Morgan's Raid

Morgan

On June 11th, 1863 famed Confederate cavalry commander John Hunt Morgan set off on one of his famous raids. With 2,460 picked cavalry and 4 cannon he rode north to try to distract the Federals from the Confederate armies. Riding through Tennessee, disrupting Rosecrans's communication lines, the rebels cross the Cumberland River and entered Kentucky on June 23rd. On July 4th he encountered five companies of Union infantry blocking his crossing of the Green River. In the Battle of Tebbs Bend he tried to overcome this small force for three hours, but the Federals were able to hold firm and beat back eight charges Finally Morgan acknowledged his defeat and kept riding, looking for another route.

Tebbs Bend Battlefield

The next day he surprised the Union garrison of Lebanon. A large part of the Federal forces were chased into the railroad depot where they were able to put up a good defense. Morgan had the building lit on fire, and with a final push was able to capture the building, though his brother, Lieutenant Thomas Morgan, fell in the charge.

Bragg had given Morgan permission to go wherever he wished as long has he did not cross the Ohio River, but Morgan however had no intention to obey these orders. He thought that the Federals would not be really concerned about the raid unless it struck their homeland. On July 8th he captured two steamboats and used them to cross the river into Indiana. The Union district commander, Ambrose Burnsides, send whatever troops he could to meet the rebel invaders, but Morgan brushed away his pursuers. Whenever he encountered telegraph lines he would have his telegrapher, George “Lightning” Ellsworth tap into the line and send disinformation out to the Union forces, highly exaggerating the number of the Confederate cavalry.

Riding east, Morgan's men entered Ohio on July 13th. Although he had not been caught, his raid began to fall apart. He had suffered 500 casualties and men and horses were falling by the wayside broken down in exhaustion. They headed for the Ohio river, where they planned to cross into West Virginia. He encountered militia at Buffington Island, and decided to attack the next morning. But by that time the Union forces had begun to close on the tired raiders. The Confederates now also had to face two brigades of Union troops and a fleet of gunboats. Morgan, soon realizing that the way was blocked, tried to leave a rearguard to hold of the numerous Federals and find another ford. But Union columns split up his force, and 750 Confederates were captured, Morgan escaping with only about 700.

His escape across the river cut off, so he headed north. The Ohio River was higher than normal and with the Federal cavalry close behind he could not find a place to cross the river. At one point his men began to cross, but midway through the Union gunboats and cavalry arrived. Morgan decided to remain with the half still on the Ohio side of the river while the rest made it to safety. He was finally caught near the West Virginia Pan Handle 150 years ago today with less than 400 men left. Realizing they were surrounded, the rebels tried to cut their way out. In 1 ½ hours the Confederate force was shattered, with only Morgan and a few men making it through the Federal lines. But even they wouldn't remain free for long. Knowing it was hopeless to try to head south, and seeing Union forces hot on his trail Morgan surrendered to one of his prisoners, an Ohio militia captain, who then immediately paroled his former captor. But when the Union cavalry arrived, they forced him to surrender again and refused to give him a parole.

His men had ridden 1000 miles, and achieved the furthest north reached by a Confederate force during the war. Because of incorrect rumors of what had been done to similar Northern prisoners, Morgan and his officers were sent to a prison instead of a POW camp. They were not given parole, were forced to wear convict clothes and had their hair and beards shaved. A few months later, Morgan would escape with six of his men and return to the Confederacy humiliated, having lost some of the South's best cavalry.

Morgan captures Lexington, Kentucky

John Hunt Morgan

 Although the Battle of Perryville was a tactical victory for the Confederates, Gen. Braxton Bragg refused to follow up on it. Ignoring the protests of subordinates like Kirby Smith, he ordered the army to fall back to Tennessee through Cumberland Gap. Confederate cavalry under John Hunt Morgan fought hard to cover his retreat and gain whatever success they could.

On the morning of October 18th, 150 years ago today, Morgan got word that there were Federals camped around Ashland, the estate of the great politician Henry Clay. He was able to completely surprise the Federals, 300 men of the 3rd and 4th Ohio, catching them asleep with his 1,800 men. The battle was over within 15 minutes, with four Union troops killed, 24 wounded and 290 captured. The Confederate success was complete, suffering few casualties themselves.

