Morgan's riflemen were expert marksmen who employed long rifles, which were more accurate than the standard Brown Bess muskets used by the British. Morgan and his actions served as one of the key sources for the fictional character of Benjamin Martin in The Patriot, a motion picture released in 2000. At that critical moment Major General Phillips arrived on the eastern edge of Freemans farm with the 20th regiment of foot, just 100 yards from the surge of Americans. 338 New Pleasant Road What was Morgan's nickname during the Revolution from being a teamster? Morgan immediately kept himself and his corps busy. A drinker and brawler, Morgan . Morgan had, within his command, officers who had come up against Tarleton before. Simultaneously, Lt. Major Aclands grenadiers held the British left and fired a volley. Tarleton saw this as the beginning of a rout similar to what had happened at Camden last August, when the militia fled the field, leaving the regular troops vastly outnumbered. Daniel Morgans strength and endurance were remarkable, and in beauty of feature and expression he was equaled by few men of his time. Historians have never reached a consensus on the use of a standard name for this epic journey, "Who Will Get the General's Body? Throughout 1778 he hit British columns and supply lines in New Jersey but was not involved in any major battles. Morgan and his 11th Regiment was placed on the west side of the Schuylkill River and scouted for the army, often engaged in Indian-style fighting with British patrols and foraging parties. He died at his daughter's home in Winchester on July 6, 1802. As a young man, he settled in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley outside Winchester. Josiah Book 1. Highlanders Attack at the Battle of Bushy Run in 1763. Mercer and sixteen of his men were killed out-right. The remnants of Abraham Bufords and Robert Porterfields corps were joined a small body of raw recruits totaling around 350 men, the entire Virginia Line that was left. Also, reportedly Morgan, at age 19, had an illegitimate son Daniel Morgan (1755-1821). It was during this period that he got his nickname, "The Old Wagoner." The event was pictured by a staged photo that appeared in Life magazine.[33]. His name would become synonymous with some of the most determined and hardened fighters of the war. During his parole, towards the end of 1776, Morgan learned, due to his actions at Quebec, that Congress awarded him with a commission as colonel of the 11th Virginia Regiment. Heitman, Francis B. This normally killed the victim, but he survived. He was ordered to raise and command a new infantry regiment, the 11th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line. When British General William Howe abandoned Philadelphia in June of 1778 and retreated his army across New Jersey, Washington followed cautiously. His father was an iron master and soon after Daniel was born, the family moved across the Delaware River to Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Woodford became ill and for a time, Morgan took over command of both the 7th and 11th, handling the job as brigadier. As a young man, he settled in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley outside Winchester. He served with the British in the French & Indian War, but got in trouble for sassing an officer and received 500 lashes. Acland was hit in both legs and carried from the field, eventually to be captured by the rapidly advancing Americans. About 1762, Morgan obtained a grant of land a few miles east of Winchester, and devoted himself to farming and raising stock. Only when Morgan and Dearborn drove back Balcarres troops, exposing the Germans to the possibility of being surrounded, did the Germans slowly withdraw. Graham, James. By his dominating personality alone, he was rallying the fleeing troops to stop and regroup reforming the British right into a new line that could possibly halt the American momentum. Because rifles took longer to reload, they cleared out when the enemy came in range of the militias muskets. When General Washington had been beaten on nearly every front and whose reduced forces were dwindling by the day due to illness, death, and desertion. For two hours men baked in a hot mid-day sun as they continued to gather in the woods on either side of the farms clearing. Only Morgan was sent out to probe the enemys strength. Therefore he divided them into two groups and placed his sharpshooters on the top of a gentle rise and ordered them to fire twice and then retreat behind the second line. After that he became a wagoner, a person who drove a wagonload of supplies across the mountains to the settlers. An attempt to outflank the barricade by going through one of the houses was met with a savage hand to hand fight, there too the Americans were repelled back. Once the necessary supplies had been obtained, including an additional force of four thousand reinforcements under General Leslie arrived, sent south from New York by Clinton, the three divisions would move north with the goal of uniting at Charlotte and proceeding to the interior of North Carolina. The Battle of Cowpens: The Great Morale Builder. He and Gates had reached an impasse with Gates ordering the combative general to his quarters. Therefore, his contemporaries assumed that his younger years must have been painful. In 18th century warfare, there were two types of weapons carried into battle: the smooth-bore musket and the grove-bore rifle. According to historian Higginbotham, Morgan did not get the command because Brigadier General Anthony Wayne had been replaced as commander of the Pennsylvania Line and threatened to resign if not given this new command. Morgan took a musket ball through the back of