We have been researching General George Morgan's 7th Division retreat from Cumberland Gap for a while now. The one and only modern book that deals specifically with the retreat is A Masterful Retreat by Judge Lewis D. Nicholls. He grew up in Greenup County and remembered being enthralled with the local historical marker with a brief explanation of the retreat. As he grew up and began his adulthood the interest in the retreat and all things civil war never waned. After years of attending civil war reenactments and gathering up bits and pieces of information on the retreat Judge Nicholls decided to bite the bullet and take a serious run at writing this book. He mentions in the acknowledgments that he had no idea how to begin or how to proceed. I certainly understand his trepidation in that regard. He took on the task more as a labor of love than a scholarly look at the subject. In the end he did a pretty good job of both. I appreciate the effort Judge Nicholls put into this work however there are some issues I have with his presentation.


Apologetic of General Morgan

I question the stated purpose of the book in his introduction and the methods the Judge employed to achieve the purpose. He took on the work in an attempt to vindicate General George Morgan's actions in September of 1862. He took great pains to expose General Morgan's adherence to modern military principles of warfare to show the brilliance of his actions. I would argue he went to too great a length making his point. I have two primary issues with Judge Nicholls apology.

1) I am no military historian. Mark Grimsley I most certainly am not. Based on my very limited expertise, however, I would suggest that we hold General Morgan to the principles of his time to determine the validity and accuracy of his decisions in 1862.


2) General Morgan was vindicated by Major General Horatio Wright, Brigadier General Morgan's then immediate commanding officer, soon after the 7th Division reached Greenup. In this dispatch from General Wright to General Buell just 2 weeks after the successful completion of the retreat, General Wright both clears General Morgan of any wrong doing as well as hints at the necessity of future students, such as ourselves, to view historical events in the context of their times. Until this campaign Cumberland Gap was viewed as the only avenue into Kentucky from the southeast. Both General George Morgan's 7th Division and General Kirby Smith's Army of Tennessee displayed in stark detail just how defenseless this American Gibraltar really was. When General Morgan was ordered to take and hold the Gap everyone from General Halleck down was resolute in the belief that Cumberland Gap was the lynch pen of defense for Kentucky.

=============================================================================================================

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XVI/1 [S# 22]
SEPTEMBER 17-OCTOBER 3 1862.--Evacuation of Cumberland Gap, Tenn., and march of its garrison to Greenupsburg, Ky.
No. 1.--Report of Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright, U.S. Army, commanding Department of the Ohio. [ar22_990]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, October 15, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the report of Brig. Gen. George W. Morgan, dated the 12th instant, detailing the circumstances occasioning the withdrawal of his command from Cumberland Gap:

It appears from this report that the evacuation, which was in pursuance of the unanimous opinion of a council of the general officers of the command, was a matter of necessity, arising from their provisions being exhausted, their communications cut off, and no information of any prospect of relief being received. While the evacuation of the Gap is to be regretted, I do not see how, with starvation staring him in the face and with no certainty of relief being afforded, he could have come to any other conclusion than the one arrived at. The several communications which I-had addressed to him appear not to have reached him. After the unfortunate battle near Richmond the entire country between the Ohio River and Cumberland Gap was in possession of the rebels, and communications could be sent only through the agency of individuals familiar with the country, and who of course ran great risk of capture. Several persons were found to undertake the mission, but none seem to have succeeded in getting through. The march of General Morgan from Cumberland Gap to the Ohio River was most successfully accomplished and reflects much credit on him and his officers for the skill with which it was conducted, and upon the men for the cheerfulness with which they bore the hardships of a toilsome march of over 200 miles, on scanty fare, over a country affording little subsistence, and often, for long marches, on an inadequate supply of water. The holding of Cumberland Gap has generally been considered as of the greatest moment, it being viewed as the only practicable avenue for the passage of an army into Kentucky from the Southeast. Its importance has, however, I apprehend, been much overestimated, there being several passes through the mountains which, though less easy, are nevertheless practicable, as is shown by the fact that Kirby Smith, with a rebel force of over 20,000 men, passed into Kentucky through one of them. This knowledge diminishes, in my judgment, the importance hitherto attached to the possession of the Gap, unless the neighboring avenues through the mountains into Kentucky are also held.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. G. WRIGHT,
Major-General, Commanding.
Brig. Gen. G. W. CULLUM,
Chief of Staff, Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington, D.C.

=============================================================================================================

Judge Nicholls does shed some new light on the retreat but rolling his research into an apologetic 144 years after General Morgan's own commander cleared him of any wrong doing or dereliction of duty seems a bit of a stretch.


