John Hunt Morgan (1825 - 1864)

My son and daughter in-law have been a part of a historical organization that has researched the area in Ohio, where the Morgan's Raiders battle occured, actually pinning down the exact area. This had been in question for some years.

They and others do metal detecting and have donated many historically significant items to museums and historical societies.

“The Times”, (Munster, Indiana), 31 Oct 1982, page 3

In August 1862, he (Joseph Thatcher Torrence) enlisted in the 105th Ohio Infantry, and was quickly made a non-com. In his first major battle (Perryville) one of the bloodiest of the Civil War he fought gallantly and was wounded not once but four times, so severely he was knocked out of the war and given an army pension.

While recuperating, this natural born hero who became the Gallahad or possibly the Lancelot of the Calumet Region, arose from his sick bed to pursue another adventure, one that involved the colorful Confederate raider, John Hunt Morgan.

Morgan had a genuine talent for hit-and-run guerrilla warfare, and was then conducting a series of imaginative raids, harassing and confounding Union forces.

Moving with uncanny quickness and traveling with his own telegraph operator Morgan not only kept himself informed of Union plans but misled the Blue Jackets regarding his own position. As a result, Union troops often found bridges they expected to cross burned, critical supply trains captured, and railroad tracks demolished.

Finally, Morgan attempted his most audacious excursion of all an extended raid through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.

Panic broke out everywhere along the Ohio River, and finally Indiana and Ohio turned out thousands of volunteers to chase the fox Morgan, and eliminate him from the neighborhood. That was enough for Torrence. Crippled or not, he saw his duty and was bound to do it. Dragging himself out of his recovery bed, and gritting through the pain, Torrence took command of a large volunteer force and joined the hunt.

Shortly after Torrence and his troops took the field, Union forces surrounded Morgan. Cautiously. They had done that before only to discover that Morgan had not only escaped, but had destroyed transportation facilities and usually captured Union troops.

Not this time.

Out of troops, out of horses, out of fire power, and out of luck, Morgan finally surrendered to Union forces led, in part, by a crippled 19-year-old named Joseph Thatcher Torrence, the man destined to become the knight errant of the Calumet Region, and the hero for whom not even a pre-school Is named In the Region.

Letter from Royal Prouty to his sister, Ellen Elizabeth Prouty Carpenter, 2-Jan-1863, 3 pages, from camp near Horse Cave, Kentucky

Camp near Horse Cave, Kentucky

January 2, 1863

Well I will write a few lines and let you know where I am and how I feel. Well, in the first place, we are on a chase after Old Morgan. We get up in the morning and start and go from 18 to 25 miles a day and most of the boys grow fat. I hain’t felt better since I left home. I am a getting fat and if we could keep on the tramp, I would feel better. It does not agree with me to lay in camp and most of the boys say they all feel better when on the march. Charley Radcliffe is as fat as a pig and stands it first rate.

We are sorry we sent for the box but it can’t be helped now. We have not had any mail since Christmas and don’t know when we shall. I will write when I get a chance. We went a rabbit hunting and got a few. One regiment got 200 rabbits yesterday. We did not go a hunting but laid in our tents. It is nice weather here, I can tell you. It is colder some than it was in Tennessee. We have good rail fence to burn. It makes first rate fire. What meat we have we pick it up on the road—that is, when we are on the march.

Christmas Frank Call got a box from home and he give me a fried cake and an apple and he had some butter and give me some. He is a very good boy. He has been sick and looks quite poor in the face. Well, I guess I will wait another day and write some. Direct to Louisville, Kentucky, to follow the regiment.

January 3rd—Well, I will try and write a few lines this morning. Well, we got an order to strike tents yesterday at 2 o’clock and came to this place—Cave City. It is on the railroad. There [are] only 5 or 6 shops here. Last night we got an order to fall in line and give 3 cheers for the news. The news were that our troops had beat the rebels at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and that our cavalry had got all of Old Morgan’s Artillery. We yelled some, I can tell you. It was the only time the 105th has hooted since they left Camp Cleveland.

When we are on the march, we get right along. Well, I will stop till some other time. We don’t know when we will leave here. It may be in 10 minutes. Well, we are a going to Murfreesboro, I guess, but can’t tell. You must write and so will [I]. We don’t know when we shall get our mail nor don’t fret about it. Give my respects to all enquiring friends and tell them I am all right. You must not think about me too much.

I suppose it is cold weather up in Mentor. I would like to be there and get some potato and butter and sausages and bread.

From Royal Prouty

Well Ellen, you may think this is a great letter but I want to do something to pass away the time. I would like to see the boys and all of my folks in Ohio. You done first rate in your last letter in sending those stamps. You must write when you have time. So goodbye for this time.

Does Mother keep well. — Royal Prouty

There is a claim that he was the father of slave Sidney A. Morgan ; Morgan-18716 and grandfather to inventor Garrett Augustus Morgan Sr. ; Morgan-18705. There are publications about inventor Garrett Morgan that mention this such as Wikipedia. He is a descendant of immigrants Miles and Prudence Gilbert Morgan early settlers of Springfield, MA. He would also be a distant cousin of Banker J.P. Morgan through Miles Morgan and his second wife.

Letter from Charles C. Caley of Company F of the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry to his wife, Juliaett, 27-Jul-1863, page 3, from Camp near Decherd

... “ we hear this morning that John Morgan with all his force are capturd the nuse is most to good to be true“ ...

Do you know which category Gen. Morgan would fall under for KY Civil War Regiments? https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Kentucky_%28Confederate%29_Units_in_US_Civil_War