Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-21

saw that the enemy had strong position, but
that it was the last one they could hold. We
had one of the finest positions for posting
artillery ever saw. You know the spot
right on the highest point of the pike, south
of Middletown, and east and above Sheri-
dams headquarters. called for Col Carter
the chief of artillery, and wanted thirty guns
planted right there, and we would have bat
tered that Federal line all TO pieces, democrat
lied an already beaten army, and sent it in
utter panic down the valley"
'Why didn't you get your guns to work
on usg"
"Yes, there's the rub. We did get a few
enough to break the line--but here comes the
lamentable feature of that days business.
You know Early says that the final defeat
was caused by the Generalization of his own
men in p1undering the Federal camp and in
gorging on suffers supplies there captured
'That is the popular belief"
swell, there isn't word of truth in it
There never was less Struggling or plumber
ing among any troops than there was in our
army that morning. l had them well in
hand, and had issued the strictest orders that
any soldier falling out for plumber should be
shot Instantly. That whole statement is
false. The real trouble was here I was
making every effort to get mass OF artillery
in position when Gen. Early rode up He
was wild with joy Exclaimed, Gen. Early.
| give me thirty pieces of artillery right here
and we will destroy that army and send its
fragments over the Potomac knew that
| the supreme moment had Gomez
| GEN EARLY's ELArIoN.
"What was Early's view of the situation ~
"'No no. said he. We've won a great
victory; we've done enough for one day; we
| will stop here But said /, let us finish
| the job, 1t is true we have Won great vic
| tory; let us complete it. We can do it in
an hour, and so destroy that army that it will
never show its head III the valley again.
But Gen. Early said no; that the men had
seen fighting enough, and that we had Won
glory enough for one day. Very well, sir, ;
l replied; then | will return to my COM
mand' Until then had had charge of the
entire movement on the right. did return
to my corps, and Early carried on the bat
tie. We followed up the Federals as they
reiterated. Our men We're too much elated
with their victory"
To the question as to Early's personal con-
| ultipl bhdb hlul hlilS N'tl pbTupn gave no
reply.
"How did the battle changer
Every body knows about how Sheridan
reached the field in the nick of time, and
how became laundering down from Winches-
ter He found his men scattered along the
road in terror stricken confusion, and he
compelled them to turn about and follow
him He was a fury on horseback, dashing
here and there among the flying soldiers and
beating them back to the field of death which
they had quilted. Meanwhile, the men who
were retreating from the front had beer
brought to some sort of order Then fol
lowed one Of the pSst extraordinary revers
ais in the history Of any war. As soon a.
Sheridan reached the field he reformed hi:
line and practiced upon us precisely the SAINT
movement which had demoralized his owr
forces in the morning He Just moved around
our flank, swept down it and whipped us out
of existence, He broke our line all to frag
ments and routed the whole army absolutely
1t was as thorough defeat as | ever saw
The day had dawned upon victory and ex
uitation- 1t closed upon utter disaster anl
detection. Two distinct battles had beer
fought, and in the last we lost all that W,
had gained in the first one and all that w
had before. The reaction was dramatic il
its suddeness and completeness, and when W
left the field that evening the Confederac'
had retired from the Shenandoah It wa
our last fight in the valley Boston Heral,
Interview.