Near Pomeroy in Meigs County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Salisbury Township
The Gauntlet
— John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail —
Morgan's Raiders ran into a five-mile-long natural valley whose walls were manned by local militia and men from the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Future presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley Jr. were members of the 23rd OVI. The valley created a natural gauntlet, and the placement of the Union forces forced Morgan and his men to ride through it.
Morgan's men had to shoot while galloping and, at times, dismount and return fire in order to chase the attackers away. Morgan and his men were under almost constant fire the length of the valley, and many were wounded or killed during the ride.
[Photo captions]
Top left: The ride through a valley lined with Union regulars and militia was, according to Confederate Colonel Basil Duke, "one continual fight."
Bottom left: Forty-six-year-old Brigadier General Eliakim P. Scammon was a West Point graduate, a topographical engineer, and a former Cincinnati school teacher. During Morgan's Raid, Scammon skillfully directed the Union militia and regular army troops defending Pomeroy and Gallipolis.
Text: Edd Sharp & David L. Mowery
Illustration: Bev Kirk
Erected 2013 by the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio History Connection, and the Ohio Civil War Trail Commission. (Marker Number 20.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Natural Features • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #25 William McKinley, and the John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail in Ohio series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is July 18, 1863.
Location. 39° 3.129′ N, 82° 2.29′ W. Marker is near Pomeroy, Ohio, in Meigs County. Marker is at the intersection of Burdette Road and Laurel Cliff Road, on the right when traveling north on Burdette Road. Located near the Laurel Cliff Free Methodist Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 40792 Laurel Cliff Road, Pomeroy OH 45769, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Morgan’s Raid Route (approx. 0.9 miles away); a different marker also named Morgan's Raid Route (approx. 1.3 miles away); Rock Springs (approx. 1.3 miles away); Meigs County Fairgrounds (approx. 1.4 miles away); Valentine Baxter Horton (approx. 1.7 miles away); Meigs County Civil War Memorial (approx. 1.7 miles away); Spanish Cannon (approx. 1.7 miles away); Morgan's Raid Route / Meigs County Courthouse (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pomeroy.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 14, 2017. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 361 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 14, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.