Gavers

Gavers. A Premature Surrender. After a skirmish with Union forces on July 26, 1863, Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan regrouped the several hundred Confederate raiders who remained with him and turned east. Morgan's route down this valley was aimed toward East Liverpool on the Ohio River, where a ford would allow passage into western Virginia., In the meantime, the citizens of New Lisbon, now Lisbon, organized several groups of volunteer mounted militia who, with a single antique cannon, marched to the vicinity of Gavers to bar Morgan's passage. Charles D. Maus, sent out as a scout, was captured by Morgan's men and was delegated to communicate with the remaining militia. , The Confederates offered to leave Columbiana County without damaging persons or property if they were not fired on. As a result, the militia commander, Captain James Burbick, and Maus joined Morgan as they continued east toward West Point., When he noticed clouds of dust to the rear and south, Morgan proposed surrendering his sick and wounded men to Burbick. Shortly thereafter, Morgan offered to surrender his entire command if Burbick paroled everyone, permitted them to retain their horses and weapons, and escorted them out of Ohio. Burbick, not an authorized officer and largely a prisoner himself, reluctantly agreed to Morgan's dictated terms., Picture 1 Caption: , Following the war James Burbick (right center) returned to the site of his encounter with General Morgan. The scene was documented with a photograph. This drawing is based on that image., Picture 2 Caption: , The end of Morgan's Raid: (1) Union troops and artillery occupying Salineville force Morgan to the west; (2) After several skirmishes, the remnants of Morgan's command reunite; (3) Morgan turns eastward, hoping to reach an Ohio River ford; (4) A hastily organized civilian militia sets out to confront Morgan; (5) The New Lisbon militia allows Morgan, accompanied by two of their men, to pass to the east; (6) Morgan offers to surrender his command to Captain Burbick, a leader of the New Lisbon militia, who accepts; (7) When this agreement refuses to be recognized, Morgan officially surrenders his men to Major George Rue and Brigadier General James Shackelford of the U.S. Cavalry., Picture 3 Caption: , A thirty-six-year-old Kentuckian and Mexican American War veteran, Major George Washington Rue is officially credited with capturing John Hunt Morgan and 364 raiders.