And through all this mayhem, rode General Arnold. The Battle of Quebec began in a blizzard on the morning of December 31. Heitman, Francis B. Weve all seen the images Continental Soldiers huddled around winter fires, starving, distraught, Americas darkest hour; these are the times that try a mans soul, taught in every classroom of American History. Morgan and the others fought back, it was reported that Morgan personally killed four attackers, and the enemy was repulsed. ThoughtCo, Apr. Also, because the shot snugly fit the grooves, its velocity was much higher than the musket, allowing the effective range to be greater so much so that a rifle in the hands of a marksman could hit his target at two hundred yards with some reportedly up to three hundred yards. [20] In July 1781, Morgan briefly joined Lafayette to pursue Banastre Tarleton once more, this time in Virginia, but they were unsuccessful. In 1820 Virginia named a new countyMorgan Countyin his honor. Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History. 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. a light infantry unit of 500 riflemen . Though his initial efforts failed, he was elected in 1797 and served one term before his death in 1802. He developed a hatred for the British Army. 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 Morgan was a New Jersey-born patriot who rose to the rank of Brigadier General during his service to the United States Army. , leaving the third line of more than 500 regulars occupying a hill to contend with the advancing British. After the second volley, the militia broke. Morgan was considered one of the most skilled tacticians of the Continental Army. 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. Their other daughter, Betsy, married James Heard, also a Revolutionary War veteran.) The remains of Colonels Anthony Walton Whites and Lt. A year later in 1763, he tried his hand at soldiering again. He was to be flogged 500 lashes.Opps, he lived and became the head of Morgan's sharpshooters and was squared off with General Burgoyne 20 . 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 knew he could count on the Continentals to take the hardest part of the fighting and that they would not run. Morgans men began to take serious casualties. That spark came when then Provisional Colonel George Washington, leading a militia of Virginians, surprised a detachment of French & Canadians on May 28, 1754 during a diplomatic mission and killed the leader, Joseph Coulon Jumonville. Virginia responded by calling one thousand militia into service to aid the existing forces already on the frontier. (One, Nancy, married Presley Neville, a Revolutionary War veteran. He was court-martialed and sentenced 500 lashes. Besides this frustration, his legs and back aggravated him from the abuse taken during the Quebec Expedition. This normally killed the victim, but he survived. He was still a young man with a rebellious attitude which resulted in him punching one of his senior officers. About 1762, Morgan obtained a grant of land a few miles east of Winchester, and devoted himself to farming and raising stock. He finally settled on the Virginia frontier, near what is now Winchester, Virginia. As a result, he was repeatedly passed over for promotion to brigadier, favor going to men with less combat experience but better political connections. 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. Montgomery, knowing his forces were inadequate to make a frontal assault, decided to attack at night and during a snow storm. Morgans biographer Graham put it colorfully, the hardships and privations which they were occasionally called upon to endure, gave a dash of intrepidity and recklessness to their character, and made them regard courage and other soldier-like qualities as those entitled to the highest praise and honor. Morgan grew quickly into a tall, strong, strapping young man who was built like a rock and who exhibited self-confidence, carelessness, decisiveness, and the courage admired by others as a born leader. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. By then, Congress had seen their error in assigning Gates the command of the Southern Army, and lastly took General Washingtons advice and offered the leadership to General Nathanael Greene. In May of 1763, a number of British forts and settlements were attacked; eight forts were destroyed and hundreds of colonists were killed or captured, with many more fleeing the region. As part of his settling down in 1782, he joined the Presbyterian Church and, using Hessian prisoners of war, built a new house near Winchester, Virginia. For his actions at Cowpens, the Virginia legislature granted Morgan land and an estate that had been abandoned by a Tory. 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. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The groove-bore rifle on the other hand, could not be loaded as quickly. The German rifles were shorter, thereby their velocity was less with a lower range of effectiveness. Throughout this period, Morgan became increasingly dissatisfied with the army and the Congress. Shortly after Morgans arrival, Gates offered the overall command of this small corps to Morgan who accepted. 