New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-09-24
sII X RIDAN.


! The Rebel army which Sheridan or Monday
defeated and sent " vhirling through Wmches-
ter" he again attacked near strsshurg on Thurs
day. again defeated. and this time, also, has
sent Il whrliug up the Valley, disorganized,
beaten to pieces aud OILY saved by darkness
from total Destruction Early made his stand
II tho strongest point in tho Shenandoah Valley,
aud down Ito road lie is nov hurled oan
fund 10 ground to fight on til be comcs TO
the broken county, beyond Hauiaonburg, by
which time he will seemingly have ~ army to
! fight with. il there is any point at wlich be
could even delay the sgiitness Of shcr.dan's
pursuit., ii would bc whore the great turnpike,
that reaches ny the valley, crosse The shcnan-
doah Just above NJ, Jackson bit O. thisI
moment it . worse than hopelcu ar him 20 at
tempt stand there. Far more dN.eerogs TO
him than the victorious army which presses on
bis rear Is the powerful force Of cavalry which
is tuning The flank Of his dying asmy--il such
an army can be said 70 have q faAk At OH
events, Il is capable Of being attacked IN the
rear and H. retreat as an army utterly cut of.
Now TO 90 back moment; for the hurry oil
Shtridan's movements has carried "a already be-
yond his lat victory.
The map which We print this moraiug shows
clearly enough the scene Of the battle aud the
resulting positions. Just below Strallrg the
north fork OF tho Shenandoah River bend at a
night angle. On the right bank tie Ma,sanut-
ten Mountains como steeply down - Nhe
rivers brink. They are wooded and utterly
impa. sable. Early's right flank rested against
The river thus protected-the river itself At that
point running swift and deep; 80 that by river
and mountain together his flank was perfectly
covered. Across the Valley, Suddenly narrow.
ing aud breaking into hills at this point, Earlys
line Of battle was drawn his LEFT protected b.
tho Little North Mountains, which, like the
others, are wooded, difficult Of access ut all
pouts--in feet, seemingly impossible. No one
who knows this extraordinary position would
deem il capable Of assault in front, or Of
being turned; yet il is just this imprcgnable,
mountain-guarded avenue to the Valley which
Sheridan on Thursday, By the most brilliant
tactics and by the inyincible and ardent GAL
lantry Of his troops stouned in upon, and car
ried, driving the enemy" says his dispatch,
in the utmost confusion.' "1bc whole army
appeared to be broken up" and "ouly darkness
has saved the whole Of Early's army from total
destruction" That is tho language Of a Cen
eral as modest and cautious as he Is brave, and
means more than all il saya. The evident truth
is that Early's forces were flying up the Valley
for their lives. They havo an excellent road to
travel on, but where viii they arrive
For Sheridan announces that he has sent two
Divisions Of cavalry up the Luiay Valley, and
"if they push on vigorously the result Of to-day
will be still more signal" Readers may take
to their map again, and note that the Luray
Valley lies between the Blue Ridge and the
South Fork of tho Shenandoah. The river is
crossed by bridge on the LuTay and Now-Mar-
kct road, and the undoubted purpose of these
two Divisions Of hurrying cavalry Is by that
road and through the Luray Gap in the
Massanuttin Mountains TO enter the Shenan-
doah Valley at Now-Market. in tho rear
Of Early's retreat They ought to reach
that point before any force can DO gathered to
stand up against them, and they will thus bar
tho road TO that army, destroy its communica-
tons, cut of its supplies. and hold it at New
Market TO become the unrosisting victim Of tho