Morgan's Raid Through Ohio In The Civil War

Many Ohioans/Americans just believe that most of the fighting of the American Civil War happened in the southern states. Many Ohioans don’t realize that Confederate cavalry under the leadership of Brigader General John H. Morgan actually came up through Kentucky into Indiana then through Ohio raiding many towns, supply depots and trying everything they could to get Union troops back into the North before he was captured. This event became known as Morgan’s Raid that began 8 July 1863 and lasted until Morgan’s capture on 26 July. He began his raid with 2,460 men that he picked himself.¹ He had begun his raiding into Kentucky fighting Union troops along the way through towns toward Louisville, then on to Indiana crossing on the Ohio River into Ohio just north of Cincinnati on 13 July.

Cincinnati at the time was a major hub for supplies and troops, any disruption would cause massive delays to troop and supply movements to the South. He decided to attack the towns to the North Cincinnati that included Harrison, New Baltimore, Colerain, and Sharonville destroying anything he came across food, railroad tracks and taking livestock and horses. He even tried to capture the major Union training center of Camp Dennison but had to retreat due to overwhelming Union forces. He would go on to raid throughout the southernmost part of Ohio and only be stopped at the Battle of Buffington Island where Morgan tried to the Ohio River into West Virginia. 750 of his men were captured there and he would fall back into Ohio with only 400 men left.²

He would keep moving north to try and find a way across the Ohio River but failed and was eventually captured at the Battle of Salineville. Morgan’s Raid was seen as a success to the Confederates but overall had little impact on the Civil War as a whole. According to Ohio History Central, the raid diverted over 100,000 Union troops from their normal duties for three weeks, which fulfilled the primary mission that the Confederate high command had given to Morgan. The raid did provide some hope to Confederate civilians that their military could still succeed following the Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in early July 1863. It also caused fear among Indiana and Ohio residents and cost thousands of these people personal property that the raiders had seized. The claims made by Ohio citizens amounted to $678,915, with the government authorizing compensation in the amount of $576,225. In addition, the Confederate military lost a large number of veteran cavalrymen. The raid caused no significant harm to the transportation and communication infrastructure of the Union.³

Works Cited:

1. "Morgan's Raid," (Morgan's Raid - Ohio History Central,) accessed March 29, 2019, http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Morgan's_Raid.

2. “Morgan’s Raid, Ohio History Central.

3. “Morgan’s Raid, Ohio History Central.

Bibliography:

"Morgan's Raid." Morgan's Raid - Ohio History Central. Accessed March 29, 2019. http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Morgan's_Raid.