Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/455

428, May 5, 1861, he was elected major, Robert E. Rodes being colonel and Allen C. Jones lieutenant-colonel. When the regiment was reorganized at the close of its first year's service, he, being lieutenant-colonel by promotion, resigned and returned to Alabama with authority to recruit a regiment of partisan rangers. This organization, completed mainly by his efforts, and equipped without other aid from the government than a few arms and some ammunition, was mustered into service, 1,300 strong, at Oxford, Ala., August 11, 1862, with Morgan as colonel, James D. Webb lieutenant-colonel, and H. D. Thompson major. On the 6th of June, 1863, he was appointed brigadier-general at the instance of Gen. Robert E. Lee, then preparing for the Pennsylvania campaign, who personally notified him of his promotion and assignment to what had been the brigade of the lamented Rodes; but he felt compelled to resign the commission by circumstances that seemed to make it his clear duty to remain with his regiment, whose lieutenant-colonel, Webb, had fallen in battle while Morgan was on his way to join his new command. On November 16, 1863, he was again promoted brigadier-general and given command of a brigade composed of the First, Third, Fourth, Seventh and Fifty-first regiments of Alabama cavalry.

General Morgan’s military service, with his regiments and his brigade, respectively, were on a field extending from the Gulf to the Cumberland river and from Nashville to Bull run. The Fifth regiment, after a month’s stay at Fort Morgan, was ordered to Virginia, and pitched its tents at the Stone bridge on Bull run, in General Ewell's brigade. It was here that he received his "baptism of fire," in command of a detachment that earned special mention in General Beauregard’s report for gallantry in a sharp fight with the advancing columns of General Heintzelman. The Fifty-first was ordered upon its organization, to Tennessee, where at first it was attached to General Forrest's command, and, subsequently, was