Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-24
From the Nation.
Sheridan in the SHENANDOAH

Sheridan in the Shenanhoah.*
1t is somewhat strange that almost the
completest, certainly the most picturesque
campaign of the late war-Sheridan's
campaign in the Shenandoah valley
should as yet have found no ambitious
historian on the Northern side to under
take its separate narration. True, the ma
terials are still wanting for full and
trustworthy history but enough is known
and enough also may be readily imagin
ed for brilliant narration of historical
value or not. The scene and the result
would sufficiently excite the writer's fam
cy when facts were in doubt, and he
might hope that details would not be
closely scanned III a glowing picture OF
victory in the plain, splendidly framed by
mountains. Either we are very lndltf1r
ent how our war was fought, or the noise
and smoke have dazed all possible portray
ers of it, or we should surely by this time
have had some sort of a sketch, good or
bad, of this campaign.
Colonel Walkers book, now before us,
is the only substitute we have seen for
what seemed likely to be forthcoming.
The Vermont Brigade" belonged to Get
/ tvs division of the Sixth Corps, and tuok
part in all that Sheridan's army did in
the valley, and in some rapid movements
hither and thither before Sheridan was
sent to meet Early. The mettle of this
brigade was we'll known Eat the front"
and it deserved all the applause that can
now be bestowed on it. We may cordial
ly agree, AS all their fellow oldiers would,
to the modest claims of Col. Walker for
his comrades. In the campaign OF 1860,
under Grant and Meade, and afterward
under Sheridan, in this brigade of six reg
iments, i'll fact of five only, for a part OF
the time, 1.-The total number of Vermont
ers killed and wounded during that brief
period reached the terrible aggregate OF
three Thousand one httndTed and SlTteeJl."
Noebetter troops ever fought under any
htg
The career of the brigade i'll the Shen-
andoah valley runs like a bright thread
through the wool of Sheridan's operations
there. Follow it up, with occasional
! glimpses at the large surface in which it
is woven, the complete pattern of the
campaign may be readily made out. Col
OWL Walkers account is very intelligent,
and he has a good idea of the whole field
in which the Vermonters manOeuvred and
! fought, and of the strategy of the rival
Generals, Sheridan and Early. He is
liberal, and sometimes lavish, in praising
his superior officers, and he is perfactly
| fair in his comments on other troops. his
story is graphic, with only an occasional
fight into other and less agreeable strains,
/ and he has an edge of that dry hunor
which was easily caught in army life, if
not possessed before. We doubt not ne
has faithfully recorded the gallant ex-
PLOTS of his own brigade, and he mem
tions himself only as Major OF the Elev-
enth Vermont, afterwards breveted
lieutenant colonel He is not always cor
rect when speaking on matters beyond
his personal knowledge, but he is good
guide over the field till one shall come
whose scope as an eye witness was larger,
and who has seen all the proofs that hap
PLY may have been preserved.
We learn from this book that the main
body of the Sixth Corps, detached from
the Army of the Potomac to resist the
invasion of Early, Ricketts, division hay
ing already gone on the same errand,
reached Washington on the morning of
July -, 1864, and Immediately went out
on the Rockville Pike to Fort Stevens,
where Elrly's troops were found confront
ing. There was a grand council of war at
the fort, President Lincoln, Secretary
Stanton, General Halleck and others as
sisting. General Wright, commanding
the Sixth Corps, threw out skirmish
line, and, fight ensuing, the President
insisted on standing on the parapet to see
the result, though an officer was wounded
at his side When Early retreated Cen
eral Wright followed rapidly to the Shen-
andoah valley, through Smokers Gap in
the Blue Ridge. There Early was lost
sight of, and was supposed to have has
tily returned to Richmond so there was
rapid counter-march all the way to-
Washington. Eearly meantime, attacked
our forces at Winchester, and the Sixth
Corps was hurried again to the Shenau-
doah Valley, passing through Harper's
Ferry, and camping at Halltown, just
beyond, wondering" as Colonel Walker
says, in army dialect, "why this was
thus" Thence, "the pace almost u gal
lop," and the heat overpowering, back
once more to Frederick City to check
Early, who had burned Chambersburg,
and was again threatening Baltimore or
Washington The 9th of August brought
General Grant, and later in the day Cen
eral Sheridan, who was left 20 take charge
of all the forces operating against the In
vaders relieving General Hunter, who
had lately somehow turned up at Har-
per,s Ferry in command"
The troops were at first little afraid
OF Sheridan, "as his only reputation hith-
efto vas that of desperate, reckless
fighter" We have room in our narrow
limits for only one or two marginal notes
on Colonel Walkers narrative of the stir
ring campaign in which Sheridan soon
| won tbs confidence of those who had
! most distrusted him and our few COM
nents shall be on the battles OF the Ope-
guam, Fishers Hill, and Cedar Creek.
dslonel Walker says it was noon
before Sheridan advanced his line of
hattie ON the 10Th of September, at the
Opequan. Fro>, various causes OF delay
it was nearly noon, il u true, and Ea.ieys
army was not caught unprerared or diVio-
ed. Sheridan reported that it was not
until perhaps nine o'clock" that the or