The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-12-13
STRAiGHTEkh HISTORY.
The facts as 10 FarIy's and Sh-ridan's Forces
at Winchester,

=" the Editor: IT having been some
what extensively stated and insisted upon
III lsalei@h. by an official Of the present
administration. that Sheridan with IN
inferior, defeated Ear. with i superior
force ut Winchester. Mr. Ayirctt. some
time back. took pains ~ follows to verify
4 fact that should BE. ami lie thought
tIl then. was known - all.
The gentlemen whose letters | give bc-
low are fully conycr>unt With the fact
and speak * catledra.
This WIS the battle III which Gclcrat
Rhodes WAS Killed aud III which the
North Carolina troops suffered 90 severe
~. Among the nlortalIy wounded was
Col. 6. {. Blacknall. OF the .3rd North
Carolina. whose regiment III picketin@
the opcquon. held the eXtrcme OUTPOST
and against whom I'M ov~crwhcimin.
force Of Sheridan's c~ayalry was hurled
ut day-break.
Berryviile. Va. Nov. 80. 1897.
Rev. James Battle Ayirett. Louisburg.
My Dear Sfr:-It has been many year,
since We last met, but I remember with
much pleasure. orr acquaintance dugin.
the war. and | never forget an old COM
rade Of those days. My daughter 70
comfy received a letter from Mrs. Wad-
dell, IN which She sent a request tc me-
to give sou some Information which
| do with much pleasure.
About tile first Of July. 1864. MAS
assigned to duty on the staff Of General
Early. rs assistant inspector gentraI Of
the Valley army. and on the 23rd of
October folloWing.at the death Of Colo
mel \. :. nendleton. who was killed
in battle on the 22nd. ! WAS transferred
to the position Of .Adjuuant General Of
that army where | renamed until lie
close Of the war. | mention these facts
in order TO Indicate what were rly onnnr-
t~unities to know al bout the matters Of
which you seek information.
At the battle Of Winchester on the
10Th Of September. 1854, General Early
had on the field 5000 infantry 1000
cavalry, and about f.GD0 artilIvrylnen.
making an aggregate Of i1.JDh men OF
all arms. These figures you may rely
on as accurate. From the record Of tlp
War Of the Rebellion tas i is cailc0
published as van know. TX tho T.. s.
Government, it is shown that General
Sheridan had on the lnlI 45.G0o men Of
ali arms. And vet that lite!a army.
from sunrise that morning, until four
o'clock. y. m. met and rppviSai every
attack of the Yankees. killing and
woUnding more than six thouSdnl OF
them, and only reiterated When, about
the hour named. the enemy's cavalry, in
great force, came up tho MartinshtrE
turnpike, and got in their rear. That
body Of cavalry numbered 11,009: this
| know. because the chief clerk ut Gene
raj Sheridan's headquarters WAS taken
prisoner that day by some Of cur caTal-
~. 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-
torS. showing that number present for
duty.
If the gentleman who told YOU we
had 27.00G men that Gay was III the bat
tie, ] should regard it rs a compliment
to our little army. rs he must have
drawn his conclusions rs to on nun
hers from the fight we made ard the
punishment We inflicted upon our oppo-
nents. You are 1T liberty 10 make any
use Of the letter vow may see proper.
Yours. very truly.
- 1ETFE'I u