On July 26, 1863, the sad remnant of Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan's Raiders, amounting to fewer than 350 men, was brought to bay at this site after Morgan's Raid had taken 25 days of hard riding and covered about 950 miles in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio in an effort to distract Union forces. With the help of local citizens, Union cavalry Major George Rue of the 9th Kentucky U.S. Cavalry, acting independently of the forces that had pursued Morgan across southern Ohio, placed approximately 275 men ahead of Morgan's path and formed a line of battle perpendicular to the road along this ridge on David Crubaugh's farm. Morgan sent officers to demand Rue's surrender, but Rue recognized a trick and replied that the Confederates must surrender or fight. Morgan then claimed to have already surrendered to local militiaman Captain James Burbick, but Major Rue refused to recognize it and again insisted on unconditional surrender or battle. With his exhausted men already asleep along the road and no further hope of escape, Morgan surrendered, and the pursuing Union cavalry under Brigadier General James Shackelford arrived and helped complete the Confederates' disarming. The Confederates were first taken to Salineville and then by rail to Wellsville for the night, after which Morgan and several officers were eventually incarcerated at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus while others were held at various prisoner-of-war camps.
