CSA Bios: J.H. Morgan, P.T. Moore, J.C. Moore, Moody
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:08 pm
Brig. Gen. John H. Morgan (b. 1825, d. 1864) “They are having a stampede in Kentucky, please look into it,” stated U.S. President Abraham Lincoln to his field commanders about John Hunt Morgan. The consummate raider, Morgan became known as the “Thunderbolt of the Confederacy.” He launched four raids into Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio during his career as a Confederate cavalry commander. Morgan brought the war to places that only read about the conflict in the newspapers. Even after being captured during his third raid, Morgan was able to escape back to the south. Morgan’s raids forced Federal commanders to relocate troops that otherwise could have been on the front lines in Virginia, Tennessee or elsewhere. Morgan was born in Huntsville, Alabama, June 1, 1825. He moved with his family to Kentucky as a youth. He attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, but didn’t graduate, being dismissed for “boisterous behavior.” Morgan entered in the First Kentucky Cavalry as a first lieutenant for the Mexican War and he earned distinction at Buena Vista. After the war, he became a hemp manufacturer in Lexington. As was a fad of the time, Morgan organized a militia unit in 1857. Morgan supplied the Lexington Rifles at his own expense. A southern sympathizer, Morgan flew the Confederate flag at his factory despite Kentucky’s neutrality. When the state decided to stay with the Union, Morgan went south and joined the Confederate army as a cavalry captain. He was promoted to colonel of the Second Kentucky Cavalry April 4, 1862. Days later, he fought at the Battle of Shiloh. It was reported the savage slaughter of the battle played a role in Morgan’s decision to operate as a raider, traveling light and living off the land. Another major theme was superior firepower as his units frequently upgraded their weaponry. Under the command of Gen. Joseph Wheeler in the army of Gen. Braxton Bragg, Morgan began to make his name with his first raid through Kentucky July and August of 1862. Morgan captured over 1,200 Federal prisoners during this raid, which included stops in Tompkinsville, Glasgow, Lebanon, Harrodsville, Frankfurt, Lawrenceburg, Georgetown and Richmond in Kentucky. He was able to delay Federal Gen. Don C. Buell’s movements by several weeks. Morgan’s second raid came after the unit was used as a screen for forces under Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Released from these duties, the unit raided from Oct. 18 through November 1862. The troops briefly held Morgan’s hometown of Lexington and destroyed wagon trains and railroad track. This time, he hindered Federal Gen. William S. Rosecrans. Morgan’s operations send shockwaves through the Northern press and it was figured that 20,000 Federal troops were diverted from combat operations. For action at Hartville, Tennessee, Morgan captured 1,700 prisoners and earned his promotion to brigadier general Dec. 11, 1862. Hunt’s third raid, or “Christmas Raid” of 1862, was his first in divisional command. His subordinate units were commanded by Colonels Basil Duke (Morgan’s brother-in-law, A.P. Hill had married another of Morgan’s sisters) and Adam Johnson. This raid was meant to disrupt Rosecrans in his upcoming move against Bragg at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. At the cost of 26 casualties, Morgan was able to accomplish his task. With the Confederates in retreat in the middle of 1863, Morgan went on his longest raid, which lasted from July 2-26. This raid started with hard fights at Green River and in Lebanon, Kentucky. At the latter battle, Morgan’s brother, Tom, was killed. Morgan’s units crossed the Ohio River at Brandenburg. Raiding through Indiana and Ohio, Morgan was defeated at Buffington Island by a force of Home Guards and Federal regulars. The remaining men rode for another week before being captured near New Lisbon, Ohio, July 26, 1863. Morgan and many of his officers were imprisoned in the Ohio State Penitentiary, but escaped and rejoined the Confederacy. He was placed in charge of the Department of Southwestern Virginia in April 1864. Morgan was on the way to attack the Federals near Knoxville when his command was surprised near Greeneville, Tennessee, Sept. 3, 1864. In this engagement, Morgan was killed in the garden of the house he was sleeping in, reportedly by a Federal private who previously had served under him. Morgan was buried in Lexington, Kentucky.
Note: Sounds like Morgan would have fit in with today’s college students. When’s the last time you heard of someone being dismissed for “boisterous behavior?” Isn’t that a dull spring break today?
The two John Hunts are intertwined, but likely didn’t know each other. John T. Morgan was born in Tennessee and spent much of his career in Alabama. John H. Morgan was born in Alabama, spent most of his career in Kentucky and died in Tennessee. Both commanded raider-type cavalry units.
