Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-02-14
No. Is. !.

of prisoners was in Whartons division.
Among the killed, were Major General
Rodes and Brigadier General Goodwin.
Colonel g. w. Patton, commanding a
| brigade, was mortally wounded and fell in
to the hands of the enemy Major Gener-
al Fitz Lee was severely wounded, and
Brigadier General York lost an arm. In
Major General Rodes, [ had to regret the I
loss, not only Of a most accomplished,
skillful and gallant officer, upon whom
placed great reliance, but also OF a. per-
sonal friend, whose counsels had been of
great service to me in the trying circum-a
stances with which / had found myself sur
rounded He fell at his post, doing a SOL
dier's and patriots duty to his country, and
his memory will long be cherished by his
comrades General Goodwin and Colonel
Patton we're both most gallant and efficient
officers, and their loss was deeply felt. as
was that Of all the brave officers and men,
who fell in this battle. The enemy's loss
| in killed and wounded was very heavy,
and some prisoners fell into our hands. 1870
A skillful and energetic commander of 3
/ the enemy's forces would have. crushed
Ranrseur before any assistance conldd, have
reached him, and thus ensured the destruc7
ton Of my whole force and, later m the
day, when the battle had turned against US,
with the immense superiority IN cavalry
which Sheridan had, and the advantage OF
the open country, would have destroyed
my whole force and captured everything
had. AS it was, considering the I'M
mense disparity in numbers and equipment, j,
the enemy had very little to boast of.
had lost few pieces of artillery and some
very valuable officers and men, but the
main part OF my force, and all my trains
had been saved, and the enen,ys loss ina
killed and wounded was far greater than
mine When I look back to this battle, l.
can but attribute my escape from utter an !,
nihilation--to the incapacity Of my opp0"
nnnt.* .ssa s-a4 3fsoS
&The enemy has called this battle, '.The Bat
tie Of the Opeouon, but know no claim 1T has to
that title, unless it be in the fact that, after ms re-
pulse in the fore part of the day. some OF his troops
ran back across that streamI have always thought
that instead oil being promoted, Sheridan ought 10
have been cashiered for this battle He seems to-
be sort of q pet OF Grants, and | give the 1ol-
lowing extracts from the report OF the latter, 70
show the strange inconsistency 0: "nltl, rs y
| guilty to magnify Sheridans services. In MS
| Monocacv letter to Hunter, Grant, says s FROM
Harper's Ferry is found that the enemy mas NOV
ed north Of the Potomac in large force, horln
following him attacking him wherever 1ouno; aiol1
low him If driven south OF the Potomac AS long as
il is safe to do So II it is ascerta ned that the ene-
nv has but small force north OF the Potomac,
then push south with the main force, detacnlng un-
der competent commander, suflelent iorce 70
! look after the raiders and drive them To- thelr
| hon.es' And further ON in the same letter, ne
says: "Bear in mind the object is to drive the enc
my soGth, ana to do tais, you want to- Keep MN
ALWAYS in sight. Be guided in your course DE the
course he takes When Sheridan relieved Hum
ter this lettar Of instructions was oraeiea 70 ,pe
turned over TO him. and two divisions OF cavalry
subsequently Joined him vet Grant says inGregard
to sleridan'S operations Ills operations dur~
ing The month OF August and the fore part OF Sep
TENDER were both OF offensive and detensslFe
character, resulting in many severe sklrmlshes,
principally by the cavalry, IN which we were gen
orally successful, but general engagement TOOK
place. The two armies lay in such position, the
enemy on the west bank OF the Opequon Creek coy
ering Winchester and our forces IN front OF Ber-
ryvile-tlat either could bring on a battle at amy
/ time Defeat to us would open to the enemyfsthe
States OF Maryland and Pennsylvania for long dis
tances before another army could be lnlerposed to
cheek him. Under these circumstances, hesita-
/ ted about allowing the inltatve.to De taken. FL
| and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which were
both obstructed by the enemy, became so indls-
pensablv necessary to us. and the Importance OF re-
] iieving PENNSYLVANIA and Mary land from continu-
! ouslv threatened invasion so great that deter
mined the risk should be taken. But fearing TO
! telegraph The order for attack without know
ing more than did OF General Sheridan feelings
as to what would be the probable result left City
Point on the 18th of September to visit him at his
headquarters. to decide after conferences with him
what should be done. | met biin al CharlsstoWn,
and he pointed out directly how each armylay,
,chGt he ,coa1d do the moment he ainhortzed,
and expressed such confidence OF success that saw
there were but two words ot instruction necessary
go iil.'' In the letter 80 Huntcr there IS no hes-
tation about the initiative and yet notwltnss andT
ING this letter was turned over to Sheridan Tor his
guidance aud two divisions OF cavalry subsequent
" sent him. and the further fact that he had been
oper ang both on the offensive and defensive DUR
ing August and the fore part OF September, the
impression is sought to be made that his afe9ur
was restrained BY some sort OF orders, OF when
no mention is made in Grants report. Really this
is very curious, and Grants admission OF his hesl-
tation in allowing the initiative to be taken, ana
the statement that the Baltimore and ONO Rail
road and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal We're OBJ
structed. and the invasion OF PennsYlvanlai ana
MARYLAND so constantly threatened, as to compel
him to throw oil that hesitation, conveya great
compliment to- the efficiency of small force. The
railroad is twenty-two miles from winchester at
the nearest point and the canal over thirty and
north of the Potomac while Sheridan was much
nearer to both. That Grant did find it necessary
to say to Sheridan go in p can well believe,
but tb Al the latter was painting for the uterance of
that classic phrase, must be allowed to regard as
| apocryphal. 4.
A Child's Appeal s
An afflicted mother came to Rev. Mr..
~ flor fj,a