The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-22
THE ARMY or THE MIDDLE MIL.
TAEN DIVISION.



TARN DIVISION.
Prom ne Timer. v7g
els two weeks to-day since General Sheridnn
took command Of the Middle Military Division.
which embraces, besides the Department Of
Washington, the command Of all tic separote
armies of Wallace, Couch, and Hunter. tcchni
cally designated the Middle, the Sus1uebanpg
and Western Virginia Departments. The force
nus concentrated under one head consists mainly
Of the 9Th, Sth, and leth Corps, and the Kauawha
army, VIC latter including, besides the forces Of
Crook and Averil, those under Kelly at aud
around Cumberland.
The day that Sheridan assumed command Of
this formidable army the last Of McCausland's
, raiders had left Maryland, leaving it to the new
Commander TO organize his army on the south
sluc OF the Potomac, with no enemy in his rear
10 distract his attention from the commencement
oil what then had the appearance of an offensive
campaign The day previous 20 Sheridans
accession Sunday tue 7th Instant, Generals
Averill and Kelley attacked McCausla1d's m ain
force at MOOreiield With success, capturing four
hundred and twenty prisoners, over four hun
dIed horses ana equipments, and other trophies
On the 9th General Sheridan appears to have
\ taken up his line of march with his main force
but no skirmishing Is reported In any Of our
dispatches till the afternoon Of the 10th when
Early srear was overtakcn about ten miles north
east of Winchester and some tridiur euragc-
meut took place. A succession of similar skir-
mtshes marked the advance as far as Strasburg
The first check our army appears to have re-
Oeived came in the form Of an attack upon our
rear at Berryville. This attack, which seems to
have been made on Sunday, the lith, was led by
Moseby with force which must have been yerv
considerable in numbers. The supply train for
the whole army was protected bv A brieAde of
zone hundred days men under General Henley
and into the rear portion of their train Mose6v
nade dash, just .as 1t was making early
morning start from Berryville.
The loss in mules, cattle, and provisions was of
sufficient account, as II afterwards appeared, to
distuib TO some extent our calculations for sup.
phes and IL was, moreover, a loss which was still
more provoking that it occurred at point above
oil others favorable for MOseby's operations.
Berryyillo is but four miles from Snicler's Gap
the main highway for the guerilla troopers in
passing FROM their pasture grounds cast OF the
Blue Ridge into the Shenandoah valley. The
river is foTdabIe, besides, at two points nearly
opposite ryve-Sncker's Ferry and Island
Ford. The necessity Of strong guard at each
Of these points does not to have entered into
the calculations of the campaign.
The untOwarL event nc Berryyillc was followed
on Tuesday by the advance OF Rebel force
through ThOroughlare Gap consisting Of Ker-
shaw's Division o. LoDgstreCt's Corps, aud Wick
hams and LomaX's Brigades of Cavalry. This
force, aimed at Sheridan's flank and rear, would
have evidently made n serious demonstration
but for the timely discovery Of the movement
Followed by brilliant charge, which was made
bya portion Of Wilson's Cavalry Division, and
Custers Brigade.
The fight resulted in the capture OF a large
humber OF Rebel pr Oncrs, including a considera-
BILE ?, oportion Of ohcers, and the discovery of
the enemy's positions. That discovery doubtless
finally determined neral Sheridan's backward
movements, although the supply train had been
sent back to Winchester on Monday Early
himself held strongly defended position on
Fishers Mountain, few miles south of Stras-
| burg. And that the Rebel Generals force was
more than considerable, was proven by the fact
that party OF five hundred of our men were
surrounded and captured on Monday while estab-
fishing signal station only three miles from
The works at Fisher Mountain, If not impreg-
nRble, would have required an expenditure of
time, either to flank take by direct assault
which would have given the Rebel supporting
column from Longslreets Corps abundant oppor-
tunity to pounce upon Sheridan's rear, and at
! least effectually cut off his supplies.
The direct causes leading TO Shoridau's concen-
tration OF his line may kn briefly summed up
thus The great openings in the mountain ridge
a. ThoroughfaTe and Smokers Gaps h d 70 10
closed before his rear could be considered safe.
The presence Of Moseby' s men in the counties
east OF the Blue Edsc' within anleasy days ride
OF the highway or our wagon trains, in the She
nandoah valley, had been less an clement in the
calculations than !, should have been. ..
The advance OF Longstreet's men had been
looked fer trest instead Of cast Of the Ridge And
the army supplies were insufficient for q cam
paign of long duration. At the same time our
army has suffered no reverse; for the AFFAIR at
Berry vile can hardly como into that category.
II has not been worn out with excessive march
ing. 1t is simply drawn in for q more effective
arrangement Of the campaign. The two weeks
ii has passed between Bolivar Heights aud Stras-
burg have no. been misSpent if We take nothing
more into account than that the Rebels have been
Rrced into defensive position, and thar their
raids on the Upper Potomac at least arc st an end
for the season. ......
With bis splendid army thoroughly in hand at
po'nt which will enab him TO comm md all the
mountain passes, sheridan can take the offensive
anew, or remain simply on the defensive, with
an equal ccitanty that he can prevent the recuT-
renee of Eary's r.iding operations. That he
will choose rbe offensive we need have little
doubt, whether Early shows disposition 10 come
east OF Winchester or not. Our force Is ample
for the task il has 10 hand, and we lOo, with CON
dence to The account il shql have given pf itself
before much time shall have elapsed.
GRANT AND LEE