John Hunt Morgan
John H. Morgan | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Thunderbolt |
| Born | June 1, 1825 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | September 4, 1864 (aged 39) Greeneville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States Kentucky Confederate States of America |
| Branch | United States Kentucky militia Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1846–1847 (USA) 1857–1861 (Kentucky militia) 1861–1864 (CSA) |
| Rank | First Lieutenant (USA) Captain (Kentucky Militia) Brigadier General (CSA) |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse(s) | Rebecca Gratz Bruce Martha Ready |
| Signature | |
John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. In April 1862, he raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment, fought at Shiloh, and then launched a costly raid in Kentucky, which encouraged Braxton Bragg's invasion of that state. He also attacked General William Rosecrans's supply lines. In July 1863, he set out on a 1,000-mile raid into Indiana and Ohio, taking hundreds of prisoners. But after most of his men had been intercepted by U.S. Navy gunboats, including the USS Moose, Morgan surrendered at Salineville, Ohio, the northernmost point ever reached by uniformed Confederates. Morgan carried out the diversionary "Morgan's Raid" against orders, which gained no tactical advantage for the Confederacy while losing the regiment. Morgan escaped prison, but his credibility was so low that he was restricted to minor operations. He was killed at Greeneville, Tennessee, in September 1864. Morgan was the brother-in-law of Confederate general A. P. Hill. Various schools and a memorial are dedicated to him.