Anecdotes of Soldiers

One of the things that kept my interest of History at bay for so many years was the lack of personality in the study. This may be more of an indictment on my instructors than the course material but the reasons remain the same. Civil War history was all about the eastern theater of the war and then all about dates. We read about what Generals Lee and McClellan did at Antietam but not a word from the soldiers serving in the rank and file. Judge Nicholls includes some anecdotes from the soldiers serving in Morgan's Division but the reader isn't left knowing much more about how the soldiers endured the retreat than before reading the book. Again, Nicholls' stated purpose for the book is as a defense of General Morgan. In our research, however, we have found ample resources that would both give credit to General Morgan as well as complete the story of the average soldier in the line. Reading Nicholls' book we get bits and pieces from his research that tell interesting anecdotes but not much that explains authoritatively certain events surrounding the run up and actual retreat of the 7th Division from Cumberland Gap. For example, Judge Nicholls uses Surgeon B.F. Stevenson's Letters(22nd Kentucky in DeCourcy's Brigade) recitation of the events at Manchester on September 18th. He glosses over the incident that we detailed here and here and doesn't mention the flurry of desertions over the next couple of days. His work being a defense of General Morgan, I'm guessing that it would be hard to defend such a surge of desertions after the execution of Private Stivers which by all accounts was warranted.


Soldier Experience

I have been a reenactor for 20 some odd years. I don't pretend to be in kindred spirit with the Veterans of the war or any war for that matter. I do suggest that the experience I have gained from reenacting helps me better understand what the veterans wrote about in their letters, diaries, and memoirs. Having the experience of spending a rainy night under a gum blanket, a blistering day in the color company of a battalion marching along a dusty road, or serving under less than adequate commanders provides a glimpse of the misery, exhaustion, and frustration of being a soldier during the Civil War. Judge Nicholls is to be commended for his service to our Country. It is because of veterans like him that I have the privilege of writing this review. His book only touches on the lives and experiences of the soldiers under General Morgan. Knowing where they went and when is a timeline. Understanding why they went where they went is history. Explaining the lives of the soldiers, their experiences during the maneuvers in question, and how their lives impacted their thoughts at the time, that dear reader is telling a story. Judge Nicholls doesn't adequately tell the story of the soldiers in his book. Given the stated purpose of his book, he was successful in his endeavor but I believe their is a gripping story surrounding the lives of the soldiers who experienced this adventure that is yet to be told.


Conclusion

For anyone interested in the Cumberland Gap Campaign of 1862 I strongly recommend Judge Nicholls book, "A Masterful Retreat". There are some factual errors in the research but that isn't uncommon and I'm sure we will make our own errors going forward. This book provides for the reader a good basic understanding of the campaign complete with an excellent bibliography for further study. The reasoned actions of General Morgan are explained and compared against modern military philosophy relieving General Morgan of any blame for the evacuation of Cumberland Gap. Judge Nicholls also does an admirable job of calling the Buell Inquiry to the carpet for attempting to scape goat General Morgan for the loss of the Gap in September of 1862.

This book is an excellent starting point for other researchers to continue the story of Morgan's Masterful Retreat.

Tonight while looking for information on Confederate General Humphrey Marshall I stumbled across an old series of books called _The Rebellion Record_. One of the sections of one of the books contains poetry from the time. This is one of pieces originally published in the Louisville Journal on June 21, 1862.

Also, if anyone is interested, you can find this volume of the The Rebellion Record here.



WAR SONG
Dedicated to the Kentucky State Guard

Cheer, boys, cheer, we'll march away to battle;
Cheer, boys, cheer, for our sweethearts and our wives;
Cheer, boys, cheer, we'll nobly do our duty,
And give to Kentucky our hearts, our arms, our lives.

Bring forth the flag Kentucky's noble standard;
Wave it on high till the winds shake each fold;
Proudly it floats, nobly waving in the vanguard -
Then cheer, boys, cheer, with a lusty, long, bold shout.

Cheer boys cheer &c

But though we march with heads all lowly bending,
Let us implore a blessing from on high,
Our cause is just, the right from wrong defending;
And the God of Battles will listen to our cry.

Cheer boys cheer &c

Though to our homes we never may return-
Ne'er press again our loved ones in our arms,
O'er our lone graves their faithful hearts will mourn;
Then cheer up, boys, cheer, such death hath no alarms.

Cheer boys cheer &c

Louisville Journal June 21

I went back over some of the other information I had on the Stivers/Cundiff incident. Reading through the Henry Lucas entry in the Dickey Diaries I read this paragraph: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kyclay2/diary/dd/hlucas.html

