"Morgan and Dearborn " Topic

Pursuant to the battles of Saratoga discussion, the following extracts from Henry Dearborn's Journal might be helpful, pages 103-106. Please note that I have used modern spelling for ease of reading and not exactly as it is in the Journal:

-30 August: Col Morgan from Virginia with 400 Riflemen joined us today.

-11 September: I am appointed to the command of 300 light infantry who are drafted from the several regiments in the Northern army and to act in conjunction with Col Morgan's Corps of Riflemen.

-12 September: I joined the light infantry this morning which with the Riflemen are encamped about 2 miles advanced of the Main army.

-19 September: Hearing this morning that the enemy were advancing, the Rifle and Light Infantry Corps turned out to meet the enemy and about 2 miles from our camp we fell in with their advanced guard and attacked them about 12 o'clock, after fighting about half an hour being overpowered with numbers we were obliged to retire to a height, about 50 rods and there were reinforced with Col Cilley's Regiment [1st New Hampshire], who attacked a body of the enemy with a great deal of spirit. I ran to his assistance with the light infantry, but he was obliged to retreat before I came up…

So it seems not only were Morgan's riflemen and Dearborn's light infantry engaged together, at least initially, but both units composed a Rifle and Light Infantry Corps under the command of Morgan.

I'm not sure how you come to that conclusion, especially based on the above, but of course you are welcome to your own opinions.

I would point out that the word "conjunction" does not denote that he was under Morgan's command, and Morgan's activities during the battle are somewhat documented and don't seem to include him exercising command over Dearborn during the first battle.

From the NPS park page:

"Finally yielding to Arnold's wish, Gates ordered out Morgan's rifle men, supported by Dearborn's light infantry, to reconnoiter the position of the enemy."

Supported is not subordinate.

"Moving northward along the road from Fort Neilson Morgan divided his forces in an effort to locate the enemy."

So they were divided early on.

"The first volley all but wiped out the British picket. Rushing forward in hot pursuit of the few survivors, the detachment ran head-on into the main body of Burgoyne's center column only to be driven back in turn and widely scattered. By persistent use of his turkey call signal, however, Morgan was able to rally his men and prepare for the second phase of the engagement."

So Morgan was wandering around the field tooting his turkey call, not giving commands to Dearborn, who was off on a ridge behind the action.

"Aided by the arrival of the regiments of Colonels Cilley and Scammel from Poor's brigade, he re-formed his line in the woods along the southern edge of the 15-acre clearing"

Which is not wear Dearborn was. Interesting Dearborn's background, and relationship to Cilley and his troops:

"In September, 1777, Dearborn was transferred to the 1st New Hampshire Regiment, under Colonel Joseph Cilley. He took part in the Saratoga campaign against Burgoyne at Freeman's Farm. The first battle was largely fought by troops from New Hampshire, Dearborn's home state. The New Hampshire brigade under General Poor and a detachment of infantry under Major Dearborn, numbering about three hundred, along with detachments of other militia, and Whitcomb's Rangers, co-operated with Morgan in the re pulse of Fraser's attack.["

So Dearborn was more familiar with Cilley than he was Morgan.

"The cautious General Horatio Gates reluctantly ordered a reconnaissance force consisting of Daniel Morgan's Provisional Rifle Corps and Dearborn's light infantry to scout out the Bemis Heights area."

Note the author does not say Gate ordered Morgan's command of two battalions out, which ties into the NPS statement above, which says he ordered Morgan out with Dearborn in support. It would seem in the first battle they two did not particularly cooperate or communicate, something Schnitzer notes was rectified in the battle of Bemis Heights the next month.

Information on Morgan's Corps (riflemen and light infantry) has already been provided. Do you need to see it again in this thread?

There was little cohesive control or organization between the various Rebel units that day. Given where Morgan ended up, it's hard to see how Dearborn was supporting him, even if that was the intent.

Neither Learned nor Poor were even on the field until relatively late.

Morgan and Dearborn came on the field together and were initially engaged together.

That they later became separated as fresh units came on the field is not surprising.

1. The two units were sent forward, Morgan in the lead, Dearborn in support.

2. Morgan was well ahead of Dearborn. Dearborn took up a position on a ridge and did not engage. Morgan rushed ahead and got his command scattered.

3. Morgan spent the rest of his time trying to reassemble part of his command and never did to seem to have any interaction with Dearborn in the first battle.

4. The two units were separated right from the start, it's not clear to me that Morgan ever held command over Dearborn, and if he did he did a lousy job as he only seemed focused on the rifles.

5. They did a much better job at Bemis Heights of cooperating as a combined arms command.