The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-12-16
Battle Of Cedar Creek.

BY a nephew Of Hon. Luther Sanborn Of Par
sonsfeld. who enlisted before he was sixteen
years old. and who has been in active service
moro than three years. 1t is a gem Of word
painting by privat, soldier and is worthy
OF being embalmcd in printers ink:
HospIrAL DEPARTMENT. % DIV. 6rn CoRrs, !
NEAR MIpDLErowS, Va, Oct. 80, 1854. )
The smoke Of another great battle in the
Shenandoah has cleared away and "Little Phil.
Sheridan has climaxed the series Of brilliant
and mastery achievements by one Of the grand.
est ,riumphs which have crowned the martial
prowess of our arms in the Valley or bright
enc dthe broad battle fields of this war. After
our return from Harrisonburg, our army took
up position on the north side OF Cedar Creek,
and about three miles north Of Strasburg. For
several days "I.ittle Phil" did all in his power
to draw the "Johnnies" on. even sent our
Corps "a Ashby's Gap, a. II going TO Peters
burg, but the old man Early couldn't see IL
until Robert r. should send him up some fresh
veterans from Richmond. About the 18th inst,
our scouts ascertained that Is or 20 thousand
rcinf,rcements were on their way 10 join Early
and that he had instructions from Lee to attack
Us n soon ~ they arrived and drive Us from
the Valley at NIL hazards. About that time
Little Phil paid flying visit 10 Washing
ton expecting, undoubtedly. a. return in time
o. entertain Mr.. Early on his anticipated visit.
lie left Gen. Wright Of our corps, in command
of the army which was posted rs follows: the
sth corps on the left, the 10Th in the center,
and the 9th corps 10 her oil place ON the right.
On the morning of the 10th before daylight.
MIR. Early's arrival was announced by the rap
III reports IL musketry on the line in the yicin-
ity ~ the Slh corps. We had no more than
"crawlel OUT when larg. numbers Of the Sth
corps came rushing through our Hospi,sl train
to the rear. who IN answer 10 the inquiry
"what IS up?" astonished Us by the reply,
'.The rebs have surprised Us, taken our works
with all our artillery aud are advancing rapid
Is on our front and flank" The order come,
.psck up quicker than lightning :" 1t was
growing day, hut the whole country was wrap
PEE! In dense fog. which. with the approach
Ing yslls Of the rebels. rendered the situation
painfully unpleasant. We had scarcely "tum-
hlei" the things into wagons. when the slh aud
18th corps werc ia full retreat. aud the bullets
came whizling through our train signaling n
coming crisis for the old 81 Div. Hospital, and
lecions Of bowling demons seemed about to
burst through the thick fog. upon US from oil
sides We were hauling out with the trains
under the whip. hsuntsl by visions OF Belle Is.
land, Libby Prison. TobiesH Warehouses and
corps came dashing In from the right ON the
double quick snsiching US as Il were, from the
greedy grasp OF Mr. Early. The old ~ Div.
WAS in advance and Was the frs. To send its
compliments to AR. Early and assure him OF a
warm reception, even at that unfashionsble
hour. The whole corps than fell hack to strip
Of woods and formed In line Of battle, amid
mass VI running men from the 9Th and 18th
corps, and lay on their faces To await the ad-
vancing foe. The rebels flushed with their
mornings success and supposlng the 9th corps
60 be AWAY came dashng on, bowling and yell
ling. until within ten rods of our lines, when
the old 9th CORDS rose up like wall VI iron be-
fore their astoushed vision, and the rebel lines
were dashed In fragments upon her crags OF
steel and Are. The smoke cleared away, thou
sand rebels lay PROSTATE on the field, and the
old 9th corps stood there ike rock beating
back the pillows Of living aesh. A lull then
took place in the battle, but was soon broken
BY cheers of soldiers In the rear. A minute az
terwsr,ls "Little Phil. Sheridan" came dsshing
up the pike at lightning speed, amid the vocif-
erous cheers Of wounded and dying men, who
cried. "we'l whip them yet, Sheridan Is here. "
II Was not long before he appeared on the front
line and = round Of cheers went up from the
troops, which would have done honor To the
first Napoleon. lie rode along the lines amid
the flying bullets, smiling and chatting with
the men. telling them. "There will be no falling
back, the traitors can never stand before those
crosses" Goth corps badge), I'VE viii sleep in
uur old camps to night. and to-dsy's sun will
set on the worst whipped rebel army you ever
saw." Had twenty thousand fresh veterans ar
rived on the field at that time, Il would not
have infused the troops with that spirit pro-
duced by the arrival OF "Little Phil" Stray
rlers returned to the front. cheering. the old
9th corps like chained tiger, waited TO be let
loose. and every one felt that Sheridans arriv-
ai on the Geld WAS providentisl assurance OF
victory. His ride over the field Was Ike the
moving Of some master spirit over the confused
elements. bringing order out of chaos. mould
ina defeat into victory. His eagle eye swept
over the Geld and photographed the situation
1t glance. his fertile genius ut the same time
demonstrating the solution VI its remedy. IN
der his electric influence and rapid executive
skill. our lines soou presented hedge Of "yan-
kes bayonets," before which Mr.. Early would
havstrembled had he seen II before II rolled
down upon him. but he heard not the low rum
bling which betoken,d the coming storm until
10 burst upon him. Ala r. u. Sheridan ordered
the grand charge, and the old 9th corps massei
went down upon Mr.. Early like athunder clap.
shivering his lines In fragments and scattering
thsmin every direction. True to Little Phil's5
promise, the setting sun aud the sinking for.
tunes Of the rebel army, went down together.
Mr. Early's proud advance vas turned into
.lisastrous rout. aud ut dark. leaving - pieces
OF artillery, 800 wagons. and many prisoners
in "Litslc Pills" hands, hs was Tying with
the broken rvmnsnts Of his army, mp the val
ley. his rctreating footsteps lighted by the
asshes Of rorbet's earbines. The next day our
cavalry captured IL more pieces os artillery
sud "gobblei up" many prisoners Who bad
iel 10 the mountains. The battle Of Cedar
rrcsk. win rank among the most remarkable
engagements OF modcru tmes Such change