Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-24
CEDAR CREEK.
The Battle of Oct. 10, 1904, From
a Southern Standpoint.
A Paper Recently Read Before a Re.
union of Confederate Veterans, ut
Cedar Mountain, Va. by
Major u. A. Grimsley.

the forces of Gen Early and Gen. Shcri-
dan, has a strange fascination for the
Confederate soldier who was engaged In it.
There is much about this engagement of
which he may we'll feel proud. 1t was
slkillfully planned, boldly executed, and at
tended for a time with splendid results.
There is much about it, also, which
arouscs a sense of humiliation and sorrow,
even at the present day.
After the battle of Fishers Hin, on the
Goth of September. Sheridan had advanced
up the valley as far as llarrisonpurS ana
II NAMED in that locality until about the
9Th OF October when he began his retreat.
burning and destroying all military stores
supplies forage, barns, mills, or whatever
couli in any way afford comfort to the
Conf'dcrates. Early pressed closely on MS
rear. No one who was with Early Will
forget the horror of the scene. Columns
of drnse smoke from the burning pulld-
ings. extending all across the valley
would rise in the front of the Confeder-
ltos. indicating the extent of the WORK OF
destruction and the position of the enemy
engaged in it. After "A while we Woulu
arrive at these fires, and we would nii
perhaps a wife and mother, with her lit
tie ones, and perhaps an aged father gain
cred around the smouldering runs OF IN II
homes, their winter $ supply of food ana
perhaps raimcnt committed to the flames.
N'"' ~ wv 10 =" JN'7N '''''
and some day, in His own good time, VIII
lie avenge this foul wrong inflicted UPON
the good people of that locality
sheridan took position on the hor'ii va IN
OF CEDAR creek smail streani .na'
POSSES the valley turnpike ANU. w .o
mites n"rtn or Straspurs' anu eNipt,eo n.y.
the Shenandoah some two miles below the
village Eariy moved down ana .ooN o1'
tion ut Fishers Hin. but it was Impossible
Tor him to remain in this position Tor any
lcilTth oil tlne DIVINE 10 inc uln'cui'S VI
supplying ms army.
Si'tludh had! Iortil'eu MS Po9i'ioi' "'i
hdu determined TO sehu one corps VI MS
army TO Grant NJ feterspurs' -",'S no
lng lhlS lnlorfuatioii' detcIiliileu W az
TACK MN ana prevent the rellloi 'ci'icit VI
Grant early forces AT TINS t'He mum
ocr'd less imam lV,Np llldntry anu 'it'''
lefE' with ono DIVISION Oh c"NdiI9 ul"''
zen Rosser of about lo'o, ana one ulNiS-
ION OF cavalry, or rather nlouhleu H'I"h-
Try, under l-onnaN Oh ahout i,Vo' lo'iiaN'
WIN MS DIVISION was III thc dSe E"''VF
l"yhe prlSade OF caNalry was III the 80
non OF country between ne river am 'n'
MH'Sahutttn n'oun'aln' hosser ana Nlch-
Back road.
sheridan occupied the h"rth pank o'
CEDAR Creeh WIN thrce corps ol mani, do y
numbering. with the artillery nearly "''Vo
men, ana three divisions Oh the pest cay
airy III their service numbering PuIte Wv"
MS rghl hahk cNtendlhS TOWARD 'hr ''r'i
mountains, protected by TWO DIVISIONS o.
caValrN' on what IS KNOWN as ttc Pa
road, with one division ON his lett mans
towards the front Royai road'
WIN such disparity III loices amy az
tack rom the confederate Flde' TO SlE'
any promise OF success must necessarily
nav pecn IN the nature Oh d SURPRISE
lhrre was nothing 10 inuicate any iioN -
neht on the part OF the concentrates VI
late IN the evening OF the iSth' Inc Wrl'er
who was on picket with his regiment II
the NIL on the south pahk OF the Shehah
dooh' OVERLOOKING the Town ol St"SpH x
received an order iate III the evening l" re
turn with ms regiment 10 camp, len M
Shlail PIC Net ioTCc 10 occUpH '"o ni"' n'
lcI ms morse hho reporter III person l
Cen fafhe'
pom reacnlnS the general heauquai
ters found him under orders TO report t'
Gen. Gordons headquarters. went VIM
con faNnc to the latter place 1htr"
found Gems Early, Gordon ana oth r.
We remained about Gen. Eord"ns hcad
quarters Tor some tline' Zen IaEn'' NV
in" In the meantime, received his inStiu'
tiouS from Gen Gordon After leaYin'
Cen Gordon's headquarters Gen faNn
CAV" me tho Information thtt II was IN
purpose OF Gen. f.;VlN 10 make Il night AT
tack on the enemy thdt some tme dul ln'
the night, Gordon DIVISION OF lnlahtr,
would pass his camp ana taxing the hr d
pass across the END OF the mountih
would reach point al lts eastern bdS'
opposite bowman $ Ford' some I'm" De
fore day the next morning that wh'
Gordon had passed his camp he was t.
follow in the rear, leaving behind can
teens and everything that would max
any noise. The men were to walk, l."
their horses, strap up their sabrcs and re
frain from all noise or LOUD talking. II
was further instructed That when Gordon'
division neared the Ford II would halt an
he, with his regiment. should pass alon
till he reached the head of GordOn'S Ool
umn, near the Ford, and report To hin
lie was further instructed that whc
eNeryth thing was ready, of which he woul
be informed by Gen. Gordon, he was oN
pected TO charge the ford, at which Their
was a cavalry picket but should pay n
attention either to the picket at the for
or the reserve at the Bowman hous,
some half mile down the river, but mus
r keep on along the read at headiOn
speed till the turnpike was reached, the
PASSING over to the Belle Grove fari
house. whore Sheridan had his headqual
. ters, dispense his headquarters guar
capture Gen. Sheridan, If possible, and 81
out the best way he could.
| went back to Payne's camp and la
down on his blanket by comfortable hr,
and looking up at the heavens, studde
with innumerable stars thought earnestl
of what the morrow would bring fort
| considered every route might take froi
Bele Grove that promised escape Non,
however, were very fiattering, for Hell
, Grove was in the very midst of the er
envy = encampment.
While lying there Lieut.. William