fate of every man disobeying orders in the face of an enemy."

No man ever hesitated after that to obey any command.

But Morgan is not without generosity to a foe. A Federal cavalryman
related to me, since my escape, an unusual act for an enemy. Losing
the command of his wounded horse, which goaded by pain plunged
wildly on, he was borne into the midst of Morgan's force. "Don't
shoot him!" cried Morgan to a dozen of his men who raised their
pistols. "Give him a chance for his life." The pistols were lowered
and the man sent back to his own lines unharmed. Few men have
appeared on either side in this contest who combine dash and
caution, intrepidity and calmness, boldness of plan with
self-possession in execution, as does Morgan. The feat reported of
him in Nashville, shortly after the Rebel army retreated through
it, illustrates this. Coming into the city full of Federal soldiers
in the garb of a farmer with a load of meal, he generously gives it
to the commissary department, saying, in an undertone, that there
are some Union men out where he lives, but they have to be careful
to dodge the Rebel cavalry, and he wishes to show his love for the
cause by this little donation. Going to the St. Cloud to dine, he
sits at the same table with General McCook, since cruelly murdered,
and is pointed out to the Federal officer as the Union man who had
made the generous gift. He is persuaded to take the value of it in
gold, and then, in a private interview, tells the Federal officer
that a band of Morgan's cavalry is camping near him, and if one or
two hundred cavalry will come down there to-morrow he will show them
how to take Morgan. The cavalry go, and _are taken_ by Morgan. So
the story goes. An equally successful feat it was, to step into the
telegraph office in Gallatin, Tennessee, at a later date, as he did,
dressed as a Federal officer, and there learn from the operator the
time when the down-train would be in, and arrest it, securing many
thousands of dollars without loss of men or time. Another anecdote
of his cool daring and recklessness is this. Riding up to a picket
post near Nashville, dressed in full Federal uniform, he sharply
reproved the sentinel on duty for not calling out the guard to
salute the officer of the day, as he announced himself to be. The
sentinel stammered out, as an excuse, that he did not know him to be
the officer of the day. Morgan ordered him to give up his arms,
because of this breach of du