The Battle of Perryville

Buell

The Union troops opposing the Bragg and Kirby-Smith's invasion of Kentucky were the Army of the Ohio under Don Carlos Buell. His first response had been to fall back quickly in face of the Confederate advance. The government in Washington was not satisfied with this, and orders were sent removing him from command and replacing him with George Thomas. However, the civilian authorities would not stand for this. They saw Buell as the savior of Ohio, as the Confederates had not left Kentucky, and would not stand to see him fired. This, added to the fact that Thomas did not want the post, allowed Buell to keep his position, although it was clear that if he did not move quickly, he would soon loose his army.

Buell left Louisville on October 1st. He had 75,000 freshly reorganized men, significantly more than Smith and Bragg combined. He organized his 10 divisions into three corps, the first under Alexander McCook, a seasoned army officer, the second under Thomas Crittenden, whose brother was a general on the Confederate side, and the third under Charles Gilbert. Gilbert's promotion was very bizarre. Just days before he had been only a captain. But one of Buell's subordinates was badly wounded during the Battle of Richmond and a replacement was needed. Several generals refused the position, so Buell decided to promote Gilbert to a Major General over the heads of many others because he had some experience. His promotion was later denied by Congress. Buell's forces marched in three columns so as to confuse Bragg of their true purpose. The federals came in contact with Bragg at 1 PM on October 4th, the noise of cannon interrupting the inauguration ceremony of Richard Hawes as Confederate governor of Kentucky.

Bragg

Bragg decided to concentrate his forces at Perryville and fight Buell. Buell arrived at Perryville with the head of his column on October 7th, but neither army was present on the field in its entirety. Bragg ordered his troops to march on Perryville and attack the next day, October 8th, hoping to strike the confederates before they could bring up their entire army. However, further developments caused him to push that date out to October 9th. He ordered his corps commanders to avoid a general engagement and retired to his headquarters, unable to oversee the positioning of his army due to a fall from his horse.

The Battle of Perryville began on the morning of October 8th as Yankee troops pressed towards the Confederates under Hardee. The battle began over water. At the time there was a drought in Kentucky, and the Union soldiers were very thirsty. The Confederates were driven from the water, and Buell positioned his forces in preparation to attack Hardee the next day. Bragg arrived at Perryville and, conferring with Hardee, decided to attack on the Union left.

The greybacks moved forward at 1 pm, undetected by the Federals. Advancing, they hit McCook's Federals as they were deploying, having just arrived on the field. Letting out their rebel yell, the Confederates quickly crushed the first brigade of green troops, its commander falling dead, and continued to press on, assaulting the next units they encountered. The Confederate artillery pounded the fleeing Yankees, and McCook soon found both of his divisions in full flight. McCook requested that Gilbert, to his right, send him reinforcements. The Confederates facing Gilbert were very weak, but the inexperienced commander had not been able to discover that, and he refused aid. The Confederates on the southern portion of the field kept his 20,000 men occupied with just more than a tenth of that number. Buell was of no help, for through a strange trick of the terrain the noise of the battle did not reach his headquarters, even though they were close by.

Having attained much success, the rebel attack became disorganized in their rapid advance as they began taking fire from the Union artillery. The fighting became confused, and many instances of friendly fire and confused identity occured. Confederate General Polk captured a Union brigadier who thought Polk was his commander, and Polk was later almost captured himself when he mistook a Federal brigade for his own.

The battle was very trying for the troops. Sam Watkins, private from the 1st Tennessee remembered his experiences in his famous book Co. Aytch:

We did not recoil, but our line was fairly hurled back by the leaden hail that was poured into our very faces.  Eight color-bearers were killed at one discharge of their cannon.  We were right up among the very wheels of their Napoleon guns.  It was death to retreat now to either side.  Our Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson halloed to charge and take their guns, and we were soon in a hand-to-hand fight – every man for himself – using the butts of our guns and bayonets ... Such obstinate fighting I never had seen before or since.  The guns were discharged so rapidly that it seemed the earth itself was in a volcanic uproar.  The iron storm passed through our ranks, mangling and tearing men to pieces.  The very air seemed full of stifling smoke and fire which seemed the very pit of hell, people by contending demons…

The day finally drew to the close, with the Federals driven back, but not whipped. Buell had allowed himself to be mauled by a force one third of his size. 4200 Federals and 3400 Confederates fell in this battle. Bragg had done well in the conduct of the battle itself, but he did not want to press the fight. He pulled his men out after midnight to link up with Kirby Smith.

