American Life Histories
Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project
1936-1940

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Morgan's Raid
MORGAN RENDERS A SERVICE

Mr. Marling's story as he gives it when in a reminiscent mood: -- "I certainly remember John Morgan and the excitement in the neighborhood when the message came that Morgan and his terrible men were coming, gathering all the horses they could find. At the time I was a pretty big chunk of a boy with one leg so stiff I couldn't bend my knee due to a bad cut across the knee cap. I had preferred to walk stiff-legged rather than be hurt a little so at the time it was impossible to bend my game leg.

To make a long story short word came by messenger that Morgan was camped at Lexington about five miles West of our home, and was sending decoys of men in all directions, we hid our horses in a thicket so dense they could not be seen unless within a few feet of them. The Raiders came within approximately three miles of us before swerving abruptly North. I had an aunt with a large family who lived about a mile from us.

My mother was afraid something would happen to her sister and family so started me to go to warn them and bring them to our house where it would be easier to hide in the cliffs if Morgan did come. She urged me to make as great haste as possible with my bum leg, and to beware of a road, so I started hobbling off through the field but the farther I got from home the faster I tried to go, finally breaking into a run. On the way I came to a deep ravine about two feet across I never halted and made it with my well leg, but the stiff one missed and I stubbed my toe, stopped with such a jerk my stiff-knee cracked and this time I exercised it enough not to let it get in so bad a shape. I always told people I owed Morgan a lot for the favor he unknowingly did me.

My uncle, John Reed secured one of the southern horses, in some manner. He rested it up and found he had one of the best saddle horses in the County.

Morgan ran into some sympathizers west of Lexington and their horses were left. The government reimbursed a few of the people for their loss but a majority were just minus their horses, unless they happened to get a horse that Morgan had to leave. They were usually worn completely out but some of them made good horses after a rest and good cure." (A)

Grace Monroe
Dist. 4, Jefferson County
Reference (A): Mr. Melvin Marling.

Text from: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection