Uncle Daniel's Story Of "Tom" Anderson Part 23

"The President had also in the meantime placed Gen. Meader in command of the Army of the East on account of the constant failure of other commanders during the Spring campaigns. Soon after a.s.suming command Meador had gained a great victory over the enemy at Gotlenburg, and had driven him back across Grand River to his own ground. The enemy had become so encouraged by his victories over our armies heretofore, that he concluded to try a second invasion of the loyal States.

"The people who desired the success of the Union forces were greatly rejoiced over the victory at Gotlenburg and in the West by Gen. Silent, and by them Rosenfelt was constantly urged to do something by way of giving some activity to his army. But he hesitated and thought the heat of Summer was too great in that climate for his men to march and endure the fatigues of a campaign. This was so discouraging to his troops that many of them sought relief by obtaining a leave of absence and returning home for a few days. Among those who returned were Gen. Anderson and my son Peter. When they arrived at home all greeted them with many hearty welcomes. My wife by this time had so far recovered as to be up a portion of the day, and the return of the General and Peter seemed to revive her drooping spirits. The children were overjoyed and Aunt Martha was as much delighted as any of the family, and repeated her confidence in the "good Laud's" having saved the General for some good purpose.

Finally she could not restrain herself any longer, and said:

"'Ma.s.sa Gen'l, what you do wid Ham? Whar is he? I 'spect he be kill and you done 'eluded you not tell ole Marfa'.

"'No, Martha,' said the General; 'Ham is well. I left him with Capt.

Jackson and Capt. Day to take care of our traps.'

"'Well, dat's all right. I feered he kill.'

"'No, Aunty; he is all right.'

"The next day Joseph Dent came in from the farm and told us he had learned the night before that a meeting of a few of the leading men had been held at Windsor, Canada, and that meetings were to be held at different places in the Northern States by prominent Knights of the Circle to consider what was best to be done, and also to appoint delegates to meet somewhere in Canada at a time and place to be hereafter designated, and that several propositions were being considered about work which would be undertaken very soon; such as destroying property, raiding in the North, releasing prisoners, etc.

"This information was of such a character that we deemed it important to have a full report of what was at the time being done in Canada, as that seemed to be the base of the enemy's operations for our part of the country, and inasmuch as Peter had promised James Whitcomb, now Orderly to Gen. Anderson, that he would go to Detroit and visit his aged parents and satisfy them of his innocence should they have learned of his misfortune in having been court-martialed and condemned, we concluded that this would be an excellent opportunity for him to pa.s.s over to Windsor or elsewhere in Canada and gather what information he could.

This being understood, he left at once, desirous that no time should be lost during his leave of absence.

"The family being gathered in the parlor that evening, Gen. Anderson said:

"'Mary, now give us your experience as a visitor at the White House; how the President appeared to you, etc.?'

"Mary related what had transpired in a modest way, saying in conclusion that nothing but the feeling aroused in her breast by the outrage that was about to be perpetrated upon that poor, innocent boy could have induced her to have undertaken such an expedition. She said she could do anything except to ask favors. Said she:

"'Tom, my dear, you need have no fears about my ever becoming a lobbyist in Was.h.i.+ngton, or a courtier at the White House. I have tried appealing to the President once, and although successful that time, and treated courteously and kindly by that big-hearted and n.o.ble old patriot, yet I have hardly recovered from my scare up to this time; and now I do hope that you will never mention this again, for it does really give me a palpitation of the heart whenever the subject is alluded to. I am a coward, I know I am, and am frightened still.'

"'Well, Mary, you did a n.o.ble act, and I am the prouder of you for it.'

He kissed her and she sank down in her chair overcome with emotion. We then changed the subject, and the General entertained us by recitals of the trials and vicissitudes of the army. We were all enjoying the visit of the General very much and hoped to have a pleasant time, but a few days after his arrival the country about Allentown became greatly alarmed and excited.

"Gen. Morganson, of whom I have heretofore spoken, had crossed from Kentucky at or near Louis City into Indiana, and was raiding the country, taking horses, wagons, and all kinds of property that could serve any purpose whatever in aiding the rebellion or in facilitating its movements. Stores were pillaged, houses plundered, banks robbed, and farms laid waste. The people were taken entirely by surprise, and the only thing that could be resorted to to meet the emergency that was upon them, was for the loyal citizens along the raider's path before and behind to a.s.semble and make resistance and obstruction to his march.

Gen. Anderson, comprehending the situation, at once gathered together a few men and started in pursuit of Morganson. He collected men and material as he went. He also aroused the people to action everywhere.