Smith urged Bragg to attack Buell, and Bragg agreed to do it. However, the prospective attack never came to be. Braxton Bragg changed his mind and decided to withdrawl instead. He explained his position by saying:

With the whole southwest... in the enemy's possession, my crime would have been unpardonable had I kept my noble little army to be ice-bound in a northern clime, without tents or shoes and obliged to forage daily for bread.

It was here that Bragg made his fundamental mistake of the campaign. He had done well in his advance, making his way all the way through Kentucky. He had crushed one wing of Buell's army with a much smaller force. But when the critical time came he would not risk another battle. He withdrew instead, bringing with him the huge number of supplies he had captured. While it was a very successful raid, it was a failure as a campaign. He said:

Though compelled to yield to largely superior numbers and fortuitous circumstances, a portion of the valuable territory from which we had driven the enemy, the fruits of the campaign were very large and have had a most important bearing upon our subsequent military operations here and elsewhere.

With the campaign over, both generals were reprimanded by their superiors. Bragg was called to Richmond by Davis, who although he had received letters from his subordinates asking that he be removed from command, allowed Bragg to keep his army. Buell on the other hand was removed from command and replaced by Major General William Rosecrans.

Fall of Munfordville

The Confederates in Kentucky, having begun a siege of Munfordville, again requested the Federals surrender. Union commander Colonel John T. Wilder did not now what to do. With three regiments he was facing an entire Confederate army. So he did something that might seem strange today, but he asked Confederate Major General Simon B. Buckner for advice. Buckner said that he could not advise him what to do, but he could show him around the Confederate works. This did the trick. Wilder, after viewing Confederate attack preparation, had no doubt that an attack would mean certain defeat for him, so he surrendered his garrison of over 4,000 men 150 years ago today.

Buckner

Siege of Munfordville

Wilder

150 years ago today the Confederate armies of Bragg and Smith were embarking on an invasion of Kentucky, pursued by Don Carlos Buell's Union army. Today Bragg turned his forces toward Munford, a station of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad where the railroad crossed the Green River. He decided to attack this station, which was held by Union troops, because of an injudicious move by one his his subordinates, who had moved without authorization on the heavily fortified Union stronghold. He had asked Colonel J. T. Wilder of Indiana, who was commanding the fort to surrender. Wilder refused, and beat back a Confederate attack with heavy losses. To avoid discouraging his men with what looked like a defeat Bragg delayed the strategic course of the invasion to attack Munfordville with his whole army. Wilder again refused the demand of surrender, and Bragg, after again failing to capture the city with a direct attack, began a regular siege.

Battle of Richmond

Kirby Smith

On the same day Lee was fighting with Pope on the fields of Manassas, the Confederates invading Kentucky were fighting as well. Kirby Smith, who had set out ahead of another army under Braxton Bragg, encountered a Federal force near Richmond, Kentucky, on August 29th. Cavalry skirmishing throughout the morning was ended when Federal infantry and artillery arrived and pushed back the rebel troopers. The next morning, August 30th, Kirby Smith ordered his vanguard, under Patrick Cleburne, to attack. An artillery duel began at 7:00 am, and after forming up his troops, Cleburne sent them against the Union left. The Federal commander, Mahlon D. Manson, thought his left was weak so he reinforced it from his right. However, the Confederate division of Thomas Churchill was moving towards the Union right, hidden in a ravine. When they charged, the green Union troops were not able to stand up to the rebels. The right was collapsing from Churchill's attack, the left soon fell back under Confederate pressure, although Cleburne himself had been wounded in the jaw and had to retire from the field.

