Do They Miss Me at Home?: The Civil War Letters of William McKnight, Seventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry

3. The Fourth of July Presents and John Hunt Morgan’s Raid (July 11, 1863–August 20, 1863)

 107 3 The Fourth of July Presents and John Hunt Morgan’s Raid ( July 11, 1863–August 20, 1863) July and August 1863 are central to the McKnight story. During this brief, two-month period, McKnight learned that Samaria had given birth to twins—Martha and Myrtha—on July 4 and that Confederate general John Hunt Morgan, the “Thunderbolt of the Confederacy,”had spent time at McKnight’s home in Ohio during his infamous raid. McKnight was informed by a“W.Braley”(most likely Samaria’s father) that Samaria had successfully delivered twin girls.On July 11, McKnight states,“it surprises me so to hear that you have two little girls. Is it possible oh how I would like to see them. . . .You must let me know what you are going to call those little fourth of July Presents.” Later, on July 24, McKnight closes a letter with these words:“So wishing you the greatest happiness imaginable with your little pets and the best of health hoping that I may soon se you all and that the Blessing of God may be showered uppon you is the Prayer of your ever faithful and loveing Husband.” Morgan’s raid in July of 1863 was not his first or last raid— the raids were conducted to recruit troops,disrupt Union plans, and gather supplies. Starting in Knoxville in July 1862, Morgan made a pass through central Kentucky, reaching as far north as Cynthiana. In the fall of 1862, the Rebel Raider made another You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. the fourth of july presents and john hunt morgan’s raid  108 trek through central Kentucky behind Union lines. Historians Lowell Harrison and James Klotter contend that “despite the hard riding and the danger involved,there was an air of romance and adventure about his early forays.”1 Morgan’s third raid came in the summer of 1863. Morgan, ignoring General Braxton Bragg’s order not to cross the Ohio River, led his troops into southern Indiana and Ohio. As “Morgan’s Raid” advanced across southern Ohio, Morgan and his men passed through McKnight’s hometown of Langsville; Morgan actually stayed for a while atWilliam McKnight’s residence. DespitethefactthatotherscholarshaveplacedMcKnightinpursuit of Morgan across Ohio, that was not the case. On July 24, 1863, McKnight told Samaria that he “would have given any thing . . . to have been at home when Morgan was there”; a more conclusive indication that he remained in Kentucky during this period is his statement in that same letter that he “would liked to have been with the Capt.,” who was in Ohio pursuing Morgan. Several days later, on August 4, 1863, McKnight expressed his frustration over his absence at that critical time:“what hurts me the worst is that for all we were goten up expresty for the Protection of our Homes we were absent and our homes disgraced and Country overund and destruction spread far and wide.” John Hunt Morgan’s raid threatened Ohio’s security,especially that of the border counties. As a result, “General Burnside declared martial law and the governor [Tod] called out the state militia. Approximately fifty thousand men responded.”2 Militia “poured into the countryside in hot pursuit of the Confederate raider;in all,over 50,000 Ohioans took the field against Morgan, and not half of them ever got within 60 miles of their quarry.”3 Although Morgan was able to escape capture for nearly two weeks, he eventually surrendered in northern Ohio after approximately 1,100 miles on the run. The unsuccessful raid “quelled sympathy for the Southern cause in Indiana and Ohio, encouraged Northern enlistment, and stimulated patriotism and support for the United States government.”4 Following Morgan’s Raid, residents in twenty-nine Ohio counties filed 4,375 claims for damages.The state ultimately settled the claims, totaling $576,225—of this figure, $428,168 was for damages You are reading copyrighted material published by Ohio University Press/Swallow Press. Unauthorized posting, copying, or distributing of this work except as permitted under U.S. copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. July 11, 1863–August 20, 1863  109 done by Morgan’s men, and the remaining $148,057 stemmed from actions traced to Union troops.5...