From July 13 to July 26, 1863, Confederate John Hunt Morgan led a daring group of more than 2,000 soldiers on a raid of southern Indiana and Ohio. His mission was to distract and divert as many Union troops as possible from the Union military campaign in middle and east Tennessee. Union troops under the command of Maj. General Ambrose Burnside pursued Morgan cornering Morgan on July 19 as he was trying to cross the Ohio River at Buffington Island. After a sharp engagement, Morgan escaped turning north desperately looking for another place to cross. Finally, on July 26, Union cavalry surrounded the Confederates at Salineville, Ohio capturing Morgan and most of his command. The Dayton Journal reported the capture on July 27, 1863.