his neck that crushed his left jaw and exited his cheek, taking all his teeth on that side of his mouth. Afterwards, Morgan was commissioned an ensign by Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie and also may be the first time that Washington took notice of the young, fire-brand backwoodsmans talents as a leader. he decked a British officer and was given a death sentence for it. Morgan pushed his men relentlessly, arriving on August 6th, averaging an incredible twenty-seven miles a day! Morgan may well have lived at this location, but as a renter, not an owner. By 10 AM, the battle was over. He was active in transporting supplies up and down this line of defense and was frequently open to hostile attack by roving bands of French and Native Americans. The British captured Morgan and his riflemen along with Benedict Arnold at Quebec in December 1775. In the procession that escorted his remains to the tomb were seven members of the rifle company he had led to Boston in 1775. He transported supplies over the Blueridge Mountains to new settlements to the west and hauled products from the frontier back over the mountains to markets in the east. In response, Morgan knocked the lieutenant out with one punch. Hickman, Kennedy. The scar certainly enhanced his repute. Following the battle, Morgan briefly commanded Woodford's Virginia Brigade. Morgan came upon Freemans Farm, a large clearing amidst the tangled forests, before the British could make the field and quickly hid his men in the woods. Daniel Morgan had a history with the British which triggered a lot of hate. Hickman, Kennedy. Morgan immediately swung out and with one punch, knocked the officer senseless. He was still a young man with a rebellious attitude which resulted in him punching one of his senior officers. ThoughtCo, Apr. The Patriots attacked in two pincers, commanded by Montgomery and Arnold. Daniel and Abigail Morgan had two daughters. One of the most respected battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War of 1775-1783, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791-1794. Morgan eventually arrived at Charlotte on December 3, 1780 where forging and raiding occupied their time until the end of the year. After the second volley, the militia broke. As a result, he was repeatedly passed over for promotion to brigadier, favor going to men with less combat experience but with better political connections. In 1820 Virginia named a new countyMorgan Countyin his honor. Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History. They paroled them eight months later on the promise that the parolees would not fight against the British until they were exchanged for British prisoners. Morgan drove wagons in the French and Indian War, received 500 lashes for striking a British officer, and took an Indian bullet through his mouth. Within days of his defeat at Bemis Heights, General Burgoyne sued for peace and accepted Gates terms, surrendering his entire army. A special brigade was forming of light infantry and Morgan believed strongly that he should be given its command as brigadier general. He sent General Morgan southwest into South Carolina to the Catawba River to cut the supply lines and hamper British operations in the back country and so too to spirit up the people by cooperating with frontier militia. A statue of Morgan is on the west face of the Saratoga Monument in Schuylerville NY.[37]. In June 1780, he was urged to re-enter the service by General Gates but declined. Used to the freedom of the backwoods and now confined to a settled countryside, they began to drink, fight, and basically became a general nuisance. Successful expeditions in 1764 by the British brought the war to a quick end and the militia was disbanded without Morgan ever having been involved in the action. Morgan later served as a rifleman in the provincial forces assigned to protect the western settlements from French-backed Indian raids. Not long after becoming colonel, he was placed in charge of a corps of light infantry made up of Virginians, Pennsylvanians, and Marylanders and he began to employ tactics designed to disturb the disciplined Royal troops. The only recorded reference to his birth date was given by Morgan after his capture in the failed attack on Quebec in which during the prisoner exchange, he gave his age as 40 years. Morgan was the fifth of seven children of James Morgan (17021782) and Eleanor Lloyd (17061748). The first two units were to withdraw as soon as they were seriously threatened, but after inflicting damage. The tactic resulted in a double envelopment. Captain Henry Dearborn, who was in reserve and coming to aid Morgan, was confronted by this force. Although the light infantry broke, General Fraser was trying to rally them, encouraging his men to hold their positions when Benedict Arnold arrived. A number of statues have been erected in his honor, and in 2013 his Winchester, Virginia, home was made a designated historic place. In 1797 he was elected and served one term in the House of Representatives. Morgan worked as a teamster, hauling freight to the eastern part of the colony. The order was mistaken, and the entire line began an orderly retreat. Most authorities agree that Morgan was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. As the British forces approached, the Americans, with their backs turned to the British, reloaded their muskets. : Two Southern Towns Battle Over Grave of Daniel Morgan, Herow of Cowpens. The bullet, which struck him in the back of his neck, knocked out the teeth on his left jaw, and exited his cheek. Greene had decided to split his army and annoy the enemy in order to buy time to rebuild his force. Having proved himself a military leader, in 