Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-10-29
PARTICULARS0 OF EsUERlDAN's
VBNTOggY

OK THE battlefield NEAR CEDAR
CREEK, Va, October 1910 r.. M-The
sun has again set on battlefield In the She
nandoah Valley, and the rays of the waning |
moon are dimly lighting the pathway of the
retreating Rebels. General Sberidan's vic
torious troops are swiftly pursuing the bro
ken and scattered remnant of Early's army, |
now rapidly flying up the Valley.
The battle which has just ended so glo-
riously for the cause of the Union will,
doubtless. be known in history as "the bat |
tie of Cedar Creek" having been fought on
the banks of that insignificant, but now his
toric stream. 1t has been an extraordinary
and fierce struggle, and in one respect is uu-
equaled in the history of warfare, either of
modern times. 1t has proved the magical
influence master mind exercises over the
fate of battle in inspiring with renewed
courage retreating army and turning d
probable defeat into decisive and glorious
victory. The man who has this day achiev
ed so wonderful defeat is Maior-General
Philip ii. Sheridan, the hero of tho Shenan-
doah and the idol of the troops lie COM
mands.
THE BATTLE COMMENCES.
The morning Of Wednesday, Oct. 10, was
raw ard misty. A dense fog enveloped the
whole country in the vicinity of Cedar Creek
making every object at distance of fifty
yards perfectly invisible. AT o'clock the
air was at its keenest, and the fog at its
densest point; so General Early chose that
opportune hour for the attack, by which he
hoped to clear the Shenandoah valley of
General Sherdan's Yankee army.
Ghost-like and chilly was everything that
morning. The veterans of the Sixth Corps
were wroppcd in sleep on the right of our
line, and beyond them still further to the
right was General Clusters Division of Ca
valry. The vigilant pickets of these CON-
mands were snivering in and peering thro'
the mist, for experience had taught them
that the foe was never to be despised and
proper precautions never neglected. Through
the misty morning air the pickets peered
with curious eyes, when shadowy forms ap-
peared as though rising from the ground !;
but III few seconds bright flash and q
sharp report told them that once again
Early's Rebel horsemen were coming down
their lines. Shot was exchanged for shot,
and for fifteen or twenty minutes quite q
| lively picket duel ensucd, breaking the slum-
| bers of thousands for time The firing,
! however, ceased almost rs suddenly rs it
had commenced, and the army once again
slept.
| Quiet reigned along our lines, and even
the mules, usually so noisy, appeared to be
dosing -Four o'clock approached and the
! Rebel column was put in motion. ker-
! shaw's Division was the first to move, and
the real attack commenced.
The Eighth Corps was the first to suffer.
The demonstration on the extreme right had
been intended as a fcint to draw the atten-
tion of our pickets from their columns NOV
! ing towards the left. The Rebels must have
moved their troops along the line of the
Manassas Railroad, and crossed the Cedar
! Creek far to the left of General Crooks
Corps. Rebel prisoners subsequently stated
that they commenced to move at two O'Clock
in the morning. They would consequently
have had about two hours to get into posi-
ton before attacking the left of our line.
Gen. Early succeeded in getting his men
well on the rear flank of General Crooks
Corps by four o'clock in the morning, with
out being discovered. During the proceed
ing day the utmost confidence had been eX-
pressed in the imprcgnability of this flank
but the fog hid the Rebel advance, and be-
fore the long roll was beaten through the
camps of General Crooks Corps, Early's
men were inside and instantly charged on
the artillery. Large numbers of men were
surprised and instantly captured, without
|
possession of several batteries and turned
the guns on General Crooks men. Not,
withstanding the perilous position in which
his corps was placed, General Crook made
a gallant defense, but the Rebel troops
wrapped his flank and front in flames.
The Eighth Corps had been compelled to
change front, and shortly after the Rebel
assault their front was facing cast and the
Rebel line extended down to camp of the
provisional division, Colonel Kitching's
command, which was surprised in q similar
manner to the Eighth Corps
This division originally mustered between
three and four thousand men, but all, eX-
cept about five hundred, had been taken
away to guard trains and perform other ST
milar duties. Colonel kitching however
succeeded in forming the small balance oI
his division on the left OF the Eighth Corps
and until that organization broke and fell
back, made brave and determined stand
During this stand Colonel Kitching succeed.
ed in rallying in large number of straggers
and Placing them in position to check the
Rebel movement
The efforts, however, of General Crook
and his staff were insufficient to stem the
Rebel advance. For upwards of an hour the
unequal contest was sustained, when the
fell back with great rapidity. Colonel Kit.
ching was severely wounded in the foot
while eldeavoring to rally his men,.
About this time the sun began to rise and
the mist to disperse, when q clearer view
could be obtained of the operations on our
lett. The Rebel plan of battle had already
| developed itself 1t was evidently Early's
intention to keep flanking us on the left,
thus to double up the army and get in be-
tween us and Winchester. The Eighth Corps
having been pressed back for considerable
distance, and their works occupied by the
| Rebels preparations were made by the Nine.
teenth Corps to resist the advance. Unfor-
tunateIy, sufficient time was not allowed for
| the purpose. The retreat of the Eighth
/ Corps, at the first slow and orderly, was by
the impetuosity of the Rebel advance, con-
verted into avery disorderly retreat.
On the left of the Winchester anG Stras-
! burg pike the hills were of considerable ele-
yation, and on these eminences the Eighth
Corps had been camped when surprised
| About sunrise, however, stragglcrs began to
| come down, and in an incredibly short space
OF time the whole corps was en- route for the
| rear. Many regiments of General Crooks
Corps behaved nobly, and contested the
ground inch by inch. Others, however, to
their shame be it spoken, broke up entirely,
and came streaming down the hills, across
10 hak kaYrs tl-. E a.,