Harrison

Harrison. Morgan Invades Ohio. Before noon on July 13, 1863, heads in Harrison turned towards the distant rumble of hooves on the covered bridge over the Whitewater River southwest of town. A long line of Confederate horsemen -- more than 2000 -- inched their way down the hill above the river, leading a battery of four cannon and a wagon train filled with the spoil of war. Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan , the "Rebel Raider" had invaded the Buckeye state., The young, battle-scarred troopers who galloped down the dusty streets of Market (today's Harrison Avenue) and Broadway searched the town for horses, feed , provision, saddles, bridles, halters, and boots. Foraging was a necessity for both sides, but some raiders could not resist looting while they were in the Union's backyard. Stealing money, tobacco, and liquor, they also took keepsakes for their families.in the South: ribbons, dresses, veils, skates, and even a birdcage with canaries. Others tied bolts of calico and silk to the pommels of their saddles and let the fabric trail behind. "one man came out," a thirteen-year-old girl noted, "with a whole stock of women's hats, all piled on top of each other on his head. There must have been a dozen of them!", A Daring Night March , The raiders were exhausted after riding from southern Indiana, but they would not rest that night. Nearly 10,000 Union soldiers lay in wait in southwest Ohio. Furthermore, Morgan''s arch nemesis, Brigadier General Edward Hobson, and his 2,500 Union cavalry trailed by less than a five-hour ride., Morgan's daring plan was to trick the enemy into thinking that he would attack Cincinnati or Hamilton. The diversion would allow him to slip past these strongholds during the night. His decision resulted in the longest lasting nonstop march of a cavalry division in U.S. history., Morgan's Raid in Ohio , The Civil War , which most thought would be over quickly, had bogged down into a long fight between the states. Heavy fighting was going on in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and in Vicksburg, Mississippi, when Confederate General John Hunt Morgan brought the war to the Northern home front. Racing through Indiana, he crossed into southwestern Ohio on July 13, 1863, and brought more than 2,000 veteran raiders with him. Their mission in crossing the state was to occupy as many Union troops as possible. Department of the Ohio commander Major General Ambrose Burnside sought to stop Morgan, but that would prove a much harder job than he expected.