Canton and Vienna

“We passed on to the village of Canton, Ind. about three miles distant and halted on a side street. We fed our horses from a crib which the boys soon cleared on a double quick. Whenever we stop to feed, the boys all break for the corn or whatever we intend feeding on and each get as much as he can carry notwithstanding he may know at the time that his horse will not eat half of his load, but in Tennessee or Kentucky the forage is mostly issued to us and we get twelve ears of corn or two bundles of oats. Tap Carpenter got two pair of new boots and gave me one pair of No. sixes. The boys took six or seven pair of boots from a shoemaker shop and when the lady of the place found it out she took on like a lunatic, screaming and beating her head with her fists. Two stores were opened and some things were sold to us, but most of the tricks we got we did not pay for. When one got more of anything than he needed he divided it with the rest of the boys. Part of the boys eat dinner at houses in town, but I was not so fortunate. We had captured buttercrackers and cheese issued to us.

~ Curtis R. Burke, 14th Kentucky Calvary, Co. B. [i]

Union leadership continued to persist in the belief that Morgan would attack the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Furthermore, Boyle still could not get Judah to obey his orders.

“Louisville, July 10, 1863 – 8:30 p. m.

Major-General Hartsuff, Stanford:
At 5 o’clock Morgan was at Canton, 34 miles from New Albany Railroad. He will move from there to Charlestown, near Ohio River, to cross, or he may go to Vienna, on Jeffersonville railroad, and thence 35 miles to Madison Shoalwater, just below. Colonel Pennebaker telegraphs General Judah is at Litchfield, waiting orders from you. If he was at the river, where transport could be sent, or at railroad, he might be brought up in time to intercept Morgan. I gave him orders, by General Burnside’s direction, but he would not receive them. Hobson is in pursuit; where he is I do not know.

J. T. Boyle,
Brigadier-General.”[ii]

Poor Boyle! Judah continued to be his uncooperative self. Was Judah bent out of shape at receiving an order from an officer he considered his junior or was this resistance simply a reflection of his difficult alcoholic personality?

“Munfordville, July 10,1863

General Boyle, Louisville:
I sent your dispatch of yesterday to General Judah by special courier, who has not returned. Will send your dispatch, just received, by courier on every road that can be traveled between here and Litchfield and Big Spring. Will start six couriers, with orders to find him and report.

C. D. Pennebaker,
Colonel, Commanding Post.”[iii]

While the Union General squabbled, Morgan turned his columns to the east. By six o'clock, both of Morgan’s columns had reached the railroad in Vienna. The Raiders set to work burning a railroad bridge and depot, and tapping the telegraph lines.

