a
comparatively luxurious life and receiving, from some people, a mistaken
and foolish admiration, attracted to the same career young men who (but
for the example and the sympathy accorded the guerrilla and denied the
faithful, brave and suffering soldier) would never had quitted their
colors and their duty. Kentucky was at one time, just before the close
of the war, teeming with these guerrillas. It was of no use to threaten
them with punishment--they had no idea of being caught. Besides,
Burbridge shot all that he could lay hands on, and (for their sins) many
prisoners (guilty of no offense), selected at random, or by lot, from
the pens where he kept them for the purpose, were butchered, by this
insensate blood-hound. Not only did General Morgan have to contend with
difficulties thus arising, but now, for the first time, he suffered from
envy, secret animosity and detraction within his own command. Many
faithful friends still surrounded him, many more lay in prison, but he
began to meet with open enmity in his own camp. It had happened in the
old times that some of his warmest and surest adherents had occasionally
urged strenuous remonstrances against his wishes, but they were dictated
by devotion to his interests; now officers, recently connected with him,
inaugurated a jealous and systematic opposition to him in all matters,
and were joined in it, with ungrateful alacrity, by some men whom he
had thought his fastest friends. Reports of excesses committed by some
of the troops in Kentucky had reached Richmond and created much feeling.
General Morgan had instructed his Inspector General, Captain Bryant H.
Allen, to investigate the accusations against the various parties
suspected of guilt and to prefer charges against those who should appear
to be implicated. Captain Allen was charged with negligence and lack of
industry in pursuing the investigation and complaints were made that
General Morgan was seeking to screen the offenders. All sorts of
communications, the most informal, irregular and some of them, improper,
were forwarded to Richmond by General Morgan's subordinates, often
unknown to him because not passing through his office, and they were
received by the Secretary of War, Mr. Seddon, without questioning and
with avidity. It was at length announced that a commission would be
appointed to sit at Abingdon and inquire into these charges, and also
into the charge that General Morgan had undertaken the raid into
K