American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-10-26
Sheridan's Great Victory.

4 tails of yesterdays brilliant victory sue
ceeding so serious defeat, are at hand
They possess thrilling interest For sew
eral days, il seems, an attack had been ex
pected from the enemy, who arestill com
manded by Gen. Early, instead of Gen
Longstreet, but no indications were mani
tested until Tuesday night. The army
of the Shenandoah, then under the com
mand of Gen. Wright, in the absence Of
General Sheridan, stretched across the
Strasburg pike to the Shenandoah river,
near Cedar Run. The night of Tuesday
was misty, and this forwarded Early's
designs on our extreme left. At con-
cealed point the latter massed Pegrams
Gordon's, and Ramseur's divisions. His
remaining divisions were then marched
from Fishers Hill, on the Strasburg pike,
in front of our centre.
Just before daylight, while our men
were sleeping, the rebel infantry, who had
massed during the night, made a rapid
and furious advance, driving in our pick
cts, and assaulting Gen. Crooks breast
works, while severe fire was poured in
on his front and flank Only portion of
our infantry manned the works, and the
rebels drove them out. Two of our di-
visions were swept off by the overwhel-
ming numbers of the enemy, who came
pouring in in an irresistible current. Our
men vainly endeavored to serve artillery
in the breastworks, but the enemy sue
ceeded in capturing seven pieces. Only
two of our batteries were brought off from
this point In fact, the sudden attack in
the dark was complete surprise.
While Crook was being overwhelmed,
the 10th aud 18th corps firmly stood their
ground while the enemy's attack on their
front and flank became general, and they
too were forced to fall back, fighting stub
bornly as they retreated. Inevitably fate
seemed staring our army in the face, but
Gen Wright did not yield the day. The
10Th corps and the 10th corps being forced
back on the left, Wright ordered the 9th
corps from its position on the right to the
left to stem the rctreating current, but al
ready the onemy's cavalry were in the
rear and had captured a portion of Cooks
| ambulance train.
The 10Th and 9th corps were re-inforc-
ed on the left, and the whole line again
fell back to connect with our cavalry.
This occasioned some loss, and six more
pieces Of artillery were captured by the
enemy. When the new line halted the
second time, itrepulsed two furious as
saults. The severity of the repulses is
attested by the wounding of nearly every
field officer in the First Division of the
Sixth Corps. General Ricketts,, COM
nanding the corps, was so badly wounded
that he had to leave the field. General
Bedwell was killed. General Wright,
commanding the army was slightly woun-
ded in the face by bullet The 10th
corps alss suffered severely. The new
line, however, was in stronger position,
though subject to an incessant artillery
and musketry fire.
The result was thus summed up The
battle had ragged at this position of affairs
from before daylight to ten o'clock in the
forenoon, and during that time We had
been forced from strong position, had
lost twenty pieces of artillery, thirty
ambulances aad all the medical supplies
of the 10Th Corps, and given up two
miles of battlefield to the rebels, who
still pressed us. At this moment, how
ever, there was an important change.
Gen. Sheridan, who had ridden post-haste
from Winchester, where he was On his
return from Washington, came pushing on
the field. His appearance was received
with tremendous enthusiasm, as he rode
along the whole frontof the army from
right to left waving his hat. All retreat
then ceased and for four hours every ex-
ertiou was made to save the day. Every
officer and man entered into it with de-
termined zeal.
The line was reformed by Sheridan.
The 9th Corps was put in the centre, the
10Th on the left, Merritt's cavalry on the
extreme right In the meantime the en-
smy seemed quiet. On this new line
General Sheridan ordered general charge,
which swept down over the crest of the
hills on the rebel line with resistless fury.
The sight was magnificent. The enemy
thought that the battle was over and that
of course as matters stood. the victory
was theirs, had commenced to throw up
earthworks and go into camp. Earl y
was therefore, taken by as much surprise
as Wright was in the morning. He was
| Il. l.