The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-17
ANINCIDENT OF THE WAR.
How Sheridan Procured the In
formation Winch Led to HISS At
tack and Victory at Winchester.
TO BE CONTINUED
New York Times.

Edward A. Pollard, declares that the de-
feat of the Confederate Army of the Val
ley, near Winchester, Va, Sept. 10, 1864,
was the beginning of the downfall of the
Confederacy-since that victory, with
the operations of the following month in
the same quarter, destroyed the military
power of the rebellion in the Valley,
closed permanently that broad highway
of Northern invasion, by which the South
had been able so long and so successfully
to divert the war from the interiorof Vir
ginia to its boundaries, and effectually
circumscribed the territory of the strug
gle in that State.
The Battle of Winchester was ore of
the most sanguinary and hotly-contested
battles of the war. The actual fighting
of the day was confined to a space of
about five hours time after midday, and
before the final result more than five
thousand of Sheridan's army were put
hors du combat. The contest ended about
6 o'clock with the rout of the enemy, who
fled in the greatest disorder to Fishers
Hill. The Confederate historian is prob
ably correct in the importance that he
gives to this Union victory, although |
believe he is the only writer on either
side who has clearly pointed out the rea-
sons which made it disastrous to the
cause of the South. The report of Gen.
Grant (page 16) sets forth in few words
the military situation in the Shenandoah
Valley just prior to this battle. He
says:
"The two armies lay in such position
the enemy on the west bank of the
Opequan Creek, covering Winchester,
and our forces in front of Berrvville-
that either could bring on battle at any
time. Defeat to us would lay open to
the enemy the States of Maryland and
Pennsylvania for long distances before
another army could be interposed to
check him. Under these circumstances
I hesitated about allowing the initiative
to be taken. Finally, the use of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which were
both obstructed by the enemy, became
so indispensably necessary to us, and the
importance of relieving Pennsylvania
and Maryland from continuously threat
ened invasion so great, that determined
the risk should be taken. But fearing to
telegraph the order for an attack without
knowing more than | did of General
Sheridan's 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 confer
ence with him, what should be done. |
met him at Charlestown, and he pointed
out so distinctly how each army lay,
what he could do the moment he was
authorized, and expressed such confidence
of success, that saw there were but two
words of instruction necessary--Go inW
1t is quite evident from all this that
General Sheridan had very exact inform?
alton as to the numbers and disposition
of Early's army. The facts as to how he
obtained this information make one Of
the most interesting incidents of the war;
and considering the great Importance of
the results that followed, the incident
deserves to be preserved in a reliable
form. Some attempts have been made to
tell this story in the newspapers, but al
ways with an effort to give a romantic
gloss to the affair, which has detracted
from the simple and interesting truth.
The writer hereof passed through all the
fortunes of that glorious day in one of the
New York regiments, and feeling desir-
Gus of learning actual facts as to how
Sheridan obtained his information, he
recently wrote to the person who has
been accredited with giving it--a lady,
supposed to be living at Winchester-re-
questing the facts and permission to make
them public. Both were given few
days later in letter from Washington,
and the writer is glad to be able to fur
nish to the thousands who will be feel
deeply interested in the matter the state
ment of Sheridsn's informant in her own
words She says:
"On the 10Th of September, 1864
colored man came to our house and gave
me a little package Of tin-foil about one
half an inch square, which he said con-
tanned a note from Gen. Sheridan, desir-
ing me to give him any reliable informa-
ton | could of Early's forces. / had
spent an evening with a rebel officer the
same week, and as the war was the most
interesting subject we talked of it. |
asked many questions, and he replied to
them; so, when Gen. Sberidan's note
came knew all he wanted to know, an
swered his note, and rolled it in the same
foil. The colored man put it in his
mouth and went away. The next |
heard of it was the boomingof cannon on
Monday morning. You we'll know the
result of that day. The General called
in the evening and told me it was on my
information alone that he gave his orders
of attack"
The writer of the above now fills a place
in the Tfeasurer's Office of the Treasury
Department Washington. Her name is
forwarded to the Times with this COM
munication; but as she probably does
not crave the notoriety which would fol-
low its publication, it is withheld. OF
all the thousands of Union women at the
South during the war who helped along
the good cause, it may be questioned if
any of them had better opportunity to