The Battle of Morgan County
In
1863 Cofederate General
John Hunt Morgan was ordered by General
Braxton Bragg to march his regiments north to
Louisville, Kentucky and threaten that city in order to pull Federal forces away from
Tennessee, where
Vicksburg was being successfully besieged by a Union Army under
Ulysses S. Grant. Morgan had been a
Kentucky business owner who became an effective
guerrilla leader against the supply lines of Union forces in the
Army of the Tennessee led by General
William Rosecrans. Morgan was more ambitious and against orders crossed the
Ohio River to enter
Indiana pillaging and burning as he went.
Morgan's raid was known as 'The Great Raid' or 'The Calico Raid' depeding on which side you were on.
Slowed down by weather and pursued by Federal cavalry, Morgan turned east and entered Ohio, hoping to bring the war to the heart of the Union. He caused quite a panic, but soon Morgan was on the run, pursued by strong Union forces He brought his force to Bluffington Island on July 18 where he hoped to cross the Ohio back into West Virginia. But he had tipped his hand. General Ambrose Burnside commanded the Federal troops in Ohio. Burnside anticipated Morgan and sent 2,500 cavalry, the militia and a gunboat to stop him. Morgan was defeated at Bluffington, Island losing a third of his force to capture in the next few days before turning north in hopes of entering Pennsylvania. That led him up the Muskingham and to pass through Morgan County on his way to eventual defeat and capture at the Battle of Salineville. Morgan's raid was as far north as the Confederacy ever got.
My friends Hugh and Joelle live in Morgan County. Hugh's family grew up in Morgan County and he has a beautiful home witha 1/2 mile driveway that winds around a hillside and passes through a pine forest. They are wonderful hosts, and it is always fun to come out there to drink some beer, eat wonderful food and converse.
This weekend happened to correspond with the annual re-enactment of Morgan's entry into Morgan County. Morgan county is dominated by the towns of Malta and the larger McConnelsville, which stand on either side of one of the only bridge in the area spanning the Muskingham River. One assumes Morgan headed that way because of the crossings. The area is very hilly, sparsely populated with agriculture the biggest industry.
Small towns remember their past. The military is popular in Morgan County, and with few jobs many of the kids join up when the finish school as their best economic option. McConnelsville is a pretty small town, with lots of gingerbread-rich victorian homes. It's a place where oid buldings remain in use, and Morgan's raid was the biggest thing that ever happened in the county.
So they re-enect a battle. Men and women dress up in period clothing, right down to woolen underwear. They carry period rifles, and artillery caissons holding period guns were distributed arond the twon. There's a tent campsite with approprate tents for each of the combatants. They sell memorabilia and many of these people are living experts on the period. I spent an enjoyable evening talking to one of the surgeons who explained who they perfromed amputations, with only ten minutes per patient. They didnt' use whiskey and a bullet, they did use chloroform. Which seems merciful.
The re-enactment took place on the propety of a local doctor. His house is built on a depression beneath a ridgeline that forms a natural ampitheater. At the very peak sits a real log cabin with a commanding view of the area. In the depression re-enectors have built a permanent set with a fake bank, hotel, railroad station (complete with a real caboose and tracks) and more. Eight cannon were unlimbered. Hugh and I even helped them push oen 'Union' piece uphill near the log cabin. That was the first and probably only time in my life I ever helped emplace a gun. They began with a lecture on local Congressional Medal of Honor winners from that war, and then they fought it out.
The cannon were loud, and it seems like they had as many artillerymen as infantry. I suppose the big guns are a lot more fun to operate and they certainly were loud! A smoke ring two meters across came from one 'rebel' piece. Infantry scouts came forward, reloading and firing their pieces in the traditional way. Then the two forces formed up and shot it out. In the end, the Union 'won'.
Or did it? Ohio was a very prominant part of the Union, but more people wore gray than blue. Re-enactors are also very reluctant to die, because you have to stop 'shooting' and what fun is that? Some did fall, mostly Union, which made it pretty strange since the Union eventually won. But at the end both forces lined up, and let a few volleys fly into the crowd. It made for quite the photo op.
Thus ended the fake Battle of Morgan County, fought by a hundred for the sheer fun of it. I had fun too, and the brats were tasty and cheap. The soldiers probably had more fun than anyone, and they did a decent job of simulating Civil War tactics. We had fun, and then I went home to say my goodbyes to my gracious hosts.
In the real Civil War, no battle was fought in Morgan County. But who cares when the modern battle is so much more fun?