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      eHistory  >  American Civil War  >  Battles  >  Corydon Search
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Corydon (1863)
 
War:   American Civil War
 
Date(s):   9 Jul 1863
 
Location:   Harrison County, Indiana, US
 
Outcome:   Confederate Victory
 
Description:   Brev. Col. Lewis Jordan, USA
Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan, CSA

Morgan had about 1,800 men with him against perhaps 400 Home Guards.

Confederate losses were around 40; Union losses over 350.

At the beginning of July, 1863, Braxton Bragg had authorized Morgan to raid the Union rear, but only wanted it to be the immediate rear of the Union army. Morgan had other ideas, and set out for the North, determined to burnish his reputation by launching the grandest cavalry raid yet – crossing into the Union and taking the war home to Union civilians.
He got through Kentucky without major battles, although he lost perhaps 200 men en route. Thanks to capturing two small river steamers he got his men across the Ohio on July 8, while State governments called out the Militia ahead of him.

The morning after crossing the Ohio, near Corydon, Indiana, elements of Morgan’s force encountered about 400 Home Guards. Since he needed to move fast – he now knew Lee had to retreat at Gettysburg so there were plenty of Union troops available to chase him – he charged. The green Yankees broke, and Morgan captured most of them. As Morgan continued eastward to Ohio, destroying bridges, railroads, and government stores, Federal columns converged to prevent Morgan from escaping back into Kentucky.


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