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

timore. but Lee had been so crippled in
the Wilderness that he could not strength
en- his army, but still he hoped by Early
move TO draw off Grants troops from the
front Of Petersburg.
Again in possession of the Valley. Early
July 20 sent a force across the river to
break the Baltimore & Ohio Road, which
force raided and burned the town of
Chambersburg, Pa, and other towns, levy
ing money contributions and destroying
crops. By these affairs the people of the
border were kept in 4 state of alarm.
These operations of the rebel army
made Grant determined to crush Early
and relieve his campaign against Rich
mond of constant worry. To do so it
was advisable to consolidate the several
departments operating against Early,
which were the Departments of West Viz
ginia. of the Susquehanna, of Washington
and the Middle Departments. including
Delaware and part of Maryland.
SHERIDAN IN COMMAND.
On Aug. 1 Gen. Grant ordered Gen. p.
H. Sheridan to relieve Hunter and to
command all the forces against Early. On
Aug. 3 Halleck writes to Grant: How
would it do to make Military Division of
the Departments of Pennsylvania, Mary
land, Washington and West Virginia and
place Sheridan in command!" And on
Aug. Z, 1864, an order was issued by the
| War Department constituting the four de-
partments as the Middle Military Division,
under temporary command of Gen. l.. ii
! Sheridan. The forces that fought under
him from that date came to be known as
| the Army of the Shenandoah. and was sc
officially designated by his order of Nov.
IL. 1864.
| These forces when he took command
We're: The Sixth Corps, much reduced in
number: Second Division of the Nine
tcanth Corps. afterward increased by the
arrival of First Division; two infantry
divisions under Gen. Crook, afterward
known as the Army of West Virginia, Of
Eighth Corps; division Of cavalry under
| Gen. Averill, and later Wilson's Division
of Cavalry from the Army of the Poto
mac, and Torbert's Cavalry Division from
Washington.
The first movement of Sheridan was Il
throw out his forces from Hallstown in 8
manner to prevent any fanking by the
enemy; so on Aug. 10 the Sixth Corps
moved through Charlestown to Clifton
making the right of the line of infantry
the Nineteenth Corps was placed along thu
Berryville road its right joining the Sixtf
Corps left; the Eighth Corps went through
kabletown TO Berryville, on the left o.
the Nineteenth Corps: LOwelrs Cavalry Il
Summit Point and right of Sixth Corps
and Merritt's Cavalry on the extreme lef
at White Post.
Sheridan moved to drive Early out O
Winchester. and Early fell back to thu
line of Cedar Creek, after crossing which
he received additional troops from Lee
army. being Kershaw's Infantry Division
and Fitz Lees Cavalry Division and ;
battalion of artillery. Sheridan fell bacl
to Berryville and Summit Point. where
sharp engagement ensued, the loss bein;
2G0 in killed and wounded. The next da,
Sheridan fell back to Hallstown and tn,
Potomac. where he remained durin;
August. having several severe encounter
with Early's and Fitz Lees cavalry.
Aug. % Sheridan moved to Charles
town, and Sept. 3 was in his original line
at Summit Point and Berryville, and from
this line having nearly daily encounter
with the enemy and keeping Early from
sending troops back to Lee.
BATTLE OF oPEQUAN.
The aggressive movement that Sherida,
was waiting to begin commenced abou
the middle of September. when Kershaw'
troops were withdrawn from Early to re
inforce Lee in front of Grant. Sheridan
Immediately moved forward his Berryvill
and Summit Point line of battle. and o.
, Sept. 10 fought one of the most gallan
. battles of the war. known as the battle o
Opequan, and that night found Sheridan
troops in full and eXultant possession o
the Confederate's mucll-a bused and much
beloved Winchester, and Early's troops
broken. demOralized and beaten. rushe
through the city and up the VALLEY, pul
sued far into the night by the Union cav
/, airy. From Winchester Sheridan sen
this memorable dispatch:
We have just sent them whirln
through Winchester and we are after theI
s Tomorrow"
! The victory had been costly. MS tn
: Union Army lost over 1000 in killed an
l wounded and the rebels over 1000; anon
the enemy's killed was Gen. Rodes. Thi
battle OF Winchester or Opequan. restore
the whole lower Valley to the Union army
never again to be wrested from them an
never again to furnish raiding parties int
Maryland and Pennsylvania.
FISHERS HILL.
II Early fell back to Fishers Hill, wher
ihe intrenched himself and felt SO secur