1771, William Nelson, acting Governor of Virginia, commissioned Morgan captain of the Fredericksburg Militia. Mercer, along with 36 men (some reports state as high as 50 or more), had sallied out in pursuit of a band of Native Americans and were ambushed by a large body of French & Indians. Morgan was one of those who then followed Arnold's lead to turn a counter-attack from the British middle. Morgan characteristically knocked out the officer with a single blow of his fist. During the Battle of Quebec, Arnold suffered a wound to his leg, forcing command of the American forces on Morgan. On December 21, 1780, he left Charlotte in command of a little over six hundred men. 1958: Doubleday, New York, NY. After the main army crossed the river, Gates advance force was attacked by 72 French regulars, 146 Canadians, and nearly 700 Native Americans. And behind the regular troops, hidden from the enemy, were Washingtons cavalry, ready to swoop down once the regulars were fully engaged. It has since been labeled the Battle of Great Cacapon or Mercers Massacre. Callahan, North. Morgans main adversary was British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. His grave is in the Presbyterian burying-ground at Winchester, Virginia, and was marked by a horizontal slab. The British army took post in three divisions near its northern boundary, the main body, under General Cornwallis remained at Camden; Colonel Tarletons legion was stationed at Winnsborough, and Major Patrick Fergusons brigade of Provincial Loyalist troops was at Ninety-six; Winnsborough was roughly half way between Camden and Ninety-six. Arriving on August 30, he began taking part in operations againstMajor General John Burgoyne's army, which was advancing south fromFort Ticonderoga. Disaster soon struck British plans to press north. He offered Morgan a regiment in his new command, the Southern Department. He soon became known as the Old Wagoner. He accompanied General Edward Braddock on his ill-fated campaign against the French and Indians at Fort Duquesne. - Daniel Morgan is wounded carrying dispatches to Winchester, Virginia. Preparations for war were observable by increased enlistments in provincial militias and the gathering of provisions and armaments. Morgan replied, Doctor, if I could be the man I was when I was 21 years of age [1757], I would be willing to be stripped stark naked on the top of the Allegheny Mountains to run for my Life with the hounds of death at my heels. He died with his family and friends at his side on July 7, 1802. On October 7, Morgan commanded the left wing of the American line as the British advanced on Bemis Heights. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Power was poured down the muzzle followed by the ball wrapped in cloth. A statue of Morgan was erected at the McConnelsville library, in Morgan County, Ohio in 2017. He also went on to serve one term in the House of Representatives as a Federalist. Morgan supposedly declared that this was no time to let personal considerations have any weight and by September, was on the road to join what remained of Gates command at Hillsborough, North Carolina. Morgan used the mistaken order to his advantage. It is located in Morgan Square and remains in place today. When Burgoyne pressed forward to attack, Arnold was keen to take the offensive and head out to meet him. History recorded romantically that Arnold suggested to Morgan that one of his sharpshooters needed to get rid of the officer on the gray horse, even naming Fraser as the one to be targeted. For that he was court-martialed and sentenced to 500 lashes (he later always maintained that the drummer had miscounted and he had only been given 499 lashes, so the British still "owed him one more lash.") . The Americans won. Early in the war, Morgan served in Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec and in the Saratoga campaign. Congress also called for ten companies of riflemen to be recruited in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia (responsible for two companies). Gradually, within the three hours of battle, the British, who kept in ranks in the fields, were driven back until so many officers had been killed or wounded (Braddock had been shot in the lungs) that the British panicked and ran for their lives. Burgoyne's next offensive resulted in the Battle of Bemis Heights on Oct. 7. In 1881 (on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens), a statue of Morgan was placed in the central town square of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Arnolds command included brigades by General Ebenezer Learned and Enoch Poors Continentals with Major Henry Dearborns unit (Dearborn having been exchanged) and Colonel Daniel Morgans riflemen. Morgan, his company second in line, demonstrated his aggressive skills under combat and pressed his men forward, rallying Woods troops and driving the Native Americans from their positions and pushing them to retreat. Morgan refused. Arnold pressed for a full and immediate attack. Daniel Morgan was born to Welsh parents. The main British army had been confined into two comparatively small regions of the colonies while a second army had faced total annihilation earlier in the fall of 1777. With the British having captured Fort Duquesne on November 24th, 1758, the frontier west of Virginia and Pennsylvania quieted down. Both had their strengths and weaknesses. Arnolds Connecticut men slammed against the enemys center; however, the Germans had no intention of giving way. As a result, he was court-martialed and sentenced to 500 lashes. [21][22], Cornwallis had lost not only Tarleton's legion but also his light infantry, losses that limited his speed of reaction for the rest of the campaign. The union would produce two children: Nancy Morgan Neville (1763-1839) and Betsy Morgan Heard (no dates wife of James Heard). Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan Author Albert Zambone discussed the life of Revolutionary War general Daniel Morgan, including his arrival in the Shenandoah Valley as a read more. As the fight raged, Burgoyne and Gates were both so worried as to what the other might do next, that neither committed their entire armies. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. With Montgomery defeated, Carleton could concentrate his forces on the lower town. At the conclusion of Lord Dunmores War, Morgans company was released from duty and were on their way home. General said I, What had been the matter with your back? Ah replied he, that is the doings of old King George. (One, Nancy, married Presley Neville, a Revolutionary War veteran. Morgan was considered one of the most skilled tacticians of the Continental Army. With Montgomery down, his attack faltered. The Patriots surrounded the British. To learn more about Daniel Morgan, read the following books: Life of General Daniel Morgan of the Virginia Line of the Army of the United States by James Graham, Daniel Morgan Revolutionary Rifleman by Don Higginbotham, "Downright Fighting": The Story of Cowpens (Official National Park Handbook) by Thomas J. Fleming, A Devil of a Whipping: The Battle of Cowpens by Lawrence E. Babits, Battle of Cowpens: A Documented Narrative and Troop Movement Maps by Edwin C. Bearss, Cowpens National Battlefield On July 15th, he and his company set out from Winchester, Virginia for the six-hundred-mile trek to Boston. The rest of his men followed and after a few minutes of desperate struggle, the defenders surrendered. General John Hunt Morgan (CSA), "Daniel Morgan - Cowpens National Battlefield (U.S. National Park Service)", "Daniel Morgan Middle School - Winchester Public Schools", "National Register of Historic Places Listings", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Nomination form for Saratoga to the National Historic Register, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Daniel_Morgan&oldid=1138286077, American Revolutionary War prisoners of war held by Great Britain, People from Bethlehem Township, New Jersey, People of Virginia in the French and Indian War, Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia, Burials at Mount Hebron Cemetery (Winchester, Virginia), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 22:13. In 1801, Morgan signed his final will and testament, which was later probated in September of 1802. The smooth bore musket could be loaded quicker. [4] Morgan's parents were born in Pennsylvania and then later moved to New Jersey together. With Howes main army back in New York City, Morgan continued to harass supply lines, foraging party, and provided Washington with important scouting information. The battle soon ended and so did Burgoynes plans to split the colonies in half. Colonel Morgan was reassigned to the Virginia 7th on September 14, 1778, leaving Colonel Abraham Buford in charge of his 11th that he had led successfully at Saratoga. Morgan and many of his men were later captured by Governor Sir Guy Carleton's forces. Though his initial efforts failed, he was elected in 1797 and served one term before his death in 1802. Morgan led his regiment, with the added support of Henry Dearborn's 300-man New Hampshire infantry, as the advance to the main forces. When Morgan arrived in Virginia, he could barely read and write. [24][25] He turned his attention to investing in land rather than clearing it, and eventually built an estate of more than 250,000 acres (1,000km2). About 3:00 PM, a large body of Americans appeared in the woods on the British left Poors New Hampshire Brigade, and they were immediately shelled. [5][7] They called for the formation of 10 rifle companies[6][7] from the middle colonies to support the Siege of Boston,[5] and late in June 1775, Virginia agreed to send two. The German rifles were shorter, thereby their velocity was less with a lower range of effectiveness. On the night of the 13th, Braddock died and was buried in the middle of the road to prevent the discovery of his body by hostile tribes. He also served in the Philadelphia campaign before resigning from the army in 1779. His flamboyant career as a free-for-all independent wagoner was soon cut short by the French and Indian War. Evidence indicates (early biographies) that Morgans friendship with Gates had been strained for a time when he refused to support Gates in his efforts to supplant Washington as Commander-in-Chief. Held as a prisoner until September 1776, Morgan was initially paroled before being formally exchanged in January 1777. Tarleton must have been overjoyed to see Morgan had placed his militia out front and ordered his hardened veterans to advance. But by the time Morgan reached Greene in North Carolina, he was in tremendous pain. He was politically active and shared the developing sentiment by those who considered themselves patriots and readily joined in the growing rebellion to the crown. He was given permission by Gates to escort patriot supply wagons. Twenty thousand men were to be raised. 