“As soon as our horses were done eating we mounted and left on the Vienna road. Jack Curd was my partner. He was the life of the first section and in fact the whole company. I was generally sleepy and Curd would always wake me up with his nonsense. My pony proved to be too hard a rider for the service, so I gave him up and took Sergeant Tuggle’s Tennessee horse. He was thin and pretty well broken down but a good fast riding horse. Late in the evening we were riding along a high ridge road. The country in sight was hilly. As we were going down hill at the end of the ridge we could see some mounted home guards raising a dust a half mile ahead in the road on the next hill. The advance guard pitched out after them under spur and we followed at a lively gate. A little beyond the top of the hill we captured a spring wagon and a fine pair of horses. A little farther on a dead home guard lay in a fence corner. The advance guard had charged into a home guard company here and scattered them. We rode a few miles farther picking up some men with axes going to appointed places to blockade the road to stop our onward progress. They were sent to the rear to be paroled. Then the regiment halted and my company was ordered to take Vienna, Ind. where we were expected to capture a train of cars. It was five miles to Vienna. We started off at a gallop. At every half mile or less we met from two to ten men with axes. We did not stop but sent them to the rear. We captured two more wagons. Our speed enabled us to take everybody by surprise. The people did not know we were in the neighborhood till they saw us. We charged into Vienna. The citizens and a lot of the ax squad were completely surprised and made no resistance. All of the roads were immediately picketed and the stables searched before more than a dozen companies had come up. A large Yankee flag hung over the street. We soon tore it down. We went around inquiring for arms and ammunition. Several of us got into a little grocery, but took nothing. I and Ed Lonney came across two home guard horses saddled, bridled, and hitched to the fence. We tried them and found them unfit for the service, so we left them hitched. I hitched my horse and went to the nearest house to get something to eat. I knocked at the door and found the lady and children crying. They said that we would burn the house. Of course, I went to work contradicting the opinion of our men. I told them that the prisoners we had in town would be immediately paroled and set at liberty. I had cause to suspicion that the head of the family was among the prisoners. They set out a couple of crocks of milk, some bread, butter, and preserves. I eat a hearty supper and left the family in amore tranquil state of mind. It was dusk by this time. I rode down to the railroad and found my company dismounted and deployed along the railroad expecting a train of cars. Myself, William Sloan and three others was detailed to tear up the railroad track a mile from town. We dismounted and gave our horses in charge of the horseholders. Then got a couple of crow bars and set out on foot across the rail road bridge down the railroad. The bushes on both sides was high and thick, just the place for bushwhackers. We went about half a mile and went to work, keeping our guns within arms reach. We took up two rails, one on each side, in two places, then laid them down putting the ends against the track in the direction that the train was expected and the other ends about eight inches off, throwing the rails away to prevent the break from being detected by the engineer. The track was perfectly straight for a mile and the smallest objects could be plainly seen by any light strong as those carried on the front of locomotives for a long distance. We worked hard, expecting the train every minute. One of the rails fell on my foot in bursting them up which did not feel very pleasant. We started back and saw a fire on the railroad at the crossing of the town. At first we did not know what to make of it. We knew that the train would not come into our trap when they saw the fire, but on approaching nearer we saw that our boys were burning the bridge. The hour for the train was passed and it had been given out. They had taken alarm and stopped. We mounted our horses then fell in line. The command had just caught up. We moved off and as we went through town I fell out and took one of the home guard horses that I had tired that evening, and mounted him intending to lead my tired horse till we camped for the night, then give it to some dismounted man. It moved so slow and led so bad that I soon found I was getting behind in spite of my vigorous spurring and whipping. I got mixed up with one of the regiments. I then rode out to one side and mounted my old horse again and lead the other, but the change did not facilitate my progress much as if would not lead well. It came near pulling me off my horse several times, but I determined to hold to it."

~ Curtis R. Burke, 14th Kentucky Calvary, Co. B. [iv]

“Lighting” Ellsworth was set to work tapping the telegraph lines for information regarding the Union movements.

“At Vienna the railroad station and the telegraph operator were captured before the operator could give the alarm. General Morgan put one of his own men, Lieutenant Ellsworth who knew how to operate the telegraph, in charge of the office. He listened on the wires until he had learned all the news to be obtained from Louisville and Indianapolis, including the fact that orders had been issued to the Militia to fell timber and blockade the principal roads which the invaders would be likely to travel to the East. According to Duke "our rapid marching had, hitherto, saved us this annoyance." They also learned in this manner that the Union forces under Hobson had crossed the Ohio River and were only a few miles behind them.They learned that the state was virtually swarming with soldiers and that every train entering Indiana was bringing additional forces. The Raiders did all they possibly could to hamper the pursuit of the Union Cavalry, such as burning all the bridges. Their system of horse stealing was almost perfect. They would dispatch men from the head of each brigade to go five miles into the country on each side of the road. They would then seize every available horse and fall in at the rear of the column. In this way the Confederates swept the countryside of all horses for ten miles, leaving their own worn-out animals for the use of the Union forces.

According to Goodrich in his Illustrated History of Indiana (1875), a Scott County farmer ruefully said, "Many are the farmers through this county who have bewailed the day when they 'swapped' their fine, fat, sleek horses for the worn-out, sore-backed jades of the Rebels!" The fine blooded Kentucky horses, however, which were left behind in Indiana, though worn-out, were of such good stock that the breed of Indiana horses was greatly improved.At both Henryville and Vienna the railroad depots were burned, the tracks torn up and the telegraph wires cut. At Vienna they also burnt the water station, the turntable and a railroad bridge which spanned Pigeon Roost Creek. All of these structures were built of wood, as was the custom then. In Vienna they also robbed the stores and private houses.”[v]

Through a defector, the Union was given a glimpse into Morgan’s mind. Yet, they failed to believe the information and continued a hurried effort to prevent Morgan from crossing the Ohio River near Madison.