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. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. Also, rifles did not have bayonets and therefore could not thwart such an attack nor charge like musketeers. He placed his reserves, Washingtons cavalry, in a swale that hid them from the British view. Because rifles took longer to reload, they cleared out when the enemy came in range of the militias muskets. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Over 100 Great Books on the American Revolution, 50+ Great Books In African American Studies, Visit Historical Artist Don Troiani and View his Outstanding Artistic Portrayals by Clicking Here. It fired a larger caliber bullet or shot. With the beginning of the American Revolution, Morgan assumed command of a rifle company and soon saw action outside of Boston and during the invasion of Canada. he decked a British officer and was given a death sentence for it. He, along with around three hundred other teamsters, arrived with designated supplies at Fort Cumberland (present day West Virginia near Pennsylvania) at the beginning of May, 1755 and awaited the army. 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. The Life of General Daniel Morgan of the Virginia Line of the United States 1859: Derby & Jackson, New York, NY. The Americans split up into three divisions, two to make the attack and one held in reserve to support either. Frassett, James. Unique to the American design, labeled Kentucky Long Rifles, were changes implemented by these German immigrants who settled in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area. Morgan worked as a teamster, hauling freight to the eastern part of the colony and eventually received the nickname "The Old Wagoner". In 1755, he and his cousin Daniel Boone took part in Major General Edward Braddock's ill-fated campaign against Fort Duquesne, which ended in a stunning defeat at the Battle of the Monongahela. In response, Virginia formed two companies and command of one was given to Morgan. When you arrive there, you will take directions from General Putnam, who, I expect, will have vessels provided to carry you to Albany. Whether called upon to probe enemy forces or when spearheading an attack, they stood firm before the best the British had, forever forging their name on the laurels of an American democracy that laid the foundation for future greatness. The musket could also accommodate a seventeen-inch blade or bayonet. Captain John Fenton Mercer, of Washingtons Virginia regiment, [the Mercer clan Scotsmen were friends of Washington including later General Hugh Mercer] garrisoned the wilderness Fort Edward, on the Cacapehon river about twenty miles northwest of Winchester. He was admitted as an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati in the state of Virginia. He led a force that relieved Fort Edwards during its siege and successfully directed the defence afterward. He offered Morgan a regiment in his new command, the Southern Department. The Tory force was demolished and Major Ferguson killed, basically wiping out a third of Cornwallis force and destroying any hope the British had of recruiting a large army of southern loyalists to fight for the crown. Arnold spotted him and called to Morgan: "That man on the grey horse is a host unto himself and must be disposed of direct the attention of some of the sharpshooters amongst your riflemen to him!" On the second day of the attack, the enemy made a furious assault on the fort. Fraser ignored the intense firing and rode among his men to rally them. While Morgan improved his reading and writing under his wifes tutelage, he became involved in public affairs. The first opportunity occurred on the 27th, but had to be called off. For his impertinence, Morgan was punished with 500 lashestypically fatal number. Later in 1775, Congress approved an invasion of Canada and tasked Brigadier General Richard Montgomery with leading the main force north from Lake Champlain. Hickman, Kennedy. One of the most respected battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War of 17751783, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion of 17911794. In less than an hour, Tarleton's 1,076 men suffered 110 killed and 830 captured; 200 British prisoners of war were wounded. This would invite a premature charge from the British. Great generals are scarce; there are few Morgans. Daniel Morgan is a prime example of what one can accomplish with ones life if one works hard and plans well. It was during this period that he got his nickname, "The Old Wagoner." The Americans camped on the battlefield the night before the battle. At three-forty, as recorded by Reverend Enos Hitchcock, the front exploded once more. 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. The militia, commanded by Colonels Cunningham and McDowell, easily got off their two volleys before, as ordered, they turned tail and sprinted up the hill. 