Morganson's force was being recruited from the Golden Circle as he pa.s.sed through the country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Morganson's Raid 206]

"That community was never so thoroughly excited before. Many murders were committed on his line of march, and this one had lost his horses, that one had his house plundered; this town had been sacked, and in some instances burned, and so on.

"Gen. Anderson made his march as rapidly as he could with raw men and horses. He finally struck Morganson's rear and forced him to make a stand. Gen. Anderson dismounted his men and told every man to cover himself behind a tree where it could be done. The contest lasted for about an hour, when a small body of men who had been gathered together in advance of the raiders, struck him in the rear, as he was then facing, and caused a great stampede, and his force broke in various directions through the woods. Morganson turned upon this small force and drove it back, making his escape. Gen. Anderson followed him up closely, however, forcing him to change his course in the direction of the river.

Gen. Broomfield had withdrawn a small force from Kentucky, which finally joined Gen. Anderson. Morganson was preparing to cross the river at a point near an island, the water being shallow there. Gen. Anderson with his raw recruits and about 100 of Broom-field's men at once a.s.saulted him, broke his line, and killed and wounded many of his men as they were attempting to cross the river. After hard fighting for a few moments Morganson and those of his command that were still with him surrendered.

"This ended the raiders and their foolish exploits. The men who had volunteered to follow Gen. Anderson were of all ages and sizes--from the schoolboy to the grandfather. None of them had been in the army or at any time seen service, so that they were without any sort of discipline, with the exception of a few who were at home on furlough from their regiments, and some of Gen. Broomfield's command. But Gen. Anderson said that they fought like veterans, each one in his own way. Morganson and his command were taken to Camp Chase for safe keeping, and Gen. Anderson returned to Allentown to enjoy the leave of absence interrupted by the raiders.

"Joseph Dent came in the next morning after Gen. Anderson's return, and told us that when Morganson entered Indiana on his raid the Golden Circles were notified, and were getting ready to join him and make war all over the State, but that he appeared too soon for them; that on account of his (Dent's) illness he had not been able to advise us earlier."

Dr. Adams inquired who this Gen. Morganson was.

Uncle Daniel said: "He was part of Forrester's command, that had raided around Rosenfelt so much during the previous Winter and Spring. He had crossed the Combination River to the east of Rosenfelt at Carthage, moving nearly due south by way of Greenberry, avoiding all points at which there were Union troops. He doubtless believed either that the members of the Golden Circle were ready to join him, armed and equipped, or that his raid would strike consternation into the hearts of the people, inasmuch as our armies were all far away from where he proposed to lay the scene of his audacious exploits. But he made a mistake when he began to take horses and other property from all alike, whether Union men or rebel sympathizers. This changed the sentiments of many people very rapidly."

Said Maj. Clymer: "What has become of Gen. Morgan-son? I have not heard of him since the war."

"He was killed somewhere in Tennessee soon after his escape from Camp Chase, so I have been informed.

"During Gen. Anderson's absence in pursuit of Morgan-son, Peter was traveling rapidly through Canada. He returned the day following Gen.

Anderson's from his capture of the raiders.

"The people everywhere seemed to be greatly rejoiced at the General's success. He received a great ovation from the citizens of Allentown, and they cheered whenever he made his appearance. This caused him to keep very close to the house, as he was not fond of demonstration. The people, however, flocked to see him, and many of them could see great virtues in our family who, prior to that time, did not know us because we were not good enough for their society. So you see their own safety was the patriotic spark that burned brightly in their bosoms. But this is human nature. Selfishness seems to pervade nearly all, as is evidenced every day. Many of those who wanted the rebellion to succeed did so not because they were really rebels, but because they had said that we could not conquer them, and were willing to see our Government destroyed, merely to get a chance in the future to say to every one, 'I told you so.' These people now want the Government placed in the hands of its enemies for the same reason, so as to say, 'You cannot keep the control out of the hands of such able and brave men as these.' Thus, you see, it is in many merely a selfish pride of former expressed opinions."

"That is a new idea, Uncle Daniel," said Dr. Adams; "but I am not sure but there is much in what you say."

"Yes, Doctor; experience and close observation have taught me many things that I would have been slow to believe years ago. I am wandering, however, from what I was stating.

"The next evening after Peter's return we were all at tea and while at the table Aunt Sarah, my good wife, asked Peter the condition of his foot. Peter replied that it was nearly well; he did not suffer from it except occasionally when he caught cold in it.