Manson

Although the withdrawal was in bad order, Manson was able to rally his men around 11 am. However, Kirby Smith ordered Churchill to attack on the right and he was successful again, in thirty minutes shattering Manson's new line and sending the Yankees retreating back to the town of Richmond.

Nelson

The chief Federal commander, William “Bull” Nelson, arrived on the field and put whatever troops he could in a cemetery just outside of Richmond. Smith again attacked the right flank and collapsed the Union line, driving the defeated Federals through the streets of Richmond. Kirby Smith had sent the cavalry under Colonel John Scott to cut the Federal retreat, and these troops now struck them on the march just after dark, two miles north of Richmond. The tired Federals, thrice defeated, were no match for the southern horsemen. They were captured in droves, and few Federals made their escape.

Cleburne

Of about 7,000 Yankees engaged, 200 were killed, 850 wounded and the rest were captured, except for 500 men, including Nelson, who were able to make their escape. The Confederates lost 80 killed, 370 wounded and only 1 missing. This was the most complete battlefield victory achieved during the war. Throughout the war the goal was always not only to defeat and drive back the enemy, but to capture so many men that the opposing army would cease to exist, as Hannibal had famously achieved at Cannae. This was the closest any commander came to achieving that Cannae. The Federal force ceased to exist, and the way to invasion was opened.

Bragg Moves North

Bragg

The Confederate commanders in Tennessee were Generals Braxton Bragg, and Kirby Smith, each commanding an army. Together, they planned to strike north into Tennessee and Kentucky. They hoped to distract Grant and Buell from moving on Vicksburg by striking north. They were also hoping based that they would be able to pick up many new volunteers for the army from southern sympathizers in Kentucky and Tennessee. But first the armies had to be prepared. Bragg worked in infuse discipline into his men to prepare them for coming battles. Bragg was famous for his short temper. He quarreled very easily. The soldiers told a story of when he was in the United States army as a Lieutenant commanding a company. He was also serving as quartermaster at the post where he was stationed. His company needed supplies, but as quartermaster he knew he could not get them. So he submitted a request as company commander for the supplies, and as quartermaster, he refused to give them. He then referred the matter to his superior. After looking at the notes, the commander said "Mr Bragg, you have quarreled with every officer in the army, and now you are quarreling with yourself!"

Kirby Smith

Before Bragg could move move North, he first had to reach Chattanooga Tennessee. Buell's army was on its way as well, and they had a six week head start. But Bragg had a plan to out wit him. He had been working on repairing the railroad to Mobile, Alabama, and from Mobile to Chattanooga. It was much longer, but it was also much faster. Like Johnston had done at the Battle of Bull Run, Bragg hoped to use the technology of the railroad to make a movement that otherwise would have taken weeks. His men boarded the cars beginning on July 23rd, and withing a week they arrived in Chattanooga, just ahead of the federals. He met with Kirby Smith, who as the Confederate commander in East Tennessee, he would cooperate with in his planned invasion. Together they had 52,000 men, much less that the federal forces. So they intended to follow the example of Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley and destroy the federal armies one by one, moving quickly to avoid being outnumbered.

Bombardment of Island No. 10

The Confederate position at Island No. 10 was critical to their defense of the Mississippi River. The town of New Madrid was at an S curve in the river on the Kentucky, Tennessee border. Three forts at the town covered one bend, while Island No. 10 covered the other. P. G. T. Beauregard wrote, "The fall of Columbus and of Island No. 10, must necessarily be followed immediately by the loss of the whole Mississippi Valley to the mouth of the Mississippi River." After the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson the attention of the North turned to Island Number 10. An army under John Pope laid siege to New Madrid, and captured the place after one day of bombardment.

The naval flotilla under Foote attempted to reduce the batteries on Island Number 10 with a bombardment starting 150 years ago today, March 17th, 1862. He had seven gunboats and and 11 mortar boats, carrying one 13 inch mortar each. High hopes were placed in these boats, but they were failures. Their long range fire inflicted no casualties and caused no damage to the fort. Foote declared that he would not risk running the powerful batteries of the fort, as he was convinced they would blow his ships to shreds. Another way would have to be found to bypass Island Number 10.

