Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-11-29


shelter OF hostile force on the TANKS OF a
Union army operating in northern Nir-
ginia had not been occupied by single
good. consolidated Union force. stone
wall jackson fought one army under Ere
mont and another under Banks on alter
nate days in lS62 and defeated BOTH After
that Slgel had command of separate
army, General j. d Cox Of another and
General b. f. Kelley Of another, all eharg
ed with looking after the Confederates IN
and around the valley.
Later Milroy and Kelley and French
had Union commands supposed 70 be
available 70 prevent tile Confederate occu-
patton in force, but Lee made it o high
/ way when he chose TO and used il for a
granary at leisure Next came Crook and
/ Sigel again and then Hunter-these last
in is6l-and at the end of hard sum
mer's campaign Early held the valley, and
the Union forces, composed of the rem
nants Of these commands-the Nineteenth
corps from the southwest and the Sixth
corps from the Army of the Potomac
were huddled around the Potomac, with
General Grant on the ground deyising
some method TO solve the problem of pro-
tecting Washington.
The four old departments were consoli-
dated and formed into the middle mill
tary division under Sheridan.
His forces constituted an army. Be
sides the Sixth and Nineteenth corps
Crook had two divisions Of infantry In his
West Virginia army. To the division OF
cavalry brought on from Petersburg by
sheridan was added Wilson's from the
same army, Avercll's division from West
Virginia and new brigade under Colonel
lie. r Lowell. General A. T. A. Torbert,
whose division followed Sheridan from
the peninsula, became chief of the cavalry
of the new army, and General Wesley
Merritt took command OF Torbert's divi-
sion. Sheridan had asked for cavalry 10
solve the question Of holding the valley,
and now he had three divisions and an
extra brigade led by Wilson, Merritt and
Avcrell
In little more than 80 days Early suffer
ed defeat in two heavy battles and went
whirling mp the Shenandoah valley before
Sheridans all conquering battalions
which advanced as far as Staunton, Oh,
Confederate key 10 the region.
The position held by Sheridan was one
that would compel him soon 10 advance
and fight or retreat down the valley
There were no railways south from th,
Potomac west OF the Blue Ridge, and be
was nearly l50 miles distant by wagon
roads from his base. In view OF these dis
advantages he asked permission to com
pletely abandon the valley after laying Il
waste from the Potomac To Staunton
leave a guard on the line of the Baltimor
and Ohio road and transport the bulk o
his army to Petersburg TO aid in an attacl
on Richmond. General Grant left the dc
csion with Sheridan, and on Oct. tn
/, retrograde movement began In his mem
oirs sheridan says;
1.-The cavalry as il retired was stretches
across the country from the Blue Ridg
20 the Alleghanies, with orders To driv
off all stock and destroy all supplies as !
moved northward The infantry proceed
ed the cavalry, passing down the valle
pike. and as we marched along the mar.
columns Of smoke from burning stack
and mills filled with grain indicated tina
the adjacent country was fast losing lib
features which hitherto had made It
great magazine OF stores for the Conteder
ate armies " The army moved back north
ward and halted mt Cedar creek on 10
heights in the angle formed by that strcar
and the Shenandoah.
. The next battle was delivered by Earl
and took place on this field. The Confe'l
e crates appeared at Fishers hill, Just acros
the valley. on the 18th Of October, and o
the same day sheridan WAS summoned
Washington 10 confer with General Gran
about the movement on Gordonsvillc an
Charlottesville.
Before leaving the camps Sheridan post
ed Crooks command, the Eighth eorp'
along the valley pike on the lett. Ne'
came the Ninatecnth corps-Emory alon
r the east bank Of the creek, with the SiNt
corps. under Wright on the right of Il
Nineteenth The cavalry lowered on Oh
: extreme TANKS, watching the roads th'
come in from the cast and west Leavin
the command TO General II. 9. Wrigh
sheridan set out on the 10Th.
on the 18th Sheridan had finished y
conference and had returned rs far as Ma
tinsburg On the.lsth he started up u
valley pike ON horseback aud haltud
wRiCs13 PAlLylHG POINTS
4 1 y