Brig. Gen. Patrick T. Moore (b. 1821, d. 1883) After Patrick Theodore Moore suffered a severe head wound at First Manassas, It was thought he would not lead troops again. But Moore surprised everyone and became a brigadier general Sept. 20, 1864. Born in Galway, Ireland, Sept. 22, 1821, Moore immigrated with his family to Canada in 1835. His father was appointed as British consul at Boston and the family moved there. In 1850, Patrick Moore moved to Richmond and became a merchant. A captain of militia, he offered his services to the Confederacy at the start of the war and was commissioned colonel of the First Virginia Infantry. Fighting in Longstreet’s Brigade at First Manassas, Moore was wounded in the head. The wound incapacitated him from further field service and he served as a volunteer aid on Gen. Joseph Johnston’s staff until the general was wounded at Seven Pines. After that, he was assigned to court martial duty. In 1864, the war came back to Moore. Gen. Kemper assigned him to organize the reserve forces of Virginia. For this duty, he received a promotion to brigadier general. He commanded a brigade in the Richmond local defense troops. How he left Richmond is unknown. He was not at Sayler’s Creek but was paroled at Manchester, Virginia, April 30, 1865. After the war, he was an insurance agent in Richmond. He died there Feb. 19, 1883.
Brig. Gen. John C. Moore (b. 1824, d. 1910) For John Creed Moore, the Civil War ended Feb. 3, 1864. That’s when he resigned his Confederate commission as a brigadier general. Moore was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, Feb. 28, 1824. After attending Emory and Henry College, he moved to the U.S. Military Academy, graduating with the West Point Class of 1849. He saw action in the Seminole War and garrison duty at Santa Fe and Baton Rouge. Moore had enough of the army life, resigning in 1855. In 1861, he was a professor at Kentucky’s Shelby College, but wound up in Galveston, Texas. There, he helped to organize the Second Texas Infantry and he was elected that unit’s colonel. He led this regiment at Shiloh and received praise from his superior, Gen. Withers. In the aftermath of the battle, Moore was one of the men promoted. He became a brigadier general May 26, 1862. He was assigned to Withers’ division of the Army of the West as commander of the Third Brigade, Third Division. In this capacity, he fought at Corinth, Iuka and in the Vicksburg Campaign. When that city was sacked, Moore became a Federal prisoner but was exchanged Sept. 12, 1863. Moore fought at the Battle of Lookout Mountain in the Chattanooga Campaign. Federal Gen. U.S. Grant claimed his participation was in violation because he hadn’t officially been exchanged. When the records were later examined, the argument was resolved in Moore’s favor in 1876. After Lookout Mountain, Moore’s former army commander, Gen. Maury, claimed Moore was not properly employed there and had him assigned to command the Eastern and Western Districts of the Department of the Gulf Dec. 10, 1863. Assigned to the defenses of Mobile, Alabama, Moore served a brief time in this role before resigning. After that, he taught school in Texas, residing in Mexia and Dallas. He was a contributor to magazines and journals before he died in Osage, Texas, Dec. 31, 1910.
Brig. Gen. Young M. Moody (b. 1822, d. 1866) Young Marshall Moody was a general in the Confederate army, but only briefly. Moody ascended to the brigadier general rank March 4, 1865, barely a month before the Army of North Virginia surrendered at Appomattox Court House. Moody didn’t survive the war by long, either, dying of Yellow Fever in New Orleans Sept. 18, 1866. Moody was born in Chesterfield County, Virginia, June 23, 1822. He moved to Alabama at the age of 20 and settled in Marengo County. Prior to the Civil War, he was a teacher and merchant. He served as clerk of the circuit court from 1856-61. At the start of the war, he was elected captain in the 11th Alabama Infantry. He helped to raise the 43rd Alabama Infantry and was elected that unit’s lieutenant colonel under Archibald Gracie. When Gracie was promoted to brigadier general November 4, 1862, Moody moved up to colonel. With this unit, Moody fought in several engagements starting with the Kentucky Campaign. He fought at Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Bean’s Station. He was in temporary command of the brigade when it was transferred to Virginia. Moody was severely wounded at Drewry’s Bluff in May of 1864 but remained in regimental command. When Gracie was killed in the Petersburg trenches Dec. 2, 1864, Moody ascended to brigade command. His rank was confirmed March 4, 1865. After his parole at Appomattox, Moody moved to Mobile to engage in business. He was on a trip to New Orleans late in the summer of 1866 when he came down with Yellow Fever.
Note: Sounds like Morgan would have fit in with today’s college students. When’s the last time you heard of someone being dismissed for “boisterous behavior?” Isn’t that a dull spring break today?
