The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-09

General sigsl, who was in :, onr force, .p ere
sn % ws asrs aSo shcparasowa and
the river and occ %sg :. na@bts on the an
is sSs%s ssls.own moving s,rSsg ssamn
IN Sr s ssSaeAk rny General wance WIN KekslIs
~.s1Dh ami ms own command The iatter mostly new
ana undiscpiineA troops pushed out from Baltimore
MN graf pror Apness and met the enemy ~ force en- the
nonocacy ne Ar the crossing OF the railroad bridge His
force was no sufficient insure success put ne Fought
tnS nevertheless and although :. resn.d Ia
aoieat 70 arms yet detained the enemy ana therc
by serve ID 20 enable General Wright TO reach Washington
MIN divisions Of the Sixth corps ana tne advance OF
enc corps oeGro l his Cavalry advances
aching Rockville on the evening OF the io.n. On the
9Th reconnaissance was thrown on. IN a,uns VI fofs
Stevens TO ascertain the enemys position ana oree
skmish ensued, in which we ioss ABOUT IV IN
killed and wounded The enemys loss was propapiy
Learning 1a the exact condition Of affairs at Washington
requisite! by telegraph at II 40 ~ on the l2th the
ass gnmeni or Major General H. G. Wright to the COM
mand Of all the troops that could be made available to
operate in the field against the enemy and directed that
nc should gs outside Of the trenches WIN ~ 'ae orcS
Wright commenced tho pursuit on the 3th on the 18TH
the enemy overtaken ut Suckers Ferry on the She
nandoah, when smart skrmish occurred; and ON the
Goth General Aver encountered and defeated portion
Of the rebel army at Winchester capturing four pieces
| Of artillery and several hundred PRISONERS
| Learning that Early was retreating south towards
Lyhchburg or Richmond, directed that the Sxth and
AGAINST Rchmapa 50 sSa. they nigh. 10 Us d in move
against Lee before the return OF the troops sent by
nun into the valley and that hun'er snoua remain an ~
the enemy and Washington, acting on the defensive as
much possible. felt that II the enemy had any
ton OF returning the fact would DC developed before the
\ Sixth and Nincte nth corps could leave Washington
Subsequently tho Nineteenth corps was excepted from
| the order TO return 70 the James.
EARLys ADVANCES.
About the 25th became evident that the enemy
again advancing upon Maryland and Pennsylvania. and
| the Sixth corps, then at Washington,
ordered back To- tho vicinity Of Harper's Fer
| n rn a nc into
3oh burned Chambersburg and then retreated pursued
by our cavalry towards Cumberland. They were met
and defeated by General Kelly, and with diminished
numbers escaped the msrntans of West virg MIA
From the time Of the first raid tho telegraph wires
making It necessary transmit messages part the
way by boat It took from twenty four to thirty six
hours to get dispatches chrough and return
back; that often orders would be given and then
formation would be received showing different state Of
facts from thos on which they were based causing
confusion apparent contradiction Of orders that must
have considerably embarrassed those who had to execute
cfccive than they otherwise would have On. To
remedy this evil 1t was evident to my mind that some
shSad have the sgprsm r command Of all tho
Srs<uehalna and tho Middle Department, and l re-
commented.
SHERIDAN SENT TO THE VALLEY
Onthe I'd OF August ordered General Sheridan
port person to Major General Halleck chief of STAFF
Washington, with view to his asst nment TO the com
mand Cf all tho forces against Early At this time tho
enemy was concentrated IN the neghborhood of Win
concentrated the Monocacy, tho crossing Of the
baltimore and Ohio Railroad, leaving open to the enemy
where was hcsitacd TO give positive orders for the
movement Of our forces at Nonocacy lest by doing
should expose Washington. Therefore, on the 4h left
City Point to visit Hunters command, and determine
myself what was best to be done On arrival there and
after consultation with General Hunter issued to him
| the following Instructions
l MoNOcAcY BRIDGE Md. August 8, 1868 pm
A. al your available force without
S
found that the enemy north Of the aomaa Il,
i aRa 4ssfss n
small force north e Of tie Paoms a hs Ss
e. aa 1ss he
and drive them to their homes In detaching such force
sssvs may sfen into account 's ''" washington VI"
ss Re: Will &c se ~
brigade probably start tomorrow In pushing up The
should fsf 70 a.
wanted er the use Of your such as am
consumed IN destroy desirable that the Sndss
The people should be long as an army can
'esss sid al BE
YOU want Keep S% Always In ss Be- GUIDED
in your course ours. BY the course he takes.
regular Tor such s may be taken from loyal
Major General d HUNTER.
| The troops Immediately put in motion and the
| advance reached Hatown that night
General Hunter having, in conversation expressed
willin ness be relieved from command Itoegrapbed
70 have General Sheridan then ut Washington sent
Harpers Ferry by the morning train, with orders tako
general command of all the troops In the held to
| cab on General Hunter at Monocacy who would turn
over 10 him any letter OF Instructions ! remained at
honocacy, until General Sheridan arrived, the morn
ing OF the 9th, and after conference with him rela
ton to military affairs In that vicinity, returned City
| Point by way OF Washington
On the 7th OF August the Middle Department and tho
| Departments OF West Virginia, Washington and susquc
hanna constituted into tho ''Midde Military Div
slon, and mayor General Sheridan was assigned TO tenn
| porary command OF the same
Two divisions of cavalry, commanded by Generals
| Torbert and Wilson, were sent to Sheridan from tho
Army of the Potomac The first reached him Harpcrs
Ferry about She 11th OF August
i i SHERIDAN ORDERED TO "Gc M
His operations during the month Of August and the
Tore part OF september were both OF offensive and
| defensive character, resulting In many Skin.
mlshes principally by the cavalry, in which wo wero
generally successful but general engagement took
place Tho two armies lay in such position-the enemy
on the west bank Of the Opequan creek covering win.
chester, and forces in front Of Berrysvie-that
either could bring battle any time Defeat 70 us
would lay open 70 tho enemy the States OF Maryland and
could be interposed 10 check him. Under these circum
stances hesitated about allowing the initiative TO be
taken Finally the Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road and tho Chesapeake and Ohio canal which were
both obsructcd by the enemy became ndspens SADLY
syivanla and Maryland from continuously threatened
Invasion SO great, that ! determined the risk
| order for an attack without knowing more than I
did OF General sheridans feelings to what
would Dc the probable result ief, CITY Point on the
decide, after conference with him. what should be done
met him at Charleston and he pointed out distinctly
authorized and expressed such confidence OF sue
cess that saw there but two words Of instruction
nl'' For the convenience Of forage the
teams for supplying the army kept at Harpers
Ferry. asked him II he could get out his teams and
supplies in time make attack on the ensuing Tues
DAY morning His rcply was that he could before day.
| light on Monday. He was on promptly 10 time and I
aiucad IN ~ Ia