The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-11
STRENGTHENING HISTORY.
The Facts as 10 EarIy's and Sheridan's Forces
at Winchester.

Up Ralelgh, by an Official of the present
administration, that Sheridan with an
Inferior, defeated Early with a superior
force at Winchester. Mr.. Avirett, some
time back, took pains as follows to verify
d fact that should be, and he thought
till then, was known to all.
The gentlemen whose letters / give be-
lbw are fully conversant with the fact
dnd speak OK cathedra.
This was the battle in which General
Rhodes was killed and in which the
North Carolina troops suffered so severe
IL. Among the MORALLY wounded was
Col. c. c. Blacknall, of the 23rd North
Carolina. whose regiment in picketing
the Opequon, held the extreme outpost
and against whom an overwhelming
force of Sheridan's cavalry was hurled
at daybreak.
Berryville, Va, Nov. 80, 1897
Rev. James Battle Avirett, Louisburg,
y, C.
My Dear Sir:-It has been many years
since we last met, but / remember with
much pleasure, our acquaintance during
the war, and | never forget an old com
rade of those days. My daughter re-
Gently received letter from Mrs. Wad-
dell, in which she sent n request tc ME
to give you some information which
/ do with much pleasure.
About the first of July, 1864, / was
assigned to duty on the staff of General
Early. as assistant inspector general Of
the Valley army, and on the 23rd of
October following,at the death of Colo
mel A. s. PendletOn, who was killed
in battle on the 22nd, was transferred
to the position of Adjutant General of
that army where / renamed until The
close of the war. / mention these facts
in order to indicate what were rly opnor-
tunities to know all about the matters of
which you seek information.
At the battle of Winchester OH the
10Th of September, 1864, General Early
had on the field 5000 infantry. $500
cavalry, and about 1000 artillcrymen.
making an aggregate of 1880 men OF
all arms. These figures you may rely
on as accurate From the record of the
War of the Rebellion (as il is Calle1)
published as yau know, bv the L. :.
Government, it is shown that General
Sheridan had on the 1eld 10000 men Of
all arms. And yet that little army,
o'clock, D. M, met and repulsAl every
attack of the Yankees, killing and
wounding more than six THOUSAND 0t
them, and only retreated when, about
the hour named, the enemy's cavalry, in
great force, came. up the Martinsburg
turn-pike, stnd got in their rear. That
body of cavalry numbered 11,00O; this
/ know, because the chief clerk at Gene
raj Sheridan's headquarters was taken
prisoner that day by some of our cayal-
nv, having on his person, the morning
report of their whole cavalry command,
of a day or two before the battle, which
reports were brought to our headquar-
tiers, showing that number present for
duty.
IL the gentleman who told you we
had $1,000 men that day was in the bat
tie, | should regard it as compliment
to our little army, as he must have
drawn his conclusions as TO our mum
bers from the fight we made and the
punishment we inflicted upon our oppo-
nents. You are at liberty TO make any
use of the letter you may see proper.
Yours, very truly,
SAMUEL j. C. MOORE.
HaSerstown, Md, Dec. 49, 1897.
Rev. Jas. Il. Avirett.
Dear Sir: Yours of December 18th
and your sermon and lecture at Win
chester are received. / have no doubt
/ shall read the two pamphlets with IN
terest and instruction. 1t is very easy
matter to show the falsity of the state
ment made by your renegade blather-
skite as to the numbers engaged at Win
chester. September 18th, 1864, for you
know renegades are usually as unrelia-
bic as malignant.
General Early states in his pamphlet
book that he had at that fight about
$500 infantry aud in his comamnd about
5000 cavalry. He puts the command OF
Sheridan at $4,000 infantry and 10000
cavalry. The artillery was about equally
proportional, although I think Early had
more artillery in proportion to his
command. You will find that these fig
ures are rather confirmed in the fourth
volume of the Century War Book where
there are articles on both sides. The
truth can be pretty well established by
an examination of the war records.
/ never thought that battle was very
well fought on either side, especially by
General Sheridan if he had shown one
third of the ability and energy on that
day for which afterwards he received
so much praise and award he ought
to have wiped us off the face of the
earth, Ramseur deserved more credit
than any one engaged in that battle.
Yours truly,
HENRY KYD. DOUGLAS.