Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-08-24

toward hN iAnn6treat.
Now Statistic everything was
going wrong, dashed forward
al full speed, followed by his staff and
body guard. After few miles, on ris-
ing the crest at Mill Creek the appall-
ing spectacle of a routed, panic-
stricken army burst upon his aston
ished view Crowds of the slightly
wounded and unwounded men came
streaming down the Winchester pike.
He was assured by these demoralized
soldiers that all was lost; that the
army was cut to pieces and broken up
After comprehending something of the
terrific calamity that had probably De-
fallen Wright, Sheridan says he pulled
up and walked his horse for a while,
trying to fix in his mind what was the
proper course to pursue in the emer-
gency. Then, learning further of the
| disaster, taking two aides and 20 men,
Sheridan pushed forward rapidly for
the extreme front, leaving his other
staff officers to stop and rally the run
aways.
The roads were blockaded with the
| batteries, wagons and debris of de-
feated, retreating army. Beyond these
he came TO a different class of men as
he approached the scene of actual
| ighting-crowds of unwounded, who,
out of immediate danger, perfectly
cool had halted and were making
coffee. When they saw the general
they abandoned their coffee, threw up
their hats with cheers, and, what was
better, shouldered their muskets and
promising and peculiar welcome, Sheri-
dan took off his hat and rode along the
road alone ahead of his escort.
Thousands faced about and followed
on. Mounted officers rode out among
the scattered commands in the field on
either side of the road, shouting that
Sheridan had returned and to fall in.
The effect was simply electrical. Or
der was quickly restored among these
veterans, the victims of trick, and
soon columns of what but a moment
before was only a sullen mob were
marching on Winchester pike toward
Cedar Greek again. All acted as If the
one thing needful had been restored 10
the army 1t must have been a graft
flying moment to the little hero. But
all Sheridan said as he rode among
these men along the pike was this: "If
| mad been with you, men, this disaster
never would have happened. We must
face the other way; we will go back
and recover our camp"
But all was not disorganized on this
stricken field. Soon the commander
came to the sturdy divisions of Getty,
Ricketts, and Wheaton, and the cavalry
presenting bold front toward the
South. Gen. Torbert, of the cavalry,
rode up shouting: my God! I'm
glad you've come" This extreme
front line has two or three miles in the
rear of where the Early tornado had
struck the army at daylight. When
Getty's and Torbert's men recognized
the general they rose up from behind
their barricades and cheered him to
the echo. Was Sheridan going to be
content with merely saving the troops,
recognizing and waiting for another
opportunity? No; the inspiration had
already taken possession of him to
win back his lost field before the sun
went down. and he did it.
With frenzied energy the unbroken
troops were brought into cohesive
lines; thousands OF stragglers rallied
upon these firm quadrons, and the
broken army soon presented a formid-
able front again. At sorl sbody's sug-
gestion the general galloped the whole
length Of the line about noon to show
himself, and many supposed from this
circumstance that he had just arrived.
Then the rebels luckily made a feeble
attack on the right, which was easily
repulsed, cheering spectacle to the
whole army. Everything at last being
ready, at p. IN. Sheridan advanced |
to the attack. The federal advance
everywhere was really magnificent. |
So quick and complete a renewal of
confidence in beaten army was never
before seen. The confederates, prob |
ably greatly exhausted by their night |
march and twice fording the river, and
much broken by their successful |
charge were pressed steadily back, and |
at last broke in full retreat. Sheri-
dan made good his word; the union
camps were regained.
AS a result of Sheridan's magnificent |
nerve, judgment and fine battle tactics. |
all the artillery, transportation and |
camp equipage lost in the morning |
were recovered, and in addition |
"A cannon, 1900 prisoners, and |
number of battle flags
captured. 1t was a great victory. |
Utterly routed in his turn, Early's !
army fled. and did not stop unil New
market, many miles away, was reached. |
He lost in this battle about 5000 men:
Wright and Sheridan together lost 800. |
1t was the end of the war in the Shen-
andoah valley.
But Notwithstanding his surprise and
defeat. Sheridan's confidence in Wright
as q corps commander was not shaken.
The next spring. in the Five Forks
operations, he again asked for Wright
and tho sixth corps. 1t was Gen.