I was an overseer for the White's, have known them all well. They were great money makers. I worked for James and Daughtery White. My stepfather Pierce Cottingim used to steer salt boats. I never did. My grandfather Richard Lucas was a man of great physical power. He was a drummer in the militia. A man named Butts from Tennessee, rode 400 miles to whip him. He rode up to grandfather's saddler shop and called, "Does drummer Lucas live here?" Yes sir. Well, I live in Tennessee, 400 miles from here, and I have come to whip you. What have I done to you? Oh nothing, I am the bully of Tennessee and I understanf that you are the bully of Kentucky, and if I whip you, I will be the bully of the world. Well, do you wanna fight now, or can it wait til morning? Get down and go in. I keep a motel and it shall cost you nothing. No, I won't whip a man and live off him too. Well, it may not turn out that way, said grandfather. He went to another motel. The next morning they fought after the manner of times and grandfather was victorious. The Tennessean seemed perfectly satisfied and returned to his home. My grandfather afterwards joined a Methodist Church. He was a big hearted hospitable man. My Materal Grandfather was John Cundiff. My father died when I was 6 years old, it was about 1828. Grandfather Cundiff was a loyal friend, he would do anything in his power for his friend, was a great power of elections. My Uncle John Cundiff killed Eli Bowlin.
Bowlin was a bully, a man of great power. He led my uncle to, Old Bill Duncil's house, where ol Molly Henson lived. They had a quarell about the woman. Bowling kicked my uncle, a small man. He went away and came back with a dirt knife. He called Bowlin to the door and plunge it in to him. He died in a few minutes. My Uncle left the country and never returned. Uncle Sam Lucas took his wife to him. Eli Bowlin was a bad man. His son, James Bowling was hunting for Uncle John when he met my grandfather Cundiff. "Jim put that gun down", we have gotton rid of 2 bad men and let the matter stop. The Cundiff's of Breathitt are of the same stock.

My Uncle left the country and never returned. Uncle Sam Lucas took his wife to him. Eli Bowlin was a bad man. His son, James Bowling was hunting for Uncle John when he met my grandfather Cundiff. "Jim put that gun down", we have gotton rid of 2bad men and let the matter stop. The Cundiff's of Breathitt are of the same stock.

David Walker was the bully of Clay County when I was a young man and my uncle James Cundiff was almost equal. James Cundiff was killed by Lewis Stivers, son of Reverend George Stivers. I think Stivers was insane. He wanted to kill General Garrard. He was a soldier in Colonel Lucas' company, when he killed Cundiff. They were camped at Manchester. Cundiff was in the same Company. Stivers was court marshalled and shot. Every ball took affect. General George Morgan was in command. There were 12 soldiers, 6 guns loaded. I came into town a few minutes after he was shot.

During the first week of the retreat from Cumberland Gap there was an incident at Manchester that has been shrouded in some mystery until today.

We have known that Private Lewis Stivers of Company B was executed at Manchester for shooting another soldier, Private James Cundiff, but we didn't know the details. Yesterday we recieved in the mail from Jim Hoffman at University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign the diary of David Dudley Carlton, 42nd Ohio, DeCourcy's Brigade. Mr. Carlton's account of the execution provides some excellent details of the execution of Lewis Stivers:

Items in the brackets [ ] are notes I've made into the text so you know who we are talking about. Spelling is as it appears in the original.
**********************************************************
Sept 21
To day is Sunday and I have witnessed a sein which I hope never to see again. It was the execution of a man who had been sentenced to be shot for shooting one of his comrades. The particulars as near as I can

pg 90
learn are these. Co B of the [3rd later known as 7th] Ky ware out guarding a steam grist mill. And several of them ware playing cards and being more or less under the influence of liquor got into a dispute when one of them [Lewis Stivers] said he would fix & turned & went to the mill (which was about 20 rods) got his gun, loaded it, then went back and told the other one [James Cundiff] to look out for he was going to shoot him. (I have forgot his name) and instantly fired. The ball passed through his right hip & came out just above the left one causing almost instant death. He then swor he would shoot the rest of the crowd but they run before he got his gun loaded. He the left but was soon captured & confined in jail until he could have his trial which he had yesterday & was sentenced to be publicly shot today at 5OC.

pg91
About 3OC the crowd began to assemble at & around the jail and at 5 minutes before 6OC the jailor was seen to mount the stairs and lead forth the culprit (who was a man about 50 years of age) and placed him in a file of soldiers and marched him off to a field of death. He marched up to his grave accompanied by the band playing the Death's March. His eyes was then blinded and made to kneel on his coffin. The executioners (12 in no) were stationed about 15 yds from the coffin. Then the command READY was given by Lieutenant Ross of the 16th OV then AIM. Look at the man kneeling on his coffin with his eyes blinded & grave behind him in which his form will soon be laying, what must be his feelings as he kneels (more like a stone than human being) and hears the command READY

pg92
AIM. But not a muscle moved. Then comes the last word he ever heard on this earth FIRE. 9 of 12 instantly fired (3 being held in reserve) the victim realed for an instant then fell forward dead. Pieced by 6 balls. I turned from the sean & with the crowd left the place hoping that I never should again witness such a scene.
**********************************************************

Welp, the guys left for Gettysburg this morning. The At High Tide event is the second Western Brigade event of the year and should be a good time for everyone.

Here's hoping they have a safe and healthy trip.