The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-19
with heayr loss General eaetty. at va. m.,

with heavy loss. General Getty, at a. m,
came up with the Second division of the
Sixth corps, and by his skillful and stub
born resistance to the onset OF the enemy
saved our army from complete ruin. At
this time we had lost twenty-four guns,
which were now turned on us. and all OF
Wright's army left in the field as an Or
ganized fighting force was Getty's divis-
ion supported on its left by the cavalry
divisions of Custer and Merritt. Getty re-
pulsed the enemy's attacks for three hours,
and finally withdrew his troops to strong
position near Middletown, where he formed
q new line, and ordered up to it the now
reorganized first and third divisions of the
corps, while General Wright strove to re-
organize the Nineteenth corps on the same
line.
Up to this hour the savior of our army,
not from defeat, for defeated it was, but
from complete destruction, was General
Getty. On the shoulder and breast of
Getty's splendid division the whole corps,
the whole bleeding army had leaned,
striving to catch its staggering feet and at
last getting its claws in the dirt it opposed a
front of what would doubtless have been
successful resistance to the further prog
ress of the foe. At this juncture, about
10 a. m, Sheridan rode up at full speed,
and his arrival was equal TO that of a fresh
army corps. for the fugitives of the Eighth
and Nineteenth corps followed his horse
back to the battle field. By $3.50 p. m. Sheri-
dan had his lines reformed, ready to repulse
assault or make 1t. He formed on Getty's
line, placed the Nineteenth corps on the
right of the cavalry. Early, many whose
soldiers had scattered to loot the captured
camps, with difficulty reorganized them to
make feeble attack which was easily re-
pulsed.
Sheridan at once charged in return.
Twice the charging lines of the Sixth corps
recoiled; the third charge was irresistible,
and the whole army of Early broke in full
fight for the creek. Our cavalry charged
the flying foe on both tanks; the road be-
came choked with artillery, and by dark
Early was without any organized army,
had lost all his captured guns and twenty
four of his own. his wagon train and
camp equipage. So great was the shock
of the defeat that Early never again made
head and henceforth the valley was free
from rebel armies. Sheridan had, in less
than three months, swept the valley of the
enemy; had captured 101 cannon, 1900
prisoners and defeated his able and brill
liant antagonist in three pitched battles.
Not without due consideration did Grant
call Sheridan the greatest soldier of the
civil war. Desaix at Marengo restored
broken battle and recovered lost field,
but Desaix brought 5000 fresh troops with
him, while Sheridan did not bring
with him anybody but the fugitives he
turned back save Sheridan. Had Sheri-
dan not arrived probably Wright would
have repulsed Early's last tack, but the
genius of leadership. which no text book
can teach, was displayed in Sheridan's in
slant resolve to resume the offensive and
wrest from Early not only the field but
the spoils of war he had won.
The eye that saw the chance and the
courage that was prompt to act were equal
to the genius Of Cromwell at Dunbar and
Napoleon at Austerlitz, who won the day
by seeing when and where to strike and
striking with the skill and strength of
Hannibal. There is nothing that APP
proaches Cedar Creek on either side dur
ing the civil war. Sheridan had the
Napoleonic quality of eye, will and hand,
and Cedar Creek is as proud a title to en-
during fame as Marengo; it stands for
| native military genius; the eye to see the
opportunity and the heroic resolve to in
stantly utilize it. Sheridan's first fight
was at the head of regiment of cavalry;
Napoleon's first laurels were won in charge
of battery at Toulon; Cromwell's first
| fight was at the head of q regiment
of troopers, but had Sheridan's genius
been peculiarly that of a cavalry leader he
would have risen no higher than Custer.
Had Napoleon's genius been peculiarly
| for artillery he would have been only a
Drouot; had Cromwell been only great
trooper he would not have outshone Fair
fax. Sheridan's military genius united
dash and headlong vigor in action to eau
ton, subtlety and patience in preparation.
He patiently fenced with Early for five
weeks to get an opportunity for home
thrust, and then when he struck at Win
chester welded his army like battle ak.
using either hand with equal skill and
strength whether he struck his enemy on
the helmet or the breastplate. He Joined
to scientific soldiership the cunning of a
fox, the eye of a hawk, the patience of a
spider, the speed of greyhound and the
courage and pugnacity of bulldog.
|
/ THE ALASKA TRADE.