Albert T. Morgan

Albert Talmon Morgan (June 9, 1842 – April 15, 1922) was an American farmer and politician. During the Civil War he served as a Union Army officer in the famed Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac. A Republican, he was elected to office in Mississippi during Reconstruction and was a delegate to the convention which produced Mississippi's new constitution after the American Civil War. He was forced to flee the state in 1875 due to White terrorism against Reconstruction. He wrote a memoir of his life in the Reconstruction-era South, called Yazoo: On the Picket Line of Freedom in the South.

Early life Albert Morgan was born in Theresa, Jefferson County, New York, in 1842. As a child, he moved with his parents to a farm near Fox Lake, Wisconsin, where he was educated and raised. He had been set to attend Oberlin College in Ohio, but at the outbreak of the American Civil War, he abandoned his college plans to volunteer in the Union Army. The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry was organized with the 6th Wisconsin, 7th Wisconsin, and 19th Indiana regiments into a brigade which soon became famous as the Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac.

The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry saw intense fighting through the first two years of the war and suffered heavy casualties. Morgan was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Gainesville, but was subsequently paroled. He was wounded again at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was promoted to corporal, sergeant, and first sergeant in the company, and re-enlisted as a veteran after his term expired in January 1864. He finally receiving a commission as 2nd lieutenant in March 1864.

The independent battalion was assigned to provost duty for the division, but participated in further fighting at the Siege of Petersburg. Morgan was wounded again at the Battle of Globe Tavern, but again returned to duty. He was promoted to captain of Company B of the independent battalion in September. The two companies of the independent battalion were absorbed into the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in November 1864, Morgan's company became Company H of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry.

After the Union took possession of Petersburg and Richmond, the Iron Brigade was instrumental in the Appomattox campaign, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, and the capture of Confederate president Jefferson Davis.

He was elected to the Mississippi Senate in 1869, taking office in 1870. He subsequently was elected chancery clerk of Yazoo County. As a result of his holding the county office, his eligibility to simultaneously serve as senator was called into question. In the Fall of 1873, the Mississippi Legislature passed a law disqualifying Morgan from his Senate seat, along with several other legislators who were also serving as county officers.

Death of F. P. Hilliard

That same Fall, Morgan pursued election as sheriff of Yazoo County. His opponent was Francis P. Hilliard, who had been appointed to the position by the Union military governor—with Morgan's recommendation. In the 1873 election, Morgan won an overwhelming majority. Hilliard did not contest the election, but on the beginning of Morgan's term, Hilliard refused to relinquish access to the sheriff's office at the court house. On January 8, 1874, Morgan, with a band of allies, took possession of the office when Hilliard and his allies were absent.

On hearing this, Hilliard formed a posse of roughly 30 people and marched back to the court house. Morgan went out to speak to him in the street, leaving his brother and a few men in the office. Hilliard ignored him, and took his crowd into the court house. Hilliard broke down the door and was quickly shot by one of the men inside. Both sides then exchanged fire. According to Morgan's testimony, he feared his brother and friends were in mortal danger. Hilliard was shot in the head at this point, but sources differ on who was responsible. Witnesses agree that Hilliard was walking toward Morgan at the time of the fatal shot. A medical examination suggested that Hilliard was shot in the back of the head.

Morgan died at Denver on April 15, 1922.

While living in Mississippi Albert Morgan married Carolyn Victoria "Carrie" Highgate, an "Octoroon" school teacher from Ithaca, New York. James Aaron Moore presided at their wedding. The marriage was only legally possible because of Morgan's own efforts in the Mississippi Senate to repeal laws against inter-racial marriage. Morgan's marriage to a woman with black ancestry was another inciting controversy during his time in office.

Carrie was a teacher in post-war Mississippi, and much of Morgan's political efforts in Reconstruction were geared toward developing free education in Yazoo County. They had at least six children, including Angela Morgan, who earned notoriety as a poet.

Published works