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. The astute backwoodsman spent the next three weeks playing a cat and mouse game with Tarleton, wearing out the aristocrats troops while infuriating him in hopes that the overconfident commander would make a rash move. In the spring of 1756, while hauling supplies to Fort Chiswell, Morgan fell into a confrontation with a British Lieutenant who verbally abused him then struck him with the flat of his sword. When the two hit the British from both sides, having moved quietly through the woods to position, Learneds brigade was to attack the enemys center. Morgan was chosen to lead the fifty volunteers and in a short time after their arrival at the fort, the fortification was attacked by a formidable body of French and Indians. On July 12th, Braddock was brought into camp and orders were given to retreat to Fort Cumberland. 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. Burgoyne in turn kept most of Frasers force in reserve up on the heights to the west, fearing a flank attack from that direction. He named the home Saratoga after his victory in New York. A detachment of Morgan's regiment, commanded by Morgan, was reassigned to the army's Northern Department and on Aug 30 he joined General Horatio Gates to aid in resisting Burgoyne's offensive. His flamboyant career as a free-for-all independent wagoner was soon cut short by the French and Indian War. *See Daniel Morgan: Revolutionary Rifleman by Don Higginbotham. The rifle had drawbacks. At some point, Morgan and this officer had words and the officer struck Morgan with the flat side of his sword. Morgan refused to give up and attempted to break out, actually capturing Laws in one such attempt. Fully a third of the colonial population continued to support the rebellion in money and recruits, while the French had recently entered the war against England. On December 21, 1780, he left Charlotte in command of a little over six hundred men. Disaster soon struck British plans to press north. Weapons proudly carried by Morgans backwoodsmen he entitled Morgans Raiders.. At age 19, he took on the job as wagoner. Daniel Morgan Revolutionary Rifleman. In later years, Morgan delighted in telling that the drummer who was counting the lashes miscounted, and he only received 499. He may have been born in 1736, or possibly 1735. . Eleven days later, he was finally promoted to brigadier general. By the spring of 1758, then Second Lieutenant Morgan joined a local company of rangers serving with the British who were stationed at various forts along the frontier. As a youth, barely out of his teens, he lived and worked in a thinly populated wilderness, inhabited by a people who, for the most part, were rough and uncultivated as the country they lived. Arnold, not knowing Montgomerys fate, pressed on. Morgan pushed his men relentlessly, arriving on August 6th, averaging an incredible twenty-seven miles a day! Supposedly, in the heat of battle, and while the enemy was fleeing, Morgan yelled let us follow the red devils, and the garrison swiftly pursued them. England answered the alarm from colonists by sending two of their best regiments, led by General Edward Braddock, to reclaim territory from the French west of Pennsylvania and Virginia. The son of Welsh immigrants, he initially saw service in the French and Indian War as a teamster before putting his marksmanship skills to use as a colonial ranger. The riflemen opened up at over two hundred yards and began to pick off British redcoats. It was reported that in spite of the defects of his early education, he proved instructive and charming. And in one miraculous and what many historical military tacticians will agree, an act of genius, he snatched victory from defeat. He departed Winchester with his troops on July 14, 1775. His penalty: 500 lashes 300 on the spot, 200 the next morning. 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. Terribly entrapped, with shot pouring in from the flanks and facing a crushing bayonet charge shocked and disheartened, most of the British threw down their arms and surrendered, while the remainder were scattered in flight and run down by Washingtons cavalry; a just revenge as Tarletons dragoons had driven down fleeing rebels at Camden. Afterward, when Morgan retold the story, he commonly boasted that the British had miscounted, only giving him 499. Morgan suffered a punishment that often killed the victim either while receiving the beating or afterwards from infection. Soon after, Benedict Arnold was seen in the forefront, positioning the men and sending others forward. The scar certainly enhanced his repute. In 1795, he failed in his bid to Congress. They threatened the American right side, and Lieutenant Colonel John Eager Howard ordered the men on the right to turn to face the new threat. He ordered the 3rd line to retreat to a place which he chose and then to fire. 1914: The Rare Book Shop Publishing Company, Inc., Washington