“Indianapolis, July 10, 1863 – 1 p.m.

Major-General Burnside:
The following dispatches just received:
First Dispatch
Have just examined a reliable employee of the Jeffersonville Railroad, who left Vienna at 6 o’clock this morning. He says it was agreed in Vienna that Morgan himself with 11,000 men and from six to twelve pieces of artillery, passed through Vienna, toward Lexington, this morning. From this I judge Morgan’s whole force (say 4,000) are trying to cross the river.
Second Dispatch
A prisoner from Duke’s regiment left Morgan at Vienna this morning; deserted. He says the rebels were in great haste, and says all he could gather of the intention of the raid it was to pass through Indiana and Ohio and join Lee in the East; that the programme was carried out up to his leaving. I have no doubt they are hurrying to cross the river.

John Love,
Brigadier-General
O. B. Willcox,
Brigadier-General”[vi]

“Memphis, Ind., July 11, 1863.

General Boyle, Louisville, KY:
Send all the cavalry force and artillery you can to Vienna this evening. General Hobson is in the advance.

J. M. Shackleford.”[vii]

ENDNOTES
[i] Journal of Curtis R. Burke.
[ii] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,” Part I –Reports, p.719
[iii] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,” Part I –Reports, p.719
[iv] Journal of Curtis R. Burke.
[v] Wilson, Mary and Asher, Sharon Y. “ Lexington” Morgan’s Raid http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/7705/MorgansRaid.htm
[vi] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,” Part I –Reports, p.722.
[vii] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,” Part I –Reports, p.725

From Bardstown to Brandenburg

At 10:00 a. m., Morgan’s main column left Bardstown following the Shepherdsville Road and passing through Lebanon Junction.

Departing Bardstown, Morgan had first directed the column west. He then turned his column northward, feinting an attack on Louisville. Morgan had planed to attack the Salt River stockade but when the Raiders arrived, they found it abandoned. After crossing the Salt River Bridge, Morgan halted and granted his men a rest of a little more than two hours.

Meanwhile, Union Generals Hobson and Shackelford arrived in Lebanon with their forces.

“Headquarters
Louisville, July 7, 1863 – 3:40 p. m.

Major- General Burnside:
Operator at Lebanon Junction telegraphs me as follows:
The repair man on the railroad told me that Morgan was encamped 2 ½ miles from Long Lick last night, and up to about 9 o’clock this morning. Small gangs were scouting the country and stealing horses. Morgan had a force of between 3,000 and 4, 000 cavalry and three brass pieces of artillery. A late arrival says that some of Morgan’s men were seen this p. m. at Rolling Fork, about 2 ½ miles south, at Lacefield Still-house, drinking whiskey and stealing horses. Our informant thinks there is about 80 of them.

Operator.

I believe Morgan will go out by Elizabethtown, but will destroy all bridges first. The infamous domestic rebels, I fear, mislead Hobson as to course Morgan takes, and that he will miss him. My operator detected Morgan’s operator. He is still on line, taking off communications.

J. T. Boyle,
Brigadier-General”[i]

As Morgan’s main column reached Bardstown Junction, George A. “Lighting” Ellsworth, Morgan’s infamous telegrapher, calmly walked into the telegraph office disguised in a Union telegrapher’s uniform. With dusk falling outside the office door, James Forker, an actual Union Telegraph operator, found himself staring down the barrel of Ellsworth’s pistol.

“Hello sonny. Move one inch except as I tell you, and you’ll be buried in that fancy rig.”

~ George Ellsworth to James Forker[ii]

For several minutes Ellsworth listened to messages gaining information for General Morgan. Finally, when the superintendent in Louisville inquired if a passenger train from Nashville had past on it way north to Louisville, Ellsworth ordered Forker to say yes.

“Morgan's tactics were to stop the train and put the locomotive out of commission. Then they would set fire to the freight cars and; if near a water house, destroy it too. The rails did not fare any better either. Dismantling several of them, the men would proceed to twist them around a tree in what became known as Morgan's neckties.”[iii]

Morgan’s Raiders set fire to a trestle and surrounded the train. After a brief skirmish in which one Union soldier aboard the train was killed, the remaining soldiers, along with 30 passengers were ordered off the train and lined up along the track. Raiders took their boots, hats, money, and jewelry and then took the money in the train’s safe. Finally, they opened all the mail bags carried on the train searching for cash. Some of the Raiders opened and burned letters immediately. Others, like Cutis Burke, were too excited to stop and stuffed handfuls of letters into their shirts. These letters were opened when the Raiders stopped for the night.

