JOIN US ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, AT 7:15 P.M. (Pacific Time)
FOR A PRESENTATION ON
"JOHN HUNT MORGAN'S RAID AND THE
BATTLE OF BUFFINGTON ISLAND, OHIO"
WITH Aaron Siever, Owner - Aaron's Civil War Travels LLC
"Morgan's Ohio Raid" by artist Mort Künstler
Image courtesy of Southeast Ohio History Center
John Hunt Morgan's 1863 Raid, often called the Great Raid, was one of the most daring Confederate cavalry operations of the Civil War. Beginning on June 11, 1863, Morgan led approximately 2,400 Confederate cavalrymen from Tennessee through Kentucky before crossing the Ohio River into Indiana and Ohio, directly violating General Braxton Bragg's orders to remain south of the river. The raid was intended to disrupt Union communications, destroy railroads and bridges, divert Federal troops from the campaigns at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, and spread panic among Northern civilians.
For more than six weeks, Morgan's men covered 1,000 miles, capturing supplies, burning bridges, tearing up railroad tracks, cutting telegraph lines, and defeating local militia at places such as the Battle of Corydon, the only Civil War battle fought in Indiana. Although the raid created widespread alarm across the Midwest and forced the Union to commit thousands of soldiers to the pursuit, Morgan found himself increasingly trapped by converging Federal cavalry and gunboats.
The raid ended in disaster when Morgan failed to escape across the Ohio River. After suffering heavy losses at Buffington Island on July 19, he continued east through Ohio until his exhausted command was surrounded near Salineville. Morgan surrendered on July 26, 1863, with most of his remaining force captured. While the raid demonstrated the speed and effectiveness of Confederate cavalry, it failed to achieve its strategic objectives and cost the Confederacy one of its finest mounted commands at a critical point in the war. July 1863 would prove to be an absolutely devastating month for the Confederacy.
Aaron Siever grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Since he was a child he has been interested in the American Civil War.
After graduation from high school in 2003, Aaron went into a law enforcement career that spanned 15 years. During his time in law enforcement, Aaron worked lots of criminal cases but also gave presentations to the community about potential crimes such as frauds and scams. As a general instructor, Aaron was able to teach others not only about law enforcement but community service as well.
In 2004, Aaron started documenting the various Civil War sites he had visited and call this Aaron's Civil War Travels. As he traveled around, Aaron started making short videos of his travels in 2016.
Aaron created his YouTube channel that same year (Aaron's Civil War Travels) and by 2024, Aaron had done 200 videos at Civil War related sites from Virginia to California.
In 2020, Aaron graduated from Liberty University with bachelor's degrees in History and Criminal Justice. Aaron also received a certificate in the American Civil War and Reconstruction from Columbia University online (Columbia X).
In 2021, Aaron joined the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation where he was responsible for maintaining the Valley's Civil War battlefields, overseeing projects and conducting tours as a Park Ranger.
In 2024, Aaron left the foundation and started Aaron's Civil War Travels LLC.
Thanks to the volunteer efforts and expertise of our Pasadena CWRT members, Tina Miller and Monika Skerbelis, we are now able to record our monthly meetings and post the videos to our YouTube Channel for your enjoyment and edification if you are unable to join us for our live meetings. We invite you to check out the videos from our two years of virtual meetings, as well as our most recent presentations, at our YouTube Channel:
We are indebted to Tina and Monika for helping us to bring this wonderful added benefit to allow our non-local members and guests to enjoy the presentations of our distinguished roster of speakers.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR IN-PERSON MEETING:
Pasadena CWRT - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 - 7:15 PM (Pacific Time)
The Blinn House - 160 North Oakland Avenue - Pasadena
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Contact Janet Whaley, Program Chair
PasadenaCWRT@gmail.com or 626-664-6627