Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-11-12
The Unexplained Operations in the Valley.

Agate" of the Cincinnati Gazette, thus
explains Sheridans late retrogade movement
in the Valley, which has seemed inexplicable
to many:
Some portions of the recent movements in
the valley belong as yet, to unwritten history.
Everybody watched Gen. Sheridan's brilliant
course up the Shenandoah, from Harper's
Ferry to Winchester, from Winchester to
0pequan, from 0pequan to Fishers Hill, from
Fishers Hill to HarrisOnburg and Staunton,
from StauntOn to ROckfish Gap. Then came
a sudden blank, broken only by indistinct ru-
mors of uncomprehendede cavalry skirmishes,
and ended, to eyerybody's half-concealed sur
prise, by sudden retiring back to Stras-
burg. ~ 8 81 -~t
Why the blank Why the retreat? The
rebel journals give hints; but it is to the pri-
vate intelligence we must trust for the full
explanation.
The campaign in the Shenandoah Valley
was complete in itself when Early's army was
beaten and broken, the Valley cleared and
the standing menace to the border removed.
1t remained to utilize these local successes for
Grant and for the armies before Richmond.
This might be attempted in two ways: by
movement on Lynchburg, taking the stores
and work shops, and cutting the leading arte-
ry of Richmond supply; or by a movement
on Charlottesville or Gordonsville, that would
plant ttis victorious army of the Valley on the
west hank-so to speak-of Richmond, and
within cooperating distance of Butler and
Meade.
The first was decided to be so difficult as
to be almost impracticable; and it was doubt
ed if the advantages would pay the costs.
Lynehburg was known to be well defended,
and it was nearly sixty miles still further
south from Staunton while Sheridan's line
of communications was already heightened
out through guerrilla-infested country and
without railroads for distance of 12O miles.
Lynchburg was therefore abandoned
Charlottesville, however, seemed accessible;
and the whole time intervening between Sher-
idan's arrival at Staunton and the sudden re-
treating to Strasburg, was spent in efforts to
open a way through the mountains. The d.
reject road from Staunton to Charlottesville
led through Rockfsh Gap, and that was tried.
The Gap was found to be so strongly defend
ed by Early's men that a passage was imprac-
ticable After severe skirmishing we gave it
up. The others were then tried in success
sion. Jordan's Gap, Browns Semon's and
Swift Run Gap, each was found strongly
guarded by a rebel force that could not be
dislodged short of siege approaches, or the
cutting of new roads over mountains that
have always been considered impossible. At
most of them there was sharp skirmishing; at
some, it is said, tolerable heavy fighting.
At any rate, the upshot of it all was that
the movement on Charlottesville had to be
abandoned 1t remained to bring back the
army to Strasburg, which is the natural gate
to the Valley, establish chain of strong mil
itary posts there, completely barring the
way, and fortifying the gaps along the Blue
Ridge from Harper's Ferry down to Stras-
burg; and then to accomplish the co-opera-
! ton which so large an army owed to the gen.
eral development of the campaign in some
Meantime Early, being heavily reinforced,
made the attack on our forces, which result
ed in Sheridan's brilliant victory at Cedar
Greek. -.-a ~ ~