Publisher’s Note: Because of my previous posts, many have asked about the General John Hunt Morgan Trail–the route of the Confederate raid through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio in July, 1863. Of the three states, Indiana has the most comprehensive historic tour information. Kentucky’s route is poorly marked, and maps are not detailed. Ohio is preparing a marked route, but only historic markers are erected at this time. One resource is readily available enabling a re-creation of Morgan’s route and has been a source of inspiration for my own motorcycle travels. Originally planned for a later date, I’m publishing the review now. A conversation with the author is at the end of the post.
Like many others, I had never heard of Morgan. I stumbled onto Indiana’s official John Hunt Morgan Trail during a travel assignment for RoadRUNNER Motorcycling and Touring magazine in 2005. And like others before me, I became fascinated with the history and vowed to learn more with the hope of traveling the entire route someday. My search found this book, and the author living about five miles from my home in southwestern Ohio. The rest … is history.–DBrent
The Longest Raid of the Civil War by Lester Horwitz is a fascinating and well written book about Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s tactical raid to distract Union troops, July 2-26, 1863. Horwitz’s fascination and research began when he and his wife purchased an old farm house that had been raided by Morgan’s men foraging for food and fresh horses. First, Horwitz researched the home’s history, and surrounding township and county. Then, the research turned into a 12-year effort to find the history and stories from the event in three states!
The Longest Raid contains volumes of detail about people and places. It also contains a collection of family stories handed down from ancestors. Newspaper accounts from 1863 added to the detail as did official state and federal records. In essence, Horwitz has been able to reconstruct a detailed, hour by hour, day by day account of the Civil War’s longest raid–nearly 1,000 miles by approximately 2,500 Confederate calvary chased by about 3,000 Union calvary troops. And, that research feat is fascinating in and of itself!
Morgan’s Raid is a fascinating story, and Horwitz’s efforts read more like a novel than a library resource book. The book is hard to put down as the stage shifts back and forth from Morgan’s raid, community defenses, and the pursuing Union troops. It’s no wonder it took 12 years to research and another five to write! The detail is incredible.
A book excerpt, taken from the Longest Raid web site:
Chapter 12: The Battle of Corydon
11:30am, Thursday, July 9
In the absence of telephones, runners on horseback were dispatched to various parts of the county to alert farmers and townspeople of Morgan’s approach. There were a lot of Paul Reveres on this hot July day. Farmers left their harvest fields, merchants quit their places of business and all hastened to the defensive line just south of Corydon.
The Corydon defenders had built a defensive position and breastworks made of logs, stones and fence rails. Wormwood rails were plentiful, so they were laid and stacked as an impediment to a cavalry charge. There is a “Battle of Corydon” historic marker at this site on Old S.R.135, south of Corydon.
12:30pm, July 9
Major Thomas McGrain, Jr., commanding the Ellsworth Rifles on the line near Amsterdam Road, had a full view of the approaching Confederates who filled the road for nearly a mile. The Ellsworth company was splendidly armed with new Henry repeating rifles, which had just been invented three years earlier (1860).
The Henry was the first magazine rifle used in quantity by the Union Army. A tubular magazine under the barrel held from twelve to fifteen rim-fire copper cartridges of caliber .44 short. It weighed about nine and three-quarter pounds and had a brass casing. The Confederates had a similar comment about the Henry rifle complaining “that damn Yankee rifle can be loaded on Sunday and fired all week.”
More excerpts are available online.
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The Longest Raid of the Civil Warby Lester Horwitz $34.95 hard cover $29.95 soft cover 1999 Farmcourt Publishing |
Like other novels, this book has adventure, chivalry, horse thievery, plundering, murder and intrigue. Unlike other novels, it contains a brief element of military tactics. Indiana’s only Civil War battle occurred at Corydon, and Ohio’s only battle occurred at Buffington Island. Both events directly due to Morgan’s Raid.
The Longest Raid of the Civil War should be on the book shelf of every Civil War History enthusiast. It is a fascinating story, well told, and full of details. With the approaching 150th commemoration of the Civil War, (2011-2015) this book is going to join the many documents that helps us understand our history. Yes. Our History!
And now, a Conversation with Lester Horwitz.
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