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Page 25
In an engagement Morgan is perfectly cool, and yet his face and
action are as if surcharged with electricity. He has the quickness
of a tiger, and the strength of two ordinary men. One cause of his
success is found in the character of his chargers. He has only the
fleetest and most enduring horses; and when one fails he soon finds
another by hook or by crook. His business in his recent raid into
Kentucky (July 28th), seemed to have been mainly to gather up the
best blooded horses, in which that State abounds.
Unless in some fortunate hour for the loyal cause he should fall
into the hands of the Federal forces, Colonel John H. Morgan will
become one of the most potent and dangerous men in the Rebel
service.
So far as my observation extended, the Southern cavalry are superior
to the loyal, for the kind of service expected of them. They are not
relied upon for heavy charges against large bodies of infantry
closely massed, as in some of the wars of the Old World during the
close of the last century and the first part of this; but for
scouting, foraging, and sudden dashes against outposts and unguarded
companies of their enemies. In this service, fleetness, perfect
docility, and endurance for a few hours or a day, are requisite in
the make-up of the horses used. And in these traits Morgan's blooded
horses are admirable. And then, with the exception of some of the
Western troopers, the Southerners are more perfect horsemen than our
loyal cavalry. They have been on horseback, many of them, from
youth, and are trained to the perfect control of themselves and
their steeds in difficult circumstances. In addition to these causes
of superiority, they have a vast advantage over the Federal troops
in the present contest from two causes: It is hard to overestimate
the advantage they find in a knowledge of the ground, the roads, the
ravines, the hiding-places, the marshes, the fords, the forests, &c.
But even more important than this is the sympathy they have from the
inhabitants, almost universally, who give them information by every
method, of the approach, strength, and plans of their enemies. Even
the negroes will be found often, either from fear or other motives,
to give all the information they can obtain to the Southerners. And
the Southerners know far better than we do how to obtain, and sift,
and estimate, the value of what the slaves tell them.
From these causes, we should look for and expect no little trouble
from the mounted men, who will continue to constitute a pretty large
element in the Rebel forces.
After commencing my service in the cavalry, we spent some three
weeks in scouting and foraging, having Nashville for our center.
During this time I rode as courier several times, on one occasion
riding sixty miles, from Nashville to Shelbyville, in seven hours.
Upon another occasion, my blooded horse made fourteen miles in a
little less than fifty minutes; but this was harder service than we
generally exacted from our horses. Upon reporting myself to General
Breckenridge, for whom this arduous service had been performed, he
merely said "_Tr�s bien_"--from which I saw that he expected prompt
work from those who served him.
On Saturday the 15th of February, the report came that General
Johnson would evacuate Bowling Green, and Sunday morning we learned,
to the amazement of citizens and soldiers, that Fort Donelson was
taken. Never was there greater commotion than Nashville exhibited
that Sabbath morning. Churches were closed, Sabbath schools failed
to assemble, citizens gathered in groups, consulted hastily, and
then rushed to their homes to carry out their plans. Bank directors
were speedily in council, and Confederate officials were everywhere
engrossed in the plan of evacuation. A general stampede commenced.
Specie was sent off to Columbia and Chattanooga, plate was removed,
and valuables huddled promiscuously into all kinds of vehicles.
Hack-hire rose to twenty-five dollars an hour, and personal service
to fabulous prices. Government property was removed as fast as
transportation could be furnished. Vast amounts of provisions and
ammunition had been accumulated at Nashville, for the armies at
Donelson and Bowling Green; and so confident were they of holding
those points, that no provision had been made for retreat.
On Sunday the advance of the Bowling Green army began to come in,
and those who escaped from Donelson on Tuesday. The appearance of
these retreating forces increased the panic among the people, and as
the troops came in the non-combatants went out. By the 20th, all who
could get away were gone, and none but the military were prominent
in the streets, and the sick and wounded were sent southward. The
main body of the army camped on the Nashville side of the river.
Work was suspended on two fine gunboats in process of construction,
and orders given to be ready for their destruction at a moment's
notice. The railroad bridge was also prepared for the same fate.
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