Morgan's late raid into Kentucky, in June, 1864-Enters the state at Pound Gap-Capture of Mount Sterling-Uprising of guer- rillas and Knights of the Golden Circle-Their depredations at various places-Governor Bramlette and the siege of Frank- fort-General Burbridge defeats Morgan at Mount Sterling— Morgan at Lexington-Marches toward Frankfort, but sud- denly changes his course-At Cynthiana defeats and captures the Union forces-Is defeated by Burbridge the day following -Dispatches of General Burbridge to the President and Secre- MORGAN AND HIS CAPTORS. CHAPTER I. MORGAN AND THE GREAT SECESSION CONSPIRACY IN KENTUCKY-GREAT EXCITEMENT IN LEXINGTON, KY.-KENTUCKY THE MOTHER OF PATRIOTS AND TRAITORS-THE BRECKINRIDGE PARTY-GOVERNOR MAGOFFIN-THE VETO POWER EXERCISED-THE LEGISLATURE OF KENTUCKY-THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE-THE STATE GUARD-THE PRIVATE MEETING OF SECESSION LEADERSREV. DR. BRECKINRIDGE-MAGOFFIN'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT-THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY-CAMP DICK ROBINSON AND GENERAL NELSON-CAMP JOE HOLT AND COLONELS ROUSSEAU AND POPE-HOME GUARDS-THE ARMING OF CAMP DICK ROBINSON-MORGAN'S RIFLE COMPANY-THE OVERTHROW OF THE CONSPIRACY. N a fair day, in the month of August, 1861, the ON inhabitants of the beautiful city of Lexington, Kentucky, were startled by the sound of a war-bugle in their streets. People thronged the principal avenues, and a thousand cheeks were blanched, as if a thunderbolt had fallen from the clear sky above their heads. There was fear that scenes of carnage and blood would be witnessed that day. Men, women, and children hurried to and fro, and excitedly inquired of one another what that bugle-sound meant. Scarcely had the last wild and warlike notes died away until a bell was heard ringing at the railroad depot, which only increased the anxiety and excitement of the people. That bugle-blast called together one or two hundred armed secessionists, who expected at once to perpetrate deeds of violence and bloodshed. Captain John H. Morgan was their leader. This was the first appearance of the present famous guerrilla chieftain in the great conflict that is now shaking our country to its center. That appearance and demonstration were the signal for a general outbreak of a great conspiracy to take possession of Kentucky by fire and sword, and hand over the glorious old commonwealth, bound hand and foot, to the mercies of the Southern Confederacy. What the ringing of the bell at the depot meant, why no blood was shed on that day, and how Morgan and his followers and allies were foiled in what they were on the very eve of commencing, will appear in the sequel of this chapter. Esau and Jacob sprang from the same womb, yet they were characters widely different. The one was the friend of God, the other the enemy; the one was a true friend of his race, the hand of the other was against every man. Kentucky gave birth to Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, to General Hobson and John Morgan. She is the mother of many of the most sterling patriots and many of the most wicked traitors. No one will think of attaching blame to Rebekah for giving birth to children so widely different in character. No person will think for a moment of blaming Kentucky because John Morgan and a host of traitors were born on her soil. Remember that, while she has produced traitors, she has also produced a host of patriots, who have done much, endured much, and suffered much for the cause of their country. It is a matter of great wonderment to every one who was acquainted with the real state of affairs in Kentucky during the early stages of the rebellion, that the state, with all its military resources, did not fall into the hands of the rebel authorities at the very commencement of the great rebellion, or soon thereafter. Her own patriotic children did much to save her from the hands of traitors. Whoever will consider the number, the influence, and machinations of the real enemies, but, in some instances, pretended friends of Kentucky, with an unprejudiced mind, will not fail to admit that the remarks we have made are true and just. From the commencement of the secession movement in the Southern states, the Breckinridge wing of the Democratic party, with a few honorable exceptions, were thorough secessionists, and made every effort in their power to carry Kentucky out of the Union, and link her destiny with that of the Southern Confederacy. The leading members of that party, whose influence at that time was very great in the state, were untiring in their efforts to accomplish this result. The most important offices of the state were filled by men of that party. Governor Magoffin was a leader of the party, and there was some ground for the suspicion that he was a secessionist. Whoever will remember his curt and unpatriotic reply to President Lincoln, when, in the month of April, 1861, Kentucky was called on to furnish two regiments of volunteers to aid in protecting the Capital of our country, will have a tolerably well-founded suspicion that his heart was with the enemies of the government. "Your dispatch," said the Governor, "is received. In answer, I say, emphatically, Kentucky will furnish no troops for the wicked purpose of subduing her sister Southern states." |