The frightened women passengers begged John Hunt Morgan to allow the train to return southward to Elizabethtown. Morgan agreed and the women later praised him as a gentleman.[iv]

“Louisville, July 7, 1863 – 3:50.

General Burnside:
Morgan captured the train this side of Lebanon Junction. He robbed all the passengers, including 25 Jews. He placed all passengers in front car and his soldiers in hind cars, and started down the road for Elizabeth town. The wires are up, but Morgan’s operator is on the road. He decoyed train by dispatches to superintendent, and when it came up captured it. Several officers were captured on train.

J. T. Boyle,
Brigadier-General”[v]

At Shepardsville, Morgan again turned west and stopped in the area that is now Otter Creek State Park.

“Weather clear. I opened all my letters by sun up and had been very successful having sixty six dollars and seventy five cents in all in greenbacks which I stuffed in my pocketbook with eighty dollars in Confederate money. I found about a dozen different pictures of Yankee officers and soldiers in the letters and kept them, also I did not read a single letter. A good many of the boys had found something, most of them less and some of them more than I did. We fed our horses from the crib [corn storage building] and saddled up and moved off in the direction of Brandenburg.”

~ Curtis R. Burke, 14th Kentucky Calvary, Co. B[vi]

As Morgan’s main column bivouacked near Garrettsville, the advanced scouts, a few miles ahead, captured two steam boats near Brandenburg.

“We heard that our scouts had captured two steamboats on the Ohio river at Brandenburg. At dusk we halted and dismounted to rest. I learned that we were in sight of the Ohio River. A good many of us hitched our horses and laid down by them in the fence corners. I was very sleepy and took a short nap. I woke up and found that all of the boys expect horse holders had marched down into the town of Brandenburg to skirmish with some home guards across the river. They had overlooked me in waking the boys up. They all soon came back without any fighting and we mounted and went into camp in a lot near by. A detail was sent out to get something for us to eat. A corn detail brought in a little corn and I got a few ears for my horse. We made no camp fires for fear of drawing the attention of the yanks. I made my bed down in a fence corner and was soon asleep. The night air was chilly.”

~ Curtis R. Burke, 14th Kentucky Calvary, Co. B[vii]

Morgan designated the third man in each group of four as “the Horse Holder.” Horse Holders each took four horses behind the battle for safe keeping as the other three men dismounted and fought. Cavalry tactics were changing. Guns and cannons were now favored over sabers. It was much easier to shoot on foot rather than in the saddle. Thus horses had primarily become instruments of swift travel from one battle field to the next.

Raiders were desperate for strong, fast horses that showed enough native intelligence to fall in with the column. Speed was of the essence and Morgan was setting an incredibly rapid pace. Obtaining a horse capable of maintaining that pace was a constant challenge.

“About ten o’clock I went out with our horse detail in hopes of getting a fresh horse as my old C. S. horse began to show signs of giving out. We went about five miles crossing the Louisville pike and stopping at every stable, but with little success. We turned back. I and one of the men rode up to a house and asked where their horses were, they said that they had nothing but colts and old mares in the field. This did not satisfy us so I went to the stable and examined it, but found nothing in it. We asked if they had anything cold to eat in the house, they said yes, and invited us in. We went in and eat a piece of meat and bread, drank a glass or two of milk then caught up with our party of eight or ten. We all stopped at a spring house [underground stone building cooled by a spring and used as cold storage] and got as much milk as we could drink. We had four or five horses but none that I would swap my tired C. S. Tennessee horse for. We soon fell in with the command. I took one of the fresh horses to the lead. We got separated in our attempts to push ahead of our regiment. The road was very dusty. I succeeded in passing several regiments when I found myself in a little town called Meadville. The rear guard of the next regiment did not want to let me pass so I had to flank them and go ahead. Just after leaving town I received the benefit of a hard shower of rain. I came up with the General and staff. Not wishing to crowd past I rode leisurely along and soon came up with my regiment dismounted to rest in the woods. I had hardly dismounted and tied my horses when the regiment moved forward again. I led the horse awhile and gave it to Henry [Harrison] White who gave his tired horse to Robert Reeves Negro boy to ride.”

