Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-02-24
The Shenandoah Campalgn-.
Generals Sheridan and EarIy.

A controversy between Gen, Sher'
idan orthe United States Army, aud
/ Gen. Ear,y late OF the Confederate
Army, relative to the forces engaged
in the campaigns oftho Shenandoah
Valley, has attracted considerable
attention. The points involved in
I the issue are Of great historical in
tcrest and importance 1t is desi'
rablc that they should be dctermin'
ed now, while the proofs are fresh
and the witnesses alive. To arrive
at such result, IL ia incumbent on
those who engage in what ought
now 10 be an exclusively historical
question, to avoid anything ike pas
sion and partisanship, and consider
| the facts in dispute with y rigid I'M
partinlity and y stern fidelity to his
torical truth and Justice.
The following communication from
highly intelligent member Of our
bar, appears 20 us to manifest this
proper and cowmendub!e temper,
and TO present the Interesting facts
of history involved in this coutro-
versey in n clear and impartial light;
New ORLEANS, Jan. 10, 1865.
To the Editors Of the PicayuHe--
GENTLEMEN In the Crescent OF
| the 18th inst, there appeared COM
munica!lon from -dNor General T.
IL. sheridan evoked Dy !eI''F "u'
dressed by Lieutenant Genera! Ear-
Iy to the New York Dail% HeWS' re-
spect'ng the number of N0h'SdSF".o
troops engaged ia the valley c&u. =
pa'gns OF Virginia ueh'r%' 7"er''
dan, am peTsuaded' WoHia q" m
justice to no one; more eSpec'hI'y
not, to an opponent, whom ne nus
defeated. And yet the structures
upon Gen. Earlys letter IN the ar
ticle just mentioned ~ Geh''N'
Sheridan place me iofm'f o"'rer III
the unenViable attitude OF u wiling
talSifier OF history
In justice to Gen early aI!o" me
to say a word.
General Shordans statement OF
facts, is, OF course, correct Irem
August 4 lo6+' TO N"rGA 49Eo, D., =
have no doubt tH"I about i''oe'
Confederate PRISONERS were taken III
the Valley OF WgIn'a'
notwithstanding TINS lact, know
Of my own personal knowledge, th"t
Gen. Early IS statement II also cor,
rect when he states 'hat ie h"l
about $500 musi'ets IN tho SECOND
engagement with Gen. Sheridan. /
was staff officer for four years IN
the army Of Northern Virginia |
was u division staff officer, Second
Army Corps, under Gen. Early 8
command, from the time the Second
Corps was detached from the Army
Of Northern Virginia, June, 1861,
to the time it WAS c"deg2d to Peters-
burg, December, 1854, was pres
ent at the battles OF Winchester,
Fishers Hill and Cedar Creek. l
know from the official reports th&t !
myself made, and from actual o5scf'
vation at reviews, drills, inspections
in camp and on the march, the ctfec,
tive strength Of every brigade and
division OF Gen. Eariy'a command.
OF the cavalry and artillery, can-
not speak so &uthor;tativeiy. And
can, therefore, assert that i'll no
one of these actions aboyo mcu-
toned did Gen. Early carry 90U0
men (intantry) into tic fight.
The prisoners $4,000 taken by
Sheridan were taken from the de-
partment over which Gcu. Early
was supposed to have command, Ia
these are to he included, OF course,
all the Struggling cavalry that in
tested the Valley Of Virginia, Z
greater terror to their friends thAa
their foes; the guerillas, made up Of
descrters and skullcrs from the
Army of Northern Virginia; the
foraging details sent OF: to supply
that army with forage, teamstcrs,
lahorers, detailed men Of the Iuar.
termastcr and commissary depart,
ments, all OF whom were legitimate
prisoners. as they were enlisted
men; the hangers on Of thc medical
department: priyatcs absent on far
lough. captured in their homes. and
the disabled men that followed the
army (addjng nothing to its c.fcctigo
strength) rather than remain in the
hospitals to which they had been
ordered.
OF the casualties Of Gen. Ear.y r
army, in the engagements Of Win
chester, Fishers Hill and Cedar
Creek, the aggregate was not 4,0CO.
The casualties of the action Of