The Irish standard., 1897-08-07

bravest of cavalrymen, was after him
at once to stop him, but it was useless.
Sheridan captured right and left, de-
stroyed supplies and cut Off communi-
cations. Richmond was the objective
point, and Stuart massed all the avail
able cavalry at Yellow Tavern and gave
battle. OF this engagement Sheridan
thus relates in his memoirs: Since the
beginning of the war this general
tStuarD had distinguished himself by
the management of the Confederate
mounted force. Under him the cavalry
of Lees army had been nurtured and
had acquired such prestige that 1t
thought itself we'll nigh invincibe; in
deed, In the early days or the war it
had proved to be So" Then Sheridan
tolls of Meade's modifying orders or
May Z, which he (Sheridan) had given
to Gregg and Merritt and his remon
strances against the course that had
been pursued. He then relates how
Meade sent for him on the Sth. and how
severe Meade was on his men for i'm
peding the march Of the Fifth corps.
81 replied" says Sheridan, that if this
were true he himself had ordered it
there without my knowledge -" One
word brought on another. until, finally,
| told him that | could whip Stuart if
he (Meade) would only let me. After
| lett him he went to Gen. Grants heAn,
qlal ters and repeated the conversation
to him, mentioning that | had said that
! could whip Stuart. AT This Con.
Grant remarked: Did he say so" Then
let him go out and do it.. Sheridan
went out and on May II met Stuart
whose daring exploits fill pages of his
tory, engaged him in battle. defeated
and routed the Confederate cavalry 1t
was in this battle that Stuart received
his mortal wound. and his death, which
occurred soon after. WIS a greater ca
lamity than his defeat, as is evidenced
by tn" words Of Confederate writer
tCookc), who says: Stuart could he
i'll spared al this; critical monent, and
Gen. Lee was plugged into the deepest
melancholy at the Intelligence of lis
death. The vigo,. Judgment and dash
of Sheridan had now marked him in
the eyes of Grant as fit for a moro i'm
pGitant station. On Aug T. 1864, he
was placed in command Of the army Of
the Shenandoah. and from this time
till the end of the war Sheridan sc,ms
never to have encountered Il military
problem too difficult for his solution
Sherdan's duty was to protect Wash
ington. Maryland. West Virginia. Pcun-
sslvania and the Shenandoah Valley.
This valley had Away: been Il source
of annoyance to the Union forces, from
It's geographical position. leaving the
frontiers of the loyal states open to at
tack. and keeping a powerful part Ct
the army always employed. Sheridan
had an aruuous and difficult task be-
fore him to clear Early and his men
out of the valley. and relieve Washing
ton from chronic terror. Sheridan
graspcd the situation ut once. Sheridan
asked Grant for supreme authority to
clear the valley. Grant gave Sheridan
tho word to go in" And as he lays
In his report: He was off promptly on
time. and | may add that / have never
since deemed 1t necessary to visit Gen.
Sheridan before giving him orders"
With 1000 men. 10000 his own caval-
ry. Sheridan proceeded to clear the
valley. On Sept. 10 Sheridan attacked
Early at the crossing of the Open,au,
fought him all day. drove him through
Winchester, and sent him "whirlng up
the valley" having captured 5000 pris-
Oners The enemy did net stop to re-
organize until he had reached Fishers
Hill. thirty miles south of Winchester.
Here Sheridan again came up and dis
lodged him. driving him in scattered
portions through the passes of the Blue
Ridge. Bragg losing half his army. For
these successes he was made a brigadinr
general In the regular army on Sept. 10.
TO clear the way for an advance. the
enemy now sent "a new cavalry gen.
eral." Thos. Rcsscr down the valley;
but he was soon driven back in con-
fusion. On the 10th of October Early
suddenly resumed the offensive Shnr-
idan was at Washington, and Early
knew it. He determined to surprise
Sherdans army. and fell upon them
at Cedar Creek. routed and captured
right and left. The most dramatic ,pi-
sode Of the war now occurred Shnri-
dan had arrived at Winchester, twenty
miles off. Hearing the sound Of the
battle he rode rapidly. and arrived on
the field at 10 o'clock. The Cnnfcdcr-
htrs were preparing to give a finishing
blow to the disorganzcd National
force. Tho word went round: "Shnri-
dams hrre!" and confidence was re-
stored. Tho attack was caught md
hurled back. The cncmy's left was
soon routed; the rest followed. never
to rcturn. and the valley was finally
rendered impossible Of occupancy l.y
Confederate triGns. They did not stop
till they had reached S;nunton. They
had lest in the c2mnaign lG,952 Kill, Vt
Or wounded and $4,000 prisoners: Gen..
Sheridan hid in Il two months cam