DC. Increasingly isolated and lacking supplies, Burgoyne surrendered on October 17. It was during this period that the altercation with the British lieutenant occurred, with Morgan sentenced to 500 lashes. His wife, Abigail, died in 1816 and was buried in Logan County, Kentucky. Morgan was greeted by Greene at Charlotte and the astute commander soon put Morgans talents to good use. Greene had decided to split his army and annoy the enemy in order to buy time to rebuild his force. Daniel Morgan kept his childhood a mystery, the poor, illiterate teenager left home and wandered alone to the Shenandoah Valley. Montgomery and Arnold faced a dilemma in that by December 31, most of their mens enlistments were up and would go home. Long after Arnolds treason, Morgan continued to comment positively on Arnolds abilities as a soldier and warrior and spoke fondly of him. They were forced to surrender and Laws turned back on Morgan. While Greene withdrew north, Morgan was instructed to campaign in the South Carolina back country with the goal of building support for the cause and irritating the British. Under pressure, his men rallied when Arnold arrived on the field andthe two inflicted heavy losses on the British before retiring to Bemis Heights. Morgan was badly injured while returning to Winchester from Fort Edward. A constant series of raids by both sides of the conflict resulted in blood shed, however it needed a spark between direct opposing foes to ignite war. The two assaulting columns skirted the walled city from both the north and south to attack the lower town simultaneously. [14] Colonel Benedict Arnold convinced General Washington to start an eastern offensive in support of Montgomery's invasion. 29341, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. A major clash of arms was inevitable. After eluding Tarleton for three weeks, Morgan turned to confront him on January 17, 1781. By October, Burgoyne was desperate to push aside Gates force. They were to be arranged into one corps under Lt. When Congress decided to invade Canada and Washington requested three rifle companies to join Colonel Benedict Arnolds trek through the Maine wilderness to Quebec, Morgans riflemen represented Virginia. Prizewinning author on Overlooked Americans: Women, Fleming's Gripping Narration Captures the High Drama of the American Revolution Years, A Master Work and Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History, Washington's Gamble to Trap Cornwallis and a No Man's Land During the War, Pulitzer Prize Finalist Brands' Turn Paging Account of Loyalist vs Patriot, Sweeping, Provocative New Look at Pivotal Years Leading to the Revolution, British Perspective and enlightening myth-busting history of the Revolution, Acclaimed Historian Joseph Ellis Riveting Account of Early Days of War, The American Revolution Conducted Numerous & Sensational Special Operations, rough frontage, was an honest and passionate figure who shed tears when he was captured at Quebec and later at the Battle of Saratoga, openly cried when a devastating volley cut his men to pieces. In the Lower Town, Arnold sustained a wound to his leg, leading Morgan to take command of their column. 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. Morgan was assigned command of the left (or western) flank of the American position. Major Aclands grenadiers held the British left and fired a volley. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution. Morgan eventually joined a company of rangers in the Shenandoah Valley. At the dawn of the American Revolution, he left his farm and organized and trained one of the finest fighting forces in America; British General Burgoyne would call his regiment the finest in the world. Around nine hundred men rushed forward, hoping to flank the enemy. On May 7, 1780, Congress ordered Morgan to join General Horatio Gates in June. After Gates disastrous defeat at Camden, SC, Morgan put aside his personal feelings for the good of the country and rejoined the army in the Southern Campaign. Morgan reluctantly ordered Fraser shot by a sniper, and Timothy Murphy obliged him. They were dressed in long hunting shirts, leather and rawhide breeches, leggings, and moccasins. For much of the fall, Morgan and his men scouted the region between Charlotte and Camden, South Carolina. He quickly returned to headquarters to report. The artillery corps was annihilated with a couple of brass and a few field pieces remaining placed under the command of Captain Anthony Singleton. 