Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-10-22
THE VERY LATEST
lTELE CIR a p H
FROM SRERIDAN!!
Particulars of His Last
Great Battle
His Army Narrowly
Escapes Defeat!
5000 PRISONERS TAKEN
20 Guns Captured!!
Union Loss $1,000
Longstreet Attempts a Sur
prise, but is Himself
Surprised!
Little Phil. Still Master of
the Situation!i


NEW YoRK, Oct 2l.-The Herald
correspondent gives the following &C
count of SherIdan's last victory: 1t was
moonlight and all around was the still
ness usual to that hour. While this
stiffness was prevailing, the enemy had
mastery massed heavy column Of
troops behind the hills ON the south
west side Of Cedar creek, and directly in
front of the positions occupied By our
extreme picketz At given signal, as
we afterwards learned, the enemy ad-
vaneed rapidly in solid column of regi-
ments. Our pickets were charged, sone
of them captured aed some driven in,
before they had hardly time to discharge
their muskets. What few pickets did
come in the enemy was so soon after
and so close TO them that it was nearly
tie which party warned the slumberiDg
camp OF the army of the danger near at
hand. Having driven in and captured
OR pickets on the left Of the line Of in
fantry, the enemy charged across Cedar
creek at the ford, and very soon after on
the bridge over said stream, and reach
ed the side Of the bill and breastworks
occupied By Stanbury's division of the
9Th corps. The rebels halted not but
passed on over all barriers, completely
surprising and in measure stampeding
the left Of Shsridan's line.
By this success the enemy gained
some artillery, believe the 4th Penn
sylvania battery, and some pieces of
regular battery.
The suddenness Of the stack and the
remarkable success for a short time, be-
wildered the troops Many of them
were taken prisoners, but the great
err portion got away with their arms.
The other division Of Crooks corps,
which were allowed some time TO fora,
did so, aud was soon formed in line BY
the remaining portion Of Thornbnrn's
division. All this while the enemy kept
pressing on aad pouring upon our men
rapid and murderous FIRE from musket-
~ as also from artillery posted on bills
on The opposite side Of Cedar Creek.
Having directed column against
Crook = forces. the enemy quickly turned
bis attention towards the right Of the
pike, where the i9;h corps, under Gen.
Emory, was formed ia line, and his ar.
tillery to work at short range.
AZ this time bold charge was made
By The enemy, under cover of his guns,
TO capture the artillery, and in a meas.
ure this ehafge was successful, although
i was resisted With great vigor and By
Ere that would have done credit TO the
best OF the veterans under the most try
ing circumstances
In the charge the rebsls took one or
two pieces Of the LIST Maine Battery, and,
believe, portion Of the Chase Bat.
terry What most helped the rebels was
the exact range which ihey got on orr
pieces The ones captured we're from
the elevated commanding position on the
| opposite side of the Greek.
/ As soon as the tight commenced, Rnd
\ il Wa known that the left bad suffered,
the 9th corps passed from It's position Of
reserve over to where the slh corps wsa
| located ia the commencement Of the en-
gsgement
The trains, too, we're go. out as speed
lily as possible, taking the pike road TO
Winchester, where they arrived in safety.
The enemy, discovering the success Of
bis surprise, or believing that il was now
only for him to triumphantly advance
land, by the way, / must mention that /.
was now broad daylieht), brought his
columns and artillery across Cedar
Creek, TO press the pursuit with vigor.
While this was being done, and brief
lull prevailed, our line was contracted
and commenced slowly falling back
The enemy pressed the pursui; rapidly
and with great persistence.
Gen. Sheridan was on his way from
Washington back to his headquarters
when the attack was made He reached
Winchester the night before the attack
was made, and remained there for con-
snltation
Early in the morning, hearing the
eannonading, he mounted his horse and
pushed forward TO the front. On the
way, he met a train of teams going C
the rear, accompanied by the usua
number of wounded and st=agglert
which proceeds from reverse. Press
ing onward, be found that some eonsid
cradle opposition was beieg made to the
. exultant foe
He seemed to comprehend the tru,
stu alton of affairs at 9 glance, and q
1 OHNC HAQ%CtAEQ ~ FGlHG4F W evil
Re organizing bis forces, then seem
= ingly more given to retreat than al
advance, he promptly changed the q.
pecs Of affairs and turned the tide G
battle, 90 rapidly growing towards dis
astrous defeat, into glorious victory
Cavalry was sent up on the right, tn
e 10th Corps placed next to it, the St
Corps in the center, the 5th Corps o
the left with Powell's Division, whie
vas for time cut of, on the left of al
and a charge of the enemy resisted an
an advance made successfully.
Another Herald correspondent SAY
our cavalry is now in hot pursuit Of ii
u flying enemy, With the infantry followiu
J as fast as they can.
Three rebel Generals are known to I
wounded, including Gen. Ramesur, WI
is prisoner, Gen. Lamox, and anothl
whose name am unable to learn
Our losses are estimated st 5 .OOG
Pisoners captured say that Longtrel
lost :hree-fourths of his artillery. A
n other says nothing can withstand Il
impetuosity of Shsridans army.
. Charge after charge was made wi
the most brilliant saccess
We captured 43 pieces Of zrtiller
some 5000 prisoners, and drove Lon
y streets shattered reserves far up the u
y ley.
The attack was induced By the uo
ing of the 9th Corps to Front Roy
causing the rebels to believe they We
L. being sent back TO Grant
sE- By the capture Of dispatch sro