capture, he was left for some days almost
unmolested. He made a demonstration toward Lebanon, captured a number of
prisoners, and then, when the combination against him grew too strong to
be resisted, he withdrew at his leisure and at length found rest for his
command at Chattanooga.