~ Curtis R. Burke, 14th Kentucky Calvary, Co. B [viii]

That evening Union General Hobson arrived in Bardstown Junction. When he sent his men out to look for food and provision, they discovered that the Raiders had taken all supplies in the area. Hobson was forced to request that a train loaded with food and supplies be sent from Louisville. John Hunt Morgan’s tactics had purchased the Raiders valuable time.

“Shepherdsville, KY., July 7, 1863 – 5:45 p. m.

Colonel Drake:
My command, eight regiments of cavalry and mounted infantry, numbering 2,500, are at Bardstown Junction, Louisville and Nashville road. I am in pursuit of Morgan, who will either move toward Brandenburg or Elizabethtown. My advance are picking up his stragglers. I will do my best to engage him. He is hard pressed. He has been damaged more this trip than either of his former raids. He lost 10 to 15 of his officers and a number of men in the fights at Marrowbone, Green River Bridge, and Lebanon. I am here for rations; cannot find any. My men are considerably exhausted, but in fine spirits. I am moving without wagons. Railroad all safe; but one small bridge burned; can be repaired in two days. I will remain at this place half hour. Have you instructions?

E. [H.] Hobson,
Brigadier-General

Lines all down between this point and Louisville. We received Hobson’s message via Indianapolis and Cincinnati, which caused its delay so much.

LEHR,
[Operator.]”[ix]

While waiting for the train to arrive, Hobson wired Brigadier-General Jeremiah T. Boyle, and informed him that Morgan was moving north toward the Ohio River. Hobson wisely suggested that a gunboat be at the ready to prevent the Raiders from crossing the River.[x]

“Morgan and Duke were exceedingly fertile in producing false impressions regarding their movements, but our pursuing force ignored all the alluring temptations thrown out by these skilled and artful raiders, and we stuck close behind them on their broad trail day and night.”

~ Captain Theodore F. Allen, Seventh Ohio Cavalry [xi]

Hoping to confuse the Union Generals on his trail, Morgan created a diversion by sending Captain William J. Davis and 130 men north to Falls City[xii] to further the hoax, Morgan ordered Davis cut telegraph wires and burn railroad bridges as he went along. These men reached the Ohio in the area of Twelve Mile Island. They then stole boats and rejoined the rest of the Raiders at Salem, Indiana.

“Cavalry Crossing a Ford”
Walt Whitman

A Line in long array, where they wind betwixt green islands;
They take a serpentine course – their arms flash in the sun – Hark to the musical clank;
Behold the silvery river – in it the splashing horses, loitering, stop to drink;
Behold the brown-faced men – each group, each person, a picture – the negligent rest on the saddles;
Some emerge on the opposite bank – others are just entering the ford – while,
Scarlet, and blue, and snowy white,
The guidon flags flutter gaily in the wind.

On the evening of July 7th, Morgan ordered his men to strike camp and prepare for a night march into Brandenburg.

General Hobson’s pursuing troops were a distant fifty miles behind Morgan’s main column.

ENDNOTES

[i] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies Part –I, Reports” p. 702
[ii] Brown, Dee Alexander. “Morgan’s Raiders” 1959 pages 185-186.
[iii] Thomas, Edison H. "John Hunt Morgan and His Raiders" chapter 5, 46-54.
[iv] Ramage, James A. “Rebel Raider” p. 166.
[v] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies Part –I, Reports” p. 702.
[vi] Journal of Curtis R. Burke.
[vii] Journal of Curtis R. Burke.
[viii] Journal of Curtis R. Burke.
[ix] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies Part –I, Reports” p. 703.
[x] “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies Part –I, Reports” p. 659.
[xi] Allen, Theodore F. “In Pursuit of John Morgan,” Sketches of War History 1861-1865, Papers prepared for the Commandery of the Sate of Ohio, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States 1896 -1903, p.226.
[xii] Duke, Basil W. “ History of Morgan’s Cavalry,” 1865, p. 428