The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-09-13
POWELL PUTS IN.
Has Something Wise to Say Regarding the
Cedar Greek Controversy.

Cedar Creek Controversy.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the
controversy between Comrades w. E. Web
ster, 1st \. Y. battery, and L. H. Stanley,
of the Eighth Corps, correctly designated
the Army Of West Virginia, and so officially
recognized By Gen. Sheridan (see Sheridan's
Memoirs, VOL 2, page 75) and the War De-
partment, though at times denominated
enormously the Eighth Corps, led the COM
Tades to indulge in very severe and unjust
criticism in their reflections upon the con-
duct of the Sixth Corps and the Army of
West Virginia, neither of which failed in
the least in the discharge of their duties in
that hour of sore trial and utter surprise at
Cedar Creek, Oct. u, 1864. Neither were
responsible for the surprise.
Ny opinion was then and is now that if
the Sixth Corps had occupied the same posi-
ton that was occupied by the Army of West
Virginia on the night Of the 18th Of October
and morning OF the 10th, that the results
would not have been different, except lin
that the loss to the Union arms would have
been grea;er because of the difference in
the numerical strength of the Sixth Corps
and the Army Of West Virginia.
There can be no question but what the
surprise of Sheridan's army-then tempo
rarily under command of Mai .-Gen. II. G.
Wright-by Gen. Jubal Early's command
was strategcally devised, steslthily, yet
daringly executed. In my nearly four years.
service, from 1861 to 1865, / know of no
more skillfully executed surprise movement
of same magnitude recorded in the history
of either side during the late war. Hence
/ do not hesitate to say that had the Sixth
Corps occupied the same position the Army
- Il 81 al. 4 II
10Th of October, 1864, it would doubtless
have shared the same fate as did the Army
of West Virginia.
No Drawer or more efficient officers than
Gen. George Crook, the commander of the
Army of West Virginia, and his Division
Commanders, Col. Jos. Thoburn, Gen. K.
B. Hayes, and /. II. Duval; and Brigade
Commanders, Lieut. Col. T. +. Wilder, Col.
W. b. Curtis, Col. T. NJ. Harris, Col. M.
Wells, and Lieut.-COl. B. F. Coates; nor
more gallant and efficient and reliable regi-
ments than the list, 4th, 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th,
18th, 18th, 14th, and 18th w. Va; 23d, 34th.
Both, 9lst, 10th, and 123d Ohio; Bath Mass,
23d Ill, and 54th Pa, that constituted the
Army of West Virginia on tho 18th of Octo-
Der, 1864, aud rendered service under the old
flag in 1861 and 1863
The Sixth Corps did not save the battle.
The coming into the fray of Gen. Sheridan
at the oppOrtune moment created by his
presence in command an enthusiasm that
rallied all officers and men in ali the corps,
divisions, brigades, regiments, and COM
panies that would have driven an army of
twice the strength of Early's army down the
| Valley as he did. No one corps can claim
| greater efficiency than another in the won
| derful achievement of transforming dis
asterous defeat into a most glorious victory,
than did Sheridan with his combined Army
of the Shenandoah Valley Oct 10, 1864.
Boys, cease your selfish personal claims
| and honor each other in the services rendered
the Government under tho old flag in 1861
and 1S65.-W. FL. POWELL, Brigadier and
Brevet Maior-General, u. S.Vols., command
ing Second Cavalry Division, Army of West
Virginia, in the Sheridan campaign, Shen-
andOah Valley, 1864; Belleville, III.