Daniel Morgan (1735/36 July 6, 1802) was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Virginia. 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. Unaware that Montgomery was dead, their halt allowed the defenders to recover. . After having an argument with his father when he was about seventeen years old, he left home without his parents knowledge or permission and moved to Virginia. Washingtons plan to take Canada called for a two-prong attack with Montgomerys men approaching Canada by way of Lake Champlain. 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. 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. 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. He left home around 1753 after a bitter argument with his father. 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. 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 a result, he was court-martialed and sentenced to 500 lashes. Having irritated a British lieutenant, Morgan was made irate when the officer struck him with the flat of his sword. He named the home Saratoga after his victory in New York. Morgan talked with militia who had fought Tarleton. Morgan was considered one of the most skilled tacticians of the Continental Army. He is prominently depicted in the painting of the Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga by John Trumbull.[18]. Every purchase supports the mission. Graham, James. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. With the outbreak of the American Revolution after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Continental Congress called for the formation of 10 rifle companies to aid in the Siege of Boston. Again working with Dearborn, Morgan helped to defeat this attack and then led his men forward in a counterattack that saw American forces capture two key redoubts near the British camp. Soon after, Benedict Arnold was seen in the forefront, positioning the men and sending others forward. ThoughtCo. Morgan immediately kept himself and his corps busy. It is there that they heard of the disaster that befell Braddocks force. He received only 499 because the drummer boy miscounted, and he always held one against the British. The 24th tried to bolster Balcarres men to reform, but Morgan and Dearborns forces charged like crazed lunatics. On September 19, at Freeman's Farm, they ran into the advance of General Simon Fraser's wing of Burgoyne's force. In 1973, the home Saratoga was declared a National Historic Landmark. The grenadier continued to pull back towards their center. I think we may venture to assert, that he has not left another behind him to whom we are so much indebted for our independence and liberty., Click Here for Preview on Amazon: Revolutionary Rangers: Daniel Morgans Riflemen and Their Role on the Northern Frontier, 1778-1783, Road to Camden: The Southern War of the American Revolution, American Revolution: In the South, Not a War for Liberty, But a Brutal Civil War Between Patriots and Loyalists, Brigadier Simon Fraser and the Battle of Saratoga, Muskets & Rifles of the American Revolution: Difference and Tactics, Forgotten Warriors of the American Revolution: Major Benjamin Whitcomb of Whitcombs Rangers. [5] Later, when he led troops, he banned flogging. On Nov. 28, 1758, he entered the burned-out fort and ordered it rebuilt naming it Fort Pitt, after British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder. Increasingly pressured by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis's forces, Greene elected to divide his army, with Morgan commanding one part, in order to give it time to rebuild after the losses incurred at Camden. Tools Daniel Morgan (1735/36 - July 6, 1802) was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Virginia. Eventually, Morgan married and bought a farm east of Winchester, near today's Berryville. The states of Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee followed their example. But by the time Morgan reached Greene in North Carolina, he was in tremendous pain. When the ship landed at Elizabethtown Point, New Jersey, Morgan met with Washington in New York before heading to his family at Winchester. After Gates' disaster at the Battle of Camden, Morgan thrust all other considerations aside, and went to join the Southern command at Hillsborough, North Carolina. Morgan encountered difficulty the following year when taking supplies to Fort Chiswell. On March 25, 1790, Morgan finally received a gold medal that had been struck by Congress in recognition of his victory at Cowpens. He lost in 1794, but won in 1796 with 70% of the vote by defeating Democratic-Republican Robert Rutherford. Morgan initially refused to rejoin the army, but after Horatio Gates disaster at the Battle of Camden, Morgan returned to service as a brigadier general. Later in 1777, Morgan was assigned to General Horatio Gates' army and participated in the pivotal Battle of Saratoga. [5][7] Morgan thus acquired a disdain for British authorities and their treatment of provincials. Morgan eventually arrived at Charlotte on December 3, 1780 where forging and raiding occupied their time until the end of the year. 