Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-14

to move to Middletown, but the mesfase
mIscarried, and Lomax. hearing the hrins
80 far I'm the rear concluded that the
enemy were being forced TO winchester
and had moved accordingly in that direc-
ton. Early had now gotten Ramseur
and Kershaw I'm line with Pegrams p
VISION and Gordon coming up was pinc.o
on their left with orders to advance.
Without reserve and with more than hall
his cavalry absent II was Early's IN
tention 10 charge with his whole army
and stand the hazard Of the die. The ad-
vance was made for some distance wheh
Gordons skirmishers came PACK report
ing a heavy line Of battle In front be-
hind breastworks. and Early having
given him instructions that IL ne Iouhu
the enemys line too strong not 10 at
tack he did not do so. DID Eariy err ~
not urging the ASSAULT Some officers OF
high character. intelligence. and rank
whose opinions are entitled to weight,
think 40: and Il IL difficult for one not
present to Judge. But IL is not 10 De
forgotten that his men had been up all
the night before and had been ngntlng
over rough ground from the early hours
OF the morning, and were much 1aded'
that their ranks had been disordered py
their assault and some OF them, aias! had
scattered TO seize the rich plumber OF
in the morning OF an hour In Gordon's
movements. for which he was not 10
blame. the miscarriage OF the message TO
I,onnax. the strong position which the
enemy held. and the fact that he had
cavalry force which hung upon both
tanks quite as large as Earlys infantry,
while we had but Zoo under Rosser 70
meet them, that we had on our hands
I.aO prisoners. with many wagons and
victory
all these considerati tons induced Early
not TO press his men farther. Above all
we should not forget that Early was one
~ the boldest as well as the coolest OF
men. We had no such opportunity here
as we had at Gettysburg when he wanted
10 advance, and those who exonerate his
superiors for not pressing forward upon
that occasion should remember his char
acter and be slow 10 criticise him now.
HIS ARMY IN FLIGHT.
As 1t happened, Sheridan was in Win
chester when Early's attack was de-
delivered, on his return from visit 10
Washington. As he rode out OF town
that morning towards his army he heard
the firing and, galloping towards the field.
nearly twenty miles distant, was met by
its fugitives. AS he arrived on the neld he
found Getty's Division and the cavalry
resisting Early's army. He at once or
dered all his troops in line. and late that
afternoon, knowing Earlys weakness OF
numbers. he ordered an advance. An in
terval between Payne's Brigade on our
extreme left and the rest Of Kershaw's
line having been penetrated, the troops
there gave way, and presently the whole
Hno followed Vanly did Gordon try
10 stay the steps Of his thin and weary
but now receding lines. Nainly did Ram
seur. with few hundred men, and Major
Goggin, of Corners staff, with az many
more OF his brigade and Cutshaw's Artil
lery. try TO stem the tide. For an hour
and a half they held IL in check, but
Ramseur fell MORALLY wounded hghtinS
like a lion, the artillery ammunition was
exhausted, and they, 100, fell back.
Pegram and Wharton and Wofford, on
our right. had successfully checked the
enemy, but as they now attempted to
retire the disorder spread, and the last
organiZed force dissolved into general
rout. Nainly did Early try 10 rally his
men on the south bank OF Cedar creek
and at Hupps Hill. and he declares that
II 800 men had stood by him all his ar
tllery and guns would have been saved,
as the enemy's pursuit was feeble. but
the bridge broke down at Strausburg.
blocking all passage and they were lost
and Early'S army was in disastrous night
from the field of battle.
Thus are we left with the reflection
that SO often arises, that war however
crowned by splendid strokes, is COM
monty series OF errors and accidents" :
and thus was illustrated what Napier
saws that "without fortune. which Is
only another name for the unknown
combinations of infinite power, the de-
signs OF men are as bubbles on a troubled
ocean"
And so 1.-THE sun Of Middletown" that
| had risen so gloriously went down behind
the storm clouds that had spent their
wrath upon the field Of It's illumination.
The enemy was terribly shattered. his
footsteps weary. his pursuit feeble.
Sheridan complains of his cavalry, and
that they did not get the full fruits OF
victory. Terrible as was the shock TO
Early-wonder tits 1t did not crush him
| ne was quick upon his feet again, and
November 18th; 10! his tattered banners
| flew again in front of Sheridan north OF
Cedar creek, near Newtown, the latter
retiring TO Winchester. At this time
Sheridan had 5000 and Early 1900 men.
November 9th Rosser suddenly swept
| down on New Creek, a fortified port on
| the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. and
| captured 500 prisoners, eight pieces OF
artillery, several hundred cattle and
many stores. In December Sheridan sent
| back the Sixth Corps TO Grant, and Early
| soon sent Kershaw's Division and the
| Second Corps back TO Lee; and then
| made his headquarters at Staunton, with
| Wharton's infantry and Rosser's cavalry,
| which he alone retained.
| Thus ended 1864, Early having some
| 5000 men at Staunton. and Sheridan al
| Winchester, with 1900, the enemy hold
| ing, as President Davis says In his his
| tory, precisely the same position in the
| Valley which he had before the begin
| ming OF the campaign in the spring.
| Meantime. Sherman had marched through
| Georgia, and was at Savannah.
| wAYNESBORO' AND THE END.
On the 9th OF February Sheridan
| started from Winchester with his cav
| airy, Early having Rosser, with a Few
| hundred men, and Wharton's two SINAI
| brigades, and Nelson's artillery, 10 mee'
him. Rosser could only hang on the skirt
Of this column, ten thousand strong, foi
he was powerless to check II; and Early
retired TO Waynesboro', where he place.
| Wharton, with a thousand muskets, an'
Nelson, with six pieces OF artillery. on
ridge, some sixteen hundred men, all told
He did not intend to make this his battle
/
of his equipments; but here he was at
tackled on the % OF March. His orders L
post artillery, in anticipation of the at
tack, miscarried. as did also his message
OF warning to Wharton; and, as the even
disclosed, most Of his command and HI
artillery was captured. he and Genera
Wharton barely escaping. Sheridan nov
| rode rough-shod through Virginia, de
stroying as he went. and Joined Grant a
| Richmond. Early, after several marrow
escapes, reached Richmond. after passing
twice between the enemy's camps and hi
pckets, and, consulting with General Lee
was sent 10 Southwest Virginia 10 or
| ganize with General Echols what fore
might be collected in that section. There
| on the Goth OF March, he received a tele
| gram from General Lee relieving hin
from duty.
Notwithstanding the gloomy close OF
| great career, II cannot be denied tina
Early demonstrated the qualities OF
great commander. No one whose mind 1
open TO light can fail to see I'm him quicl
divination of his enemys plans. promp
and unhestating decision, indefatigabl
energy and industry, cool, discernin
judgment-the quickiess of the eagle
flight in movement, the fearlessness OF tn
a l.