Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864 to Jefferson Davis
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01076 Author/Creator: Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864 Place Written: Richmond, Virginia Type: Letter signed Date: March 24, 1864 Pagination: 4 p. : Height: 32 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy
Confederate General Morgan writes an eloquent letter to Davis to urge him to return him to his command. "My sense of duty compels me to leave Richmond in order to place myself at the head of the remnant of my Old Cavalry Brigade, diminished as it is now ... by the withdrawal of the choicest troops of my Command ... I have protested in vain against this act of injustice to me, my reclamations have not even been deemed worthy of a reply ... " Also demands the rescue of his troops from Union prisons, where he states they are being ill-treated. Claims that his men never committed cruelty against any prisoners of war but now are suffering. " ... on what plea then I ask are my Men treated like Wild Beasts! confined in Dungeons! kept in solitary confinement! in Dens which are calculated to injure the strongest constitutions, ... " Argues that Union officers and men in Confederate prisons should be treated the same way in retaliation. Letter written on blue paper. Morgan was captured near New Lisbon, Ohio, on July 26, 1863, after most of his command had been taken prisoner. Confined in the Ohio State Penitentiary, he escaped on November 26, 1863. He was placed in command in East Tennessee and southwestern Virginia the next year. Morgan was surprised and killed at Greeneville, Tennessee, on September 4, 1864.
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