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. Though Captain Morgan and Colonel Arnold often argued, both temperate and at times nearly coming to blows, mainly over daily rations, both were self-assured and forceful characters who developed a bond of respect for each others abilities as born leaders and fighters. Morgans main adversary was British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. Hickman, Kennedy. Morgan continued to praise Arnold for how gallantly he rallied the troops and pressed the attack in both victories, including their association in the trek across Maine. The Congress awarded him a gold medal in 1790 to commemorate his victory at Cowpens. As the British forces approached, the Americans, with their backs turned to the British, reloaded their muskets. He offered Morgan a regiment in his new command, the Southern Department. American Revolution: Brigadier General Daniel Morgan. An intimate view of the American Revolution that reinforces its meaning for today! Gaffney, When the Virginia Line was reorganized on September 14, 1778, Morgan became the colonel of the 7th Virginia Regiment. Perhaps due to Morgans bravery and obstinate resistance to the very end, General Carleton was very kind to his enemy. [5] Morgan served as a civilian teamster during the French and Indian War[5][6][7] with Daniel Boone, sometimes said to be his cousin. But these were among the best in the British army, and the redcoats surged forward, confident they could break up the smaller number of Continental troops and allow the mounted dragoons to finish them off. Later he was put in charge of his employer Burwells sawmill. Morgan had quickly raised a company of men and marched off with McDonalds force. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Major General Benjamin Lincoln had previously surrendered the southern army at Charleston, South Carolina, and the British fanned out over the south, capturing territory and gradually pushing north, jeopardizing Virginia and beyond in the hope of collapsing the rebellion. Mercer and sixteen of his men were killed out-right. With the rebellion sputtering to a halt and British victory seemingly assured, into this dismal period stepped Daniel Morgan. Arnold pressed for a full and immediate attack. 14 (1929), pp 277-91. Stephenson's company initially planned to meet Morgan's company in Winchester but found them gone. His name would become synonymous with some of the most determined and hardened fighters of the war. Morgan always maintained that the British owed him one more lash. Woodford became ill and for a time, Morgan took over command of both the 7th and 11th, handling the job as brigadier. Without Montgomerys leadership, his attack quickly faded. Washington agreed to dispatch three companies from his forces at Boston, provided they agreed. This left the second division with the remaining provincials and a few regulars, under the command of Colonel Thomas Dunbar of the 41st, to carry on with baggage, supplies, and artillery as best they could. Once Nathanael Greene assumed command of the Southern Department, he gave Morgan command of a "flying army" and assigned him to the South Carolina backcountry. Montgomery, knowing his forces were inadequate to make a frontal assault, decided to attack at night and during a snow storm. Morgan accepted the commission. Daniel Morgan was the pointy end of the spear that won the battle of Saratoga that all agree turned the course of the war in our favor. The Kentucky Long Rifle (also known as the Pennsylvania Long Rifle because most were made by Pennsylvania gunsmiths) was the weapon of choice for wilderness hunters and in war, rifle corps and ranger outfits. Their food supply had dwindled to the point that they were consuming their own leather clothing to stay alive. Abigail, daughter of Daniel Curry, a prosperous Frederick County farmer, was a woman of rare beauty and lofty character, though other accounts state that she was plain, sensible, and pious. She had a genuine interest in religion which influenced Morgan and would eventually deter his habits of rough-housing with his mates at the local tavern. With his usual recklessness he acted like a mad man, directing units, pressing men forward and driving the men forward to take the enemys cannon. On April 18, 1756 an action took place twenty miles from Winchester, Virginia, Morgans residence, which set the course for his military service as a soldier and commander. Morgan distinguished himself at both Battles of Saratoga in 1777, and many historians believe that he did not get the credit that he deserved for his actions. [5], In June that year, the Continental Congress authorized an invasion of Canada. 1756 - Daniel Morgan is sentenced to 500 lashes for striking a British officer. 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. He quickly returned to headquarters to report. After the main army crossed the river, Gates advance force was attacked by 72 French regulars, 146 Canadians, and nearly 700 Native Americans. By the time the attack started, the snow storm turned into a full-scale blizzard resulting in visual and communications near zero. Acland was hit in both legs and carried from the field, eventually to be captured by the rapidly advancing Americans. The Battle of Quebec began in a blizzard on the morning of December 31. In 1801, Morgan signed his final will and testament, which was later probated in September of 1802. Over the next six weeks, Morgans men were idle, bored with camp life and the mundane activities that involved keeping an eye on the British forces locked up in Boston. He and his men wore Indian disguises and used hit-and-run maneuvers against the British in New York and New Jersey throughout 1777. General Poor arrived with the rest of his brigade followed by Learneds command and Major William Hulls Massachusetts men. Daniel Morgan was a New Jersey-born patriot who rose to the rank of Brigadier General during his service to the United States Army. 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. Daniel Morgan kept his childhood a mystery, the poor, illiterate teenager left home and wandered alone to the Shenandoah Valley. While I was in his service, upon a certain occasion, he promised to give me 500 lashes. In late December, Washington moved his army to Valley Forge, where they endured the bitter winter of 1777-1778. He told the militia that he would put them up front. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Arnold soon chose Morgan to command all three rifle companies and lead the advance party through the wilderness. In the early 1780s, Morgan joined efforts with Col. Nathaniel Burwell to build a water-powered mill in Millwood, Virginia. Morgan's riflemen were expert marksmen who employed long rifles, which were more accurate than the standard Brown Bess muskets used by the British. The bullet, which struck him in the back of his neck, knocked out the teeth on his left jaw, and exited his cheek. By skillful maneuvers, Morgan reached the river first and crossed it, keeping his force whole to return to Greene in North Carolina. Morgan remained and would be instrumental in filling his wagon with wounded. The captured commander of a battalion of the 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders, Archibald McArthur, said after the battle that, "He was an officer before Tarleton was born; that the best troops in the service were put under 'that boy' to be sacrificed". Daniel Morgan Facts for Kids Ketchum, Richard M. Saratoga: Turning Point of Americas Revolutionary War. Tarleton's legion was supplemented with the light infantry from several regiments of regulars. Folsom, Joseph F. General Daniel Morgans Birthplace and Life. 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. For his actions, Virginia gave Morgan land and an estate that had been abandoned by a Tory. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The next morning many of the provincial troops took off for home along with many of the unencumbered wagons and teams, leaving little transportation for the helpless wounded. And behind the regular troops, hidden from the enemy, were Washingtons cavalry, ready to swoop down once the regulars were fully engaged. Morgans exact words to his riflemen is also of lore: That gallant officer is General Fraser; I admire and respect him, but it is necessary that he should die, take your stations in that wood and do your duty. General Fraser would perish of his wounds by the next morning and was buried in a grave lost to history. Morgan was indispensable to the Continental Army during the Saratoga campaign, but he grew irritated when he repeatedly failed to receive promotions. They were officially married in 1773. (One, Nancy, married Presley Neville, a Revolutionary War veteran. 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. Morgan's men pushed Burgoyne's Native American allies back to the main British lines. Frontiersman Daniel Morgan - Warfare History Network He spoke little about his childhood, so details are vague. It was reported that Morgan was in tears as he called back his shattered men, thinking his corps was ruined. Mounted on his grey horse, he rode back and forth across the field while calmly reassuring the light infantry and his own 24th Regiment. He quickly ordered a bayonet attack. [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. He soon learned that Loyalist parties were detached from their posts at Winnsborough and Camden and had been intercepting rebel supply trains in the Lynches Creek region. Morgan ran for election to the US House of Representatives twice as a Federalist. Morgan had, within his command, officers who had come up against Tarleton before. Marching south after the triumph, Morgan and his men rejoined Washington's army on November 18 at Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, and then entered the winter encampment at Valley Forge. Morgans men heard the initial British volley on the British left, but they were not yet in position, their route to the British right having been longer. It has since been labeled the Battle of Great Cacapon or Mercers Massacre. 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. Although the light infantry broke, General Fraser was trying to rally them, encouraging his men to hold their positions when Benedict Arnold arrived. After violence erupted at Lexington & Concord, Massachusetts on April 19th, the Second Continental Congress assembled on June 10th and named George Washington on the 14th as its Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. Panic and fear spread through the camp at the thought that the savage enemy might be in hot pursuit. Morgan's company was one of them. When he rejoined Washington early in 1777, Morgan was surprised to learn he had been promoted to colonel for his bravery at Quebec. The American regulars, as planned, began to step back in a gradual retreat, but continued to reload and fire into the approaching British. But the real praise for this wild and ferocious fighter was the proven fact that he was a born commander. 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. During the next week, as Burgoyne dug in, Morgan and his men moved to his north. Daniel Morgan: An Inexplicable Hero What Would The Founders Think? In the procession that escorted his remains to the tomb were seven members of the rifle company he had led to Boston in 1775. On his second try, he made it to the top and rolled under one of the cannons to avoid the thrust of bayonets. What was Morgan's nickname during the Revolution from being a teamster? New Jersey Historical Society, Proceedings, New Ser. As a result, he was passed over for promotion to brigadier general and leadership of the new formation went to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne. Disaster soon struck British plans to press north. He and Gates had reached an impasse with Gates ordering the combative general to his quarters. He had ignored Gates orders and hastened to the crash of arms. While the drummer was laying them on my back, I heard him miscount one. After the war, he attempted to run for Congress in 1794. Washington sent them to harass General William Howe's rearguard, and Morgan did so during their entire withdrawal across New Jersey. Daniel Morgan: A Revolutionary