2001: Burke County Historical Society, Morgantown, North Carolina. Historian James Frassett wrote that Daniel Morgan, or the Old Wagoneer as he called himself, was the most successful field leader of the American Revolution and perhaps the least remembered. James Graham, author ofThe Life of General Morgan of the Virginia Line of the Army of the United States, writes in his 1856 text on Morgan, After examining all the sources of information within my reach, I became convinced that few, if any, of the heroes of that day furnished larger contributions than he did to the glory of our arms, or surpassed him in the amount and value of their services. In defeating the British in what historians claim was the most brilliant battle of the Revolutionary War and among the greatest masters of military art, tactics that military academies continue to hold up as a model for future generations, Morgans contribution as Founding Father is nothing but astonishing. American Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan repeatedly bloodied British noses. Later in 1775, Morgan participated American expedition to invade Canada organized by General Benedict Arnold. Hickman, Kennedy. Morgan encountered difficulty the following year when taking supplies to Fort Chiswell. The American regulars, as planned, began to step back in a gradual retreat, but continued to reload and fire into the approaching British. . His teamster career drew him into the French and Indian War, during which he helped to supply the British Army. As a result, he was court-martialed and sentenced to 500 lashes. His earlier service in the French and Indian War made him hate the British, who had once subjected him to 500 lashes as a punishment. Outside Fort Edward, Morgan and his companion were ambushed by Indians allied with the French. This brought Morgan's brigade once again up against General Fraser's forces. "American Revolution: Brigadier General Daniel Morgan." Morgan chose to make his stand at Cowpens, South Carolina. Arnold's expedition set out from Fort Western on September 25, with Morgan leading the advance party.[15]. A musket ball went through the back of his neck, grazed the left side of his neck, and passed through his mouth near the jaw bone, coming out through his cheek but not before dislodging some teeth of his left jaw. Colonel Washington. On March 25, 1790, Morgan finally received a gold medal that had been struck by Congress in recognition of his victory at Cowpens. Over a third of the British force had been killed with many more wounded. [5][7] Morgan thus acquired a disdain for British authorities and their treatment of provincials. He felt that being outranked by so many militia officers would limit his usefulness. He developed a hatred for the British Army. Morgan was indispensable to the Continental Army during the Saratoga campaign, but he grew irritated when he repeatedly failed to receive promotions. The Americans, led by Colonel George Washington, took to the woods while the British remained in formation in the open. When this strategy became apparent, the British General Cornwallis sent Colonel Banastre Tarleton's British Legion to track him down. He had ignored Gates orders and hastened to the crash of arms. As they approached this second barricade, the Royal Highlanders and militia rained shot down upon them. Dr. Conrad, told him to settle his affairs. Morgan jumped at the chance to earn guaranteed work at thirteen shillings a day and signed on as a teamster to haul for the British. Gates supposedly said Well then, order on Morgan to begin the game. Once more, Gates kept most of his troops within the Bemis Heights defenses. Their other daughter, Betsy, married James Heard, also a Revolutionary War veteran.) The commander-in-chief appointed Morgan colonel of the 7th Virginia Regiment, but he was continually passed over for promotion, forcing him to resign. He led a force that relieved Fort Edwards during its siege and successfully directed the defence afterward. Before they could rush with bayonets, the Americans exploded from the woods, firing and charging, mowing down the grenadiers. Among his words were these that ring true to this day: He was the complete soldier. There is a street named after him in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. A loose confederation of Native American tribes, primarily from the Great Lakes region, were unhappy with the British post war policies. While his escort was being scalped, and with blood flowing freely from his wound, Morgan was able to hang onto his horse and though weakened, was able to spur him from the scene. He, along with General Anthony Wayne, pursued Tarleton throughout Virginia, but before the campaign was completed, by August, he was once more attacked so severely with pain that he had to quit and go home. He departed Winchester with his troops on July 14, 1775. Hebron Cemetary in Winchester where he was re-interred. I did not think it worth while to tell him of his mistake, and let it go so. Supposedly, Morgan held no grudge towards the lieutenant who later had apologized for the incident and Morgans suffering. The wagons followed slowly and by July 10th, halted around seven miles west of what was called The Great Meadow (where the previous year Washington had built a crude fortification called Fort Necessity) and now referred to as Dunbar Camp. The approach of the enemy in that quarter has made a further reinforcement necessary, and I know of no corps so likely to check their progress, in proportion to its number, as that under your command. Washington gave him three rifle companies, collectively led by Morgan, to augment his force. Legend states that Tim Murphy, an experienced Indian fighter whose skill with the double-barreled rifle was well known, climbed a tree and took aim. On October 7, 1780, a large body of patriots from North Carolina, Virginia, and east Tennessee (called over the mountain men) caught up with Major Patrick Fergusons Provincial loyalists at Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Morgans men began to take serious casualties. Departing Fort Western on September 25, Morgan's men endured a brutal march north before finally joining up with Montgomery near Quebec.
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