David G Edwards

Union Army and Navy Messages Sent During Brigadier General Morgan's July 1863 Indiana-Ohio Raid David G Edwards

Have you ever wondered why the Union Army had to chase Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan through Kentucky, across part of Indiana and then across Ohio almost to Pennsylvania before they caught him? After reading these dispatches and telegrams you will know why. We are going to view the messages sent by the Union Army and Navy during Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan's July 1863 Indiana-Ohio Raid. Not all of these messages can be used as historical fact. Some have wildly inflated head counts for General Morgan's forces. Some exaggerate the amount of artillery General Morgan had. Some are just fantasy. Right or wrong, they are the information that was passed back and forth during General Morgan's raid. Sometimes it was helpful to Union commanders trying to decide what to do next and sometimes it was very misleading. I am presenting all of the messages concerning the Indiana-Ohio Raid that are preserved in Series 1, Volume 23, Part 1 of "The War of the Rebellion" and Series 1, Volume 25 of "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion" so you can see for yourself what was sent up the chain of command and down the chain of command. Let me stress to use caution in considering any specific message as proven fact of what happened.