Life. Years later, toward the end of Morgans life, Reverend William Hill wrote that when changing his linen, he discovered his [Morgans] back to be covered with scars and ridges from his shoulders to his waist. Morgan always maintained that the British owed him one more lash. There is a street named after him in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. On August 16, 1777, Colonel Morgan marched north to join the Northern Army near Stillwater, in which General Gates had lately resumed command from General Philip Schuyler. The result was overwhelming and catastrophic for the British. That night, he withdrew to the village of Saratoga, New York (renamed Schuylerville in honor of Philip Schuyler) about eight miles to the northwest. Morgan had been joined by militia forces under Andrew Pickens and William Washington's dragoons. The following action was named the Pontiac War after the Odawa leader. 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. After the outbreak of the American Revolution, Morgan led a force of riflemen to reinforce the patriots laying siege to Boston in 1775. Hundreds of Great Books on the American Revolution. He may have been born in 1736, or possibly 1735. . 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. He eventually became adept at card games and enjoyed strong drink. When Morgans riflemen arrived, the first from his home providence, it was reported that Washington was so overjoyed, that upon review, he leapt from his horse and personally clasped hands with every member of Morgans company. He would officially lead this regiment until October 13th, 1780. [5] This caused great outrage within and without the British army; amongst others, Washington disapproved of this way of war, and when gunpowder began to run out he forbade Morgan to fight in such a manner. Within days of his defeat at Bemis Heights, General Burgoyne sued for peace and accepted Gates terms, surrendering his entire army. Daniel Morgan built another house which he named "Saratoga" after his successes in New York. They also distinguished themselves through their dress. [23], Morgan resigned his commission after serving six-and-a-half years, and at 46 returned home to Frederick County. As a result, he was repeatedly passed over for promotion to brigadier, favor going to men with less combat experience but better political connections. Both had their strengths and weaknesses. It was during this period that he got his nickname, "The Old Wagoner." Daniel and Abigail Morgan had two daughters. On the 19th of June, Braddocks patience had worn thin and he decided to take most of his troops, twelve hundred regulars and a few companies of provincials, and push on in a first division. Willoughby Morgan (1785-1832) would come along after the war and by some accounts, was fathered by Daniel Morgan through an extra-marital affair. 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. Shades of Liberty Series. 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 . Of siblings, Daniel supposedly had a brother who he visited once shortly after returning from the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. The scar certainly enhanced his repute. Daniel Morgan was born to Welsh parents. Born in New Jersey to a Welsh family, Morgan settled in Winchester, Virginia. Passing through the Canadian loyalists, Morgan's Virginia sharpshooters got the British light infantry trapped in a crossfire between themselves and Dearborn's regiment. 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. June 9 - Daniel Morgan is present as a wagoneer at Braddock's Defeat at Fort Duquesne. 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. On June 13, 1777, Morgan was given command of the Provisional Rifle Corps, a light infantry force of 500 riflemen chosen from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia regiments of the Continental Army. Daniel Skelly, Morgan Stanley's head of wealth management, market research and strategy, says the tech earnings picture is "a mixed bag" during an interview with . They were joined by another seven regiments from Bemis Heights. At age 19, he took on the job as wagoner. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/brigadier-general-daniel-morgan-2360604. The result was a wall of shot that would hopefully do enough damage to the opposing force to halt their attack. The result was that the entire battle was concentrated in the center. After Saratoga, on November 18, 1777, Morgans unit rejoined Washingtons main army, near Philadelphia. Gates was being sent to reorganize the remnants of the southern army and check British General Charles Cornwallis. What was left of the infantry and been formed into two battalions constituting one regiment: The regiment was commanded by Colonel Otho Holland Williams of Maryland and Lt. Col. John Edgar Howard with Majors Henry Hardman and Robert Anderson commanding the battalions. This action caused him to hate the British. Yet beneath thisrough 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. 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. Tarleton and Morgans forces faced each other at Cowpens in South Carolina on January 17, 1781. Morgan carried the scar the rest of his life. The first opportunity occurred on the 27th, but had to be called off. Besides, he was now in great pain from sciatica, which had worsened the past year. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. It fired a larger caliber bullet or shot. Colonel Morgan missed the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, because Maj. General Charles Lee failed to keep him informed of the main armys movements. Morgan had returned to Virginia and spent the winter and spring settling into his former life, but it was not to be for long.
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