"'You must be very careful, Peter,' said she; 'I am fearful about it.

You know how your brother James lingered and finally died with a mere cut on his hand. I was disturbed about your wound last night in my sleep. I was dreaming about it.'

"'Well, mother,' said Peter, 'you seem to be dreaming something constantly, and will continue to do so, so long as you allow yourself to be worried.'

"But Peter ceased speaking on the subject, and his face took the sad expression that seemed to have fixed itself upon him. I then spoke up to relieve the matter and said, 'Wife, you must not worry so much. You are just able to be out, and I fear you will make yourself sick again. Peter will take care of himself--at least I hope so.7

"Aunt Martha seemed to be listening to our conversation, and (having been greatly indulged by all our family on account of marked kindness to Gen. Anderson as well as to all the rest of the family) here chimed in and said:

"'Marsa Lyon, I tells you dat you is wrong on dat pint. De mans don't know how to take kear of demsefs. Now, dars Ham. He's like to get kill any day, he am. He don't know nuffin, he don't.'

"Gen. Anderson and Peter laughed when she spoke of Ham getting killed.

Peter seemed to lose for the time-being his sad countenance, when he remembered about Ham getting under the brush at Stone Run.

"Aunt Martha knew nothing about Ham's precipitate retreat during the last battle, so she continued by saying:

"'Jes' see, Ma.s.sa Tom, de Gen'l dar. Whar he bin if he lef wid de mans when he got shotted at dat fight at Dolins-burg? He done bin dead sho.

Dars whar he bin. I tell you de good Laud know who he trus' him wid; yes sah, he do. So he put him wid me and den he make my ole head cifer out de cures what fotched him out. Jes' kase he want Marsa for good work, dat's why. What would Ham do curin' him up? No, sah, he not know how, and de Laud no trus' him.'

"Peter said: 'Aunt Martha, you rather like the Lord, I take it.'

"'Yes, sah, I do. He be good. He fotched de poor darkies out ob workin'

all de time for nuffin for dem Sesh, and he know what he doin'. He goin'

to let dem Sesh 'spect dat dey whip dem Yanks affer while, but he not let dem do it. He jes' coaxin' dem on till he git good men hold of de army, den dey all git smash up. Jes' like Genl Tom, de Laud save him for dat. Don't you see dat? My! when Marsa Tom git after dem Sesh, dey done gits ebry time, dey do; don't dey, Marsa Lyon.'

"I agreed with her and the rest laughed. She finally cut her speech short and retired to the kitchen.

"After tea Gen. Anderson gave us quite an amusing account of his little improvised army that followed Morgan-son. He said no braver set of men ever marched, but that it was very hard to tell his men from the raiders when they got together; that some were riding in saddles and some without, subst.i.tuting a doubled up blanket or quilt; some were on old and some were on young horses; some were on ponies and some on mules, some wore 'stove-pipe' hats, some caps, some straw hats, and some were without either. Some had on frock, some dress, and some round-coats, and many entirely without coats of any kind; some with boots, some with shoes, and some entirely barefoot. Take them all in all, they were in dress _a la_ Falstaff's troop, but they were a success, and did what the Army of the Center, under Rosenfelt, had failed to do, and that was to capture the rebel cavalry. This raid of Morganson was an audacious adventure, doubtless encouraged by the Knights of the Golden Circle, and had he waited long enough I have no doubt that we would have had an uprising in Indiana that would have been very troublesome to put down.

It was quite fortunate that it occurred when it did."

"Yes," said Dr. Adams; "I have no doubt that plans were being perfected about that time and later on for a general raiding and plunder of many cities, as well as portions of the North outside of cities, where we could be seriously damaged."

Uncle Daniel resumed, saying: "During that evening we discussed matters generally, but Peter felt very much disappointed at his being absent in Canada while Gen. Anderson was bagging Morganson. He said that it was just his luck to miss everything of this kind, but that he always had the luck to get into some hard place in front of the enemy, and usually get hurt in some way or other, but that when it came to getting rebels into a place where they could be easily whipped or captured or chased out of the country, the luck seemed always to fall to Gen. Anderson. He turned to the General, and with a twinkle of the eye asked him if he had Ham with him to a.s.sist in hiving these Sesh. The General laughed and said no; that Ham was back watching out for the Army of the Center and keeping Gen. Forrester from coming in some morning and taking away our trunks and camp equipage. At this they both laughed.

"Peter said: 'Ham will not have quite the trouble that we have all had heretofore since Forrester's command has been depleted by Morganson's capture.'