during most of
the summer, defeating all who faced him and venturing so near to
Cincinnati that the people of that city grew wild with apprehension.
Only the sharp pursuit of General G. C. Smith, with a superior cavalry
force, saved that rich city from being made an easy prey to Morgan and
his men.

As preliminary to our main story, we may give in brief one of Morgan's
characteristic exploits. The town of Gallatin, twenty miles north of
Nashville, was occupied by a small Federal force and seemed to Morgan to
offer a fair field for one of his characteristic raids. His men were
ready,--they always were for an enterprise promising danger and
loot,--and they fell on the town with a swoop that quickly made them its
masters and its garrison their captives.

While the victors were paying themselves for their risk by spoiling the
enemy, Morgan proceeded to the telegraph office, with the hope that he
might find important despatches. So sudden had been the assault that the
operator did not know that anything out of the usual had taken place,
and took Morgan for a Northern officer. When asked what was going on, he
replied,--

"Nothing particular, except that we hear a good deal about the doings of
that rebel bandit, Morgan. If he should happen to come across my path, I
have pills enough here to satisfy him." He drew his revolver and
flourished it bravely in the air.

Morgan turned on the braggart with a look and tone that quite robbed him
of his courage, saying, "I am Morgan! You are speaking to Morgan, you
miserable wretch. Do you think you have any pills to spare for me?"

The operator almost sank on his knees with terror, while the weapon fell
from his nerveless hand.

"Don't be scared," said the general. "I will not hurt you. But I want
you to send off this despatch at once to Prentiss."

The much-scared operator quickly ticked off the following message,--

"MR. PRENTISS,--As I learn at this telegraph office that you intend
to proceed to Nashville, perhaps you will allow me to escort you
there at the head of my troop."

"JOHN MORGAN."

What effect this despatch had on Prentiss history sayeth not.

With this preliminary account of Morgan and the character of his
exploits, we proceed to the most famous incident of his career, his
daring invasion of the North, one of the most stirring and exciting
incidents of the war.

The main purpose of this invasion is said to have been to contrive a
d