Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/103

 Morgan's Men in Ohio. 91

MORGAN'S MEN IN OHIO.

By A. C. QUISENBERRY, Hyattsville, Md.

Some months ago there was considerable indignation in Lex- ington, Kentucky, on account of a statement in a school history, then in use in the schools, that Morgan's raid into Indiana and Ohio — one of the most daring ventures, and, even as a failure the most brilliant raid of the war — ^^was made "mainly for loot and plunder."

Morgan's men undoubtedly did a lot of looting when they got into the enemy's country, but it was insignificant as com- pared with the looting done by some other invading armies during the Civil War, and it may be well enough to inquire into the extent to which they looted in Ohio.

By act of the Ohio legislature, and in order to remunerate the citizens of the State for damages incurred during Morgan's raid, a commission was organized April 15, 1864, consisting of Alfred McVeigh, G. W. Barker, and Henry S. Babbitt, whose duty it was to examine and pass upon claims for damages in- flicted by Morgan's men, and also for the damages caused by the Union troops who pursued Morgan through Ohio.

They submitted their report on December 15, 1864, seventeen months after the close of the raid. Most of the claims pre- sented were cut down. The report says: "It was discovered that there was a general disposition to appreciate the prices of property — that the values of 1864 were being substituted for the values of 1863.''

The report shows that claims for damages done by Morgan amounting to $492,372.76 were presented, and they were cut down to $428,168.00; and that claims amounting to $185,541.27 for damages by the Union troops in pursuit of Morgan were presented, and were reduced to $148,057.00.