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. [2] With the collapse of Indian support, the French abandoned and burnt Ft. Duquesne as Forbes was preparing to attack. The 24th tried to bolster Balcarres men to reform, but Morgan and Dearborns forces charged like crazed lunatics. The British captured Morgan and his riflemen along with Benedict Arnold at Quebec in December 1775. It was only a matter of time before blood was spilled by a group of settlers in Virginia sparking what has been termed Lord Dunmores War, named for the Royal Governor of Virginia, Scotsman John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore. With Fraser mortally wounded, the British light infantry fell back into and through the redoubts occupied by Burgoyne's main force. General said I, What had been the matter with your back? Ah replied he, that is the doings of old King George. He would participate in the first offensive action against the British at Quebec, spearhead the final defeat of a British Army at Saratoga, withstand the hardships at Valley Forge, and be the eyes and ears of Washingtons army as the British were driven from Philadelphia across New Jersey. Morgan worked as a teamster, hauling freight to the eastern part of the colony. When Morgan was 17, he left home following a fight with his father. ThoughtCo. In June 1778, Morgan missed the Battle of Monmouth Court House when Major General Charles Lee failed to apprise him of the army's movements. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. The British pressed on valiantly, engaging the Continentals and fighting hard. The marksmen were positioned to the front, followed by the militia, with the regulars at the hilltop. The British Legion, among the best units in Cornwallis's army, was effectively useless. He and two escorts were returning from Fort Edwards with a dispatch for the commanding officer at Winchester, Virginia, when they were ambushed by a band of French and Native Americans at Hanging Rock. Morgan was the fifth of seven children of James Morgan (17021782) and Eleanor Lloyd (17061748). Daniel Morgan (1736 - July 6, 1802) was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Virginia. That they were to give the enemy two good volleys then get the hell out of the way. While still a colonel with Washington, he had temporarily commanded Weedon's brigade and felt himself ready for the position. To support this effort, Colonel Benedict Arnold convinced the American commander, General George Washington, to send a second force north through the Maine wilderness to aid Montgomery. 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. After learning of Gates' defeat at the Battle of Camden in August, 1780, Morgan decided to return to the field and began riding south. The second line of militia were positioned just behind the crest of the hill and were to fire twice and then retreat behind the Continentals who were about 150 yards behind them. A member of the Federalist Party, Morgan twice ran for the United States House of Representatives, winning election to the House in 1796. He knew that Tarletons aggressive nature would lead him to drive straight into the Americans. Gaffney, On the evening of July 10th, as Dunbars baggage division set camp seven miles west of Great Meadows, the first stragglers and wounded began to arrive with news of Braddocks defeat. Within minutes a file of redcoats had bound and arrested Daniel. Gates eventually agreed to send Poors brigade to attack the British left while Morgan circled to their right. The state of the Southern Army after Camden was dire. Suddenly, the militia, who Tarleton thought had cleared the field, swept forward in a great semicircle around the Howards Continental troops right and attacked the British left flank. Abigail would teach him how to read and write.[5]. Gates was taking command in the Southern Department, and Morgan felt that being outranked by so many militia officers would limit his usefulness. Murray decided to take matters into his own hands and asked the Virginia House of Burgesses to declare a state of war with the Shawnee and their allied northern tribes. 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 ground pitched down from the Americans forcing the British to slog up the long slope. On September 19, Morgan and his command played a key role as theBattle of Saratogabegan. The general was carried to the Mt. Morgan worked as a civilian teamster during the French and Indian War. [23], Morgan resigned his commission after serving six-and-a-half years, and at 46 returned home to Frederick County. This brought Morgan's brigade once again up against General Fraser's forces. At one point, towards dusk, the British 62nd, having suffered nearly 200 killed or wounded, was overrun by rebels and the entire British center was under the threat of being rolled up. He was finally allowed to resign on June 30, 1779, and returned home to Winchester. The victory at Saratoga was the turning point of the conflict and led to the French signing the Treaty of Alliance (1778). 338 New Pleasant Road Such a thrashing would have killed most men. I give this army the name of a Flying Army; and whilst its numbers are so small, and the enemy so much superior, it must be literally so; for they can make no opposition of consequence. Greene in a letter to Lafayette, December 29, 1780. Morgan ran for election to the US House of Representatives twice as a Federalist. Hickman, Kennedy. Because he rarely spoke of his early life, much of it remains a mystery.

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