The two John Hunts are intertwined, but likely didn’t know each other. John T. Morgan was born in Tennessee and spent much of his career in Alabama. John H. Morgan was born in Alabama, spent most of his career in Kentucky and died in Tennessee. Both commanded raider-type cavalry units.
Brig. Gen. Patrick T. Moore (b. 1821, d. 1883) After Patrick Theodore Moore suffered a severe head wound at First Manassas, It was thought he would not lead troops again. But Moore surprised everyone and became a brigadier general Sept. 20, 1864. Born in Galway, Ireland, Sept. 22, 1821, Moore immigrated with his family to Canada in 1835. His father was appointed as British consul at Boston and the family moved there. In 1850, Patrick Moore moved to Richmond and became a merchant. A captain of militia, he offered his services to the Confederacy at the start of the war and was commissioned colonel of the First Virginia Infantry. Fighting in Longstreet’s Brigade at First Manassas, Moore was wounded in the head. The wound incapacitated him from further field service and he served as a volunteer aid on Gen. Joseph Johnston’s staff until the general was wounded at Seven Pines. After that, he was assigned to court martial duty. In 1864, the war came back to Moore. Gen. Kemper assigned him to organize the reserve forces of Virginia. For this duty, he received a promotion to brigadier general. He commanded a brigade in the Richmond local defense troops. How he left Richmond is unknown. He was not at Sayler’s Creek but was paroled at Manchester, Virginia, April 30, 1865. After the war, he was an insurance agent in Richmond. He died there Feb. 19, 1883.
Brig. Gen. John C. Moore (b. 1824, d. 1910) For John Creed Moore, the Civil War ended Feb. 3, 1864. That’s when he resigned his Confederate commission as a brigadier general. Moore was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, Feb. 28, 1824. After attending Emory and Henry College, he moved to the U.S. Military Academy, graduating with the West Point Class of 1849. He saw action in the Seminole War and garrison duty at Santa Fe and Baton Rouge. Moore had enough of the army life, resigning in 1855. In 1861, he was a professor at Kentucky’s Shelby College, but wound up in Galveston, Texas. There, he helped to organize the Second Texas Infantry and he was elected that unit’s colonel. He led this regiment at Shiloh and received praise from his superior, Gen. Withers. In the aftermath of the battle, Moore was one of the men promoted. He became a brigadier general May 26, 1862. He was assigned to Withers’ division of the Army of the West as commander of the Third Brigade, Third Division. In this capacity, he fought at Corinth, Iuka and in the Vicksburg Campaign. When that city was sacked, Moore became a Federal prisoner but was exchanged Sept. 12, 1863. Moore fought at the Battle of Lookout Mountain in the Chattanooga Campaign. Federal Gen. U.S. Grant claimed his participation was in violation because he hadn’t officially been exchanged. When the records were later examined, the argument was resolved in Moore’s favor in 1876. After Lookout Mountain, Moore’s former army commander, Gen. Maury, claimed Moore was not properly employed there and had him assigned to command the Eastern and Western Districts of the Department of the Gulf Dec. 10, 1863. Assigned to the defenses of Mobile, Alabama, Moore served a brief time in this role before resigning. After that, he taught school in Texas, residing in Mexia and Dallas. He was a contributor to magazines and journals before he died in Osage, Texas, Dec. 31, 1910.
Brig. Gen. Young M. Moody (b. 1822, d. 1866) Young Marshall Moody was a general in the Confederate army, but only briefly. Moody ascended to the brigadier general rank March 4, 1865, barely a month before the Army of North Virginia surrendered at Appomattox Court House. Moody didn’t survive the war by long, either, dying of Yellow Fever in New Orleans Sept. 18, 1866. Moody was born in Chesterfield County, Virginia, June 23, 1822. He moved to Alabama at the age of 20 and settled in Marengo County. Prior to the Civil War, he was a teacher and merchant. He served as clerk of the circuit court from 1856-61. At the start of the war, he was elected captain in the 11th Alabama Infantry. He helped to raise the 43rd Alabama Infantry and was elected that unit’s lieutenant colonel under Archibald Gracie. When Gracie was promoted to brigadier general November 4, 1862, Moody moved up to colonel. With this unit, Moody fought in several engagements starting with the Kentucky Campaign. He fought at Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Bean’s Station. He was in temporary command of the brigade when it was transferred to Virginia. Moody was severely wounded at Drewry’s Bluff in May of 1864 but remained in regimental command. When Gracie was killed in the Petersburg trenches Dec. 2, 1864, Moody ascended to brigade command. His rank was confirmed March 4, 1865. After his parole at Appomattox, Moody moved to Mobile to engage in business. He was on a trip to New Orleans late in the summer of 1866 when he came down with Yellow Fever.