The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-16

and left tents, stores, cloth hg, guns and
everything behind them, the gathering i'll
of which by the Confederates made de-
lay that proved useful to the Union cause.
Emory and Custer tried tbAtem the tide,
but they could not control the troops. The
sun came up. and our TROOPS, forming
line of defense. tried to resist the on
slaught of Early's men, but they had to
move back and in most complete dis
order. II
Wright. who was in command in Sheri-
dams absence. directed the Sixth and
dletown to resist the direct advance of
Gordon and Kershaw, and they effectually
halted the rebels, who had pushed through
the camps of the Eighth aud Nineteenth
Corps and drove us back three or four
miles to the rear; but, encountering
Wright's new line, they halted to try to
hold the position and the plumber they
had taken by their daylight surprise.
snER1DAN's RIDE.
Now occurs the most remarkable and
dramatic incident of the whole war.
Sheridan. coming leisurely back from
Washington, was at Winchester on
about o'clock an officer reported the
sounds of artillery. He paid no especial
attention to it, but when two hours later
he mounted his horse and rode through
Winchester the sounds of guns convinced
him that fight was on, and at Mill Greek.
a half mile out of the town, he found
trains and troops already there from the
broken front. He put spurs to his good
black horse and with lightning speed he
flew along the road through Newtown to
Cedar Creek. He ordered the stragglers
he met to turn back, and with will they
cheercd the victor of Opequan and Fishers
Hill. He told them to come on and before
night they would be in their old camp
ground. Arriving at the front he learned
from Wright the conditions and his form
atiOns. For two hours he rode along the
lines, making new aignments, the men
recognizing and cheering him. At $3.50
p. m. he ordered an advance, and it was
made with such enthusiasm that they
swept across disasters track and sent the
gray coats whirling back. and before the
sun went down they were back in their old
camp grounds.
THE OLD CAMP RECLAIMED.
Early was beaten again and driven
across Cedar Creek and up the Valley.
The Union infantry halted at the creek,
but the cavalry continued the pursuit
across the bridge. There never was such
a rout since the Bull Run of 1861. The
men had eaten nothing since the evening
before: they had lost their camp, shelter
tents, haversacks, knapsacks and canteens,
and were tormented by hunger and thirst;
they had been manuvering and fighting for
II hours and lost many men, yet these
brave men hung on and retrieved the dis
aster of the morning surprise as only
Union veterans could. The only reinforce
ments that they received to win this fight
was one man, but he. a host within him
self, the gallant Phil Sheridan. They
slept that night on the ground of the old
camp. The cavalry pursued the enemy
through Strasburg to Woodstock; the road
was strewn with guns, caissons, wagons.
baggage. ambulances and entangled and
struggling horses.
Early's loss was 1850 killed and
wounded and over Zoo, prisoners. The
Union loss was 500 killed, 3,i23 wounded
and LEO missing.
When it was known how Sheridan had
Snatched such a glorious victory out of
what was in the beginning stch calamity
the Government was much elated, and
Sheridan was made a MajotiLGeneral. In
making the appointment 'Liifcoln dictated
the following Endorsement: GFOr personal
gallantry, military skill and inst confidence
in the courage and patriotism of your
troops displayed by yOuhat. Cedar Run,
Oct. 10. 1864. whereby, ,nntfer the bless
ings Of Providence, your routed army was
| recognized. great National disaster
averted and brilliant Victory achieved
| over tHe TebelS LOT the THRU tI!le III
pitched battle within 30 days"
! The amount of material captured at the
| fight was extraordinary; 40 pieces Of ar
tillery, of which "a had been lost by the
| Union Army in the morning and retaken
| in the afternoon. The enemy lost 80
wagons, 20 ambnlances, some of them
marked "Stonewalrs Brigade" 600 small
arms and several battle flags and 1000
prisoners. Early retired to intrenchments
beyond Woodstock. AS large as this cap
ture. appears. Early may as well have
laid down everything, for what lie had
left was captured from him by Sheridan
troopers three months afterward al
| WaynesborO.
While Cedar Creek was the browning
glory of Sheridans three fights-Winches
| ter Fishers Hill and Cedar Creek-they
forces. for the campaigning was continu-
Gus. and i'll 26 other and minor engage,
ments and skirmishes the Union army had
go killed and 1000 wounded.
On Nov. 8 Sheridan withdrew to Kerns
town, where he would have better Winter
quarters and closer communication with
Washington. Early, perceiving this and
thinking it meant sending off troops tC
Petersburg, massed his forces and ad
vanced down the pike to Middletown
Sheridan was ready for battle, and Mer
rift and Custer proceeded against ROsser's
Cavalry and speedily put them to fight
while POwel's Cavalry attacked McCaus
lands Brigade (of Chambersburg notO
riety) at Stony Point, routed them. driy,
ing them across the Shenandoah River
through Front Royal and up the Luray
Valley. capturing their two guns and Gals
SONS and ammunition wagons, 20 officers
ID men and two battle flags. Early with
drew under cover of night back to his
camp at New Market, where lie arrived
Nov. IA.
In December Lee called for his Second
Corps, for camnaigning was over for the
Winter in the Valley. but was still posi-
bic at Petersburg. Grant called for the
Sixth Corps. which started division at ::
time. so that on Dec. two brigades OF
the last division of the Sixth Corps left
| kernstOwn and Warmers Brigade quilted
on the 18th: the Army of West Virginia
next departed. one division to City Point
the other to West Virginia.
At the end Of December Sheridan had
of infantry the Nineteenth Corps only. and
that was shortly sent away, one division
TO Washington and on Jan. :. 1860, tho
other division to Savannah. Ga.
Recruiting had been very vigorously
pushed in the North and many new or
CARNATIONS We're completed in the early
part of 1860 and placed in the Valley. sc
that there soon We're 10000 Union troops
mostly new organizations, ready to co
operate with Grant Or Sherman.
| OPERATIONS AGAINST THE VIRGINIA