Grant Leaves for Fort Henry

In early 1862, the Confederate position through Kentucky and beyond centered on two forts, Forts Henry and Donelson. They were a few miles apart just over the border in Tennesse and were to defend the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. If the Northern forces held these positions, they could use the rivers to invade deep into Confederate territory. The Southern commander of these important positions was Brigader General Tilghman, who had 4,000 men.

The Union command was disorganized, with Buell over the Department of the Ohio and Halleck over the Department of Missouri vying for the attention of their superiors. General Ulysses S. Grant, Halleck's subordinate, proposed a plan to capture Fort Henry. Halleck approved it, since it would be in accordance with Lincoln's order a few days before, and he hoped it would gain him the aprobation of Lincoln.

Just three days after having his plan approved, Grant departed from Cairo, Illinois. His 15,000 – 17,000 men embarked on ships, which would take them within a few miles of the Fort. He was accompained by Flag Officer Andrew Foote with four new ironclads and three wooden gunboats.

Battle of Logan's Crossroads

The overall Confederate commander in the West was General Albert Sidney Johnston. His troops were placed along a wide defensive line, and they were not strong at any point. The commander in East Kentucky was General George Crittenden with 4,000 men. Union General George Thomas, a Virginian who had remained with the Union, was sent with almost 6000 men to drive Crittenden across the Cumberland River. One of Crittenden's subordinates, Brigadier General Zollicoffer had placed his troops on the northern bank of the river to be closer to the Federals, even though the southern bank was a much better defensive position. Crittenden decided to launch a night attack against the advancing Thomas to enable him to pull back to safety.

First phase of the battle

When they reached the Union forces at dawn on January 19th, the Confederates were cold, tired, and way behind schedule. Many carried flintlocks, which were useless because of the rain. However, they launched a heavy attack and at first drove back the Union forces. General Zollicoffer was killed by the Union troops when he got confused in the fighting and thought they were his men. Crittenden was able to rally his men and lead them forward, but they were struck on the left flank by arriving Union forces. The Southerners were driven into a rout, and they lost 12 cannon, 150 wagons and 1000 animals. Lt. Col. Kise of the 10th Indiana wrote this in his report:

The whole regiment, from right to left, was now warmly engaged, and slowly but surely driving the enemy before them, when I ordered a “charge bayonet,” which was promptly executed along the whole line. We soon drove the enemy from his place of concealment in the woods into an open field 200 yards from where I ordered the charge. When we arrived at the fence in our front many of the enemy were fo und lingering in the corners, and were bayoneted by my men between the rails. I pressed onward, and soon beheld with satisfaction that the enemy were moving in retreat across the field, but I suddenly saw them halt in the southeast corner of the field on a piece of high ground, where they received considerable re-enforcements and made a last and desperate effort to repulse our troops. In the mean time the gallant Colonel McCook, with his invincible Ninth Ohio Regiment, came in to our support, and for twenty or thirty minutes a terrific struggle ensued between the two opposing forces. I never in all my military career saw a harder fight. Finally the enemy began to waver and give back before the shower of lead and glittering steel brought to bear on his shattered ranks, and he commenced a precipitate retreat under a storm of bullets from our advancing forces until his retreat became a perfect rout.

Although this was the second largest battle in Kentucky during the war, the casualties were pretty light. The North lost 40 killed and 200 wounded, the South 125 killed and 400 wounded. Crittenden was removed from command on charges of drunkenness. This was a common accusation for unsuccessful generals during the Civil War, and we will certainly hear of it again.

Second phase of the battle

Kentucky's Neutrality Violated

When the crisis over secession had occurred earlier in 1861, Kentucky could not make a choice. It was a border state, and their sympathies were divided between North and South. So they issued a Declaration of Neutrality, declaring that they would remain aloof from the Civil War which was occurring. This neutrality was preserved for several months, but it came to an end 150 years ago today. The Confederate General Polk ordered troops to occupy Columbus, on the Mississippi River. Union gun boats were gathering in the area, and he gave as reason for the movement the fact that the town needed to be defended. In response to this movement the Union commanders ordered General Grant to occupy Paducah. The Civil War in Kentucky had officially begun.