What Lexington Cemetery and the Battle of Kingsport Have in Common-- Part 5: A Complete Confederate Rout

The Confederates were routed, according to Union General  Alvan Gillem's report, "This movement completely surprised them,  and after a feeble resistance, considering the advantage of their position, fled in confusion, and were pursued for seven miles.  The pursuit only ended when  the enemy, losing all semblance of organization, scattered through the woods for safety."

Among those taken prisoner at Kingsport was Colonel Morgan.

The Battle lasted less than a day.  By the evening of December 13, 1864, Union cavalry had pushed through Blountville, overran Bristol on Dec. 14 and was skirmishing outside Abingdon the next day.

The Confederate command at Kingsport was made up of family and friends.  And, even though they were separated during the battle, they are now all buried together in Lexington cemetery.

--Old Secesh

What Do Lexington Cemetery and the Battle of Kingsport Have in Common-- Part 4: Confederates Routed

Colonel Richard Morgan as John Hunt Morgan's younger brother and at one time commanded the 14th Kentucky Cavalry.  Earlier in the war, he had served as an aide on the staff of General Breckinridge.  Now it was the younger Morgan's job to delay the Union advance long enough for Confederate forces to be gathered and deployed to defend Saltville.

Col. Morgan had a strong position at Kingsport, but hadn't counted on two things:  the speed with which the federals were moving and who would be leading the way.

The Federal cavalry pushed their way through Rogersville very quickly and the Confederates were surprised when they awoke to find Union forces on the other side of the river on December 13.

Leading the Union attack were the 8th, 9th and 13th East Tennessee Cavalry, whose knowledge of the area enabled them to get around the Rebels  and attack from behind and in the front at the same time.

The Confederates were routed.

--Old Secesh

What Does Lexington Cemetery and Kingsport Have in Common-- Part 3

Taking command of Morgan's forces after his death is the man who is buried in front of John Hunt Morgan's grave at Lexington Cemetery:  Gen Basil W. Duke.

Duke was Morgan's brother-in-law and had trained many of Morgan's raiders in the Ohio raid and was captured along with Morgan at the end of it.  He was later exchanged and  commanded the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry at Greenville before assuming overall command in the region.

At the end of the war, he was part of the group of Confederates who fled southward with Jefferson Davis.

After the war, he wrote a book about Morgan's Ohio raid and he also played a part in the preservation of the Battle of Shiloh land.

But, on the day of the Battle of Kingsport, Duke was in Bristol, Tennessee, so ill with influenza that eh was unfit for duty.  Command of Confederate forces then went to Col. Richard Morgan.

--Old Secesh