The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-09-22
copyright. 1904. by C. L. Kilrner.l


HI musketry aroused the men of
Thorburns division, holding
eheridan's left flank at Cedar creek,
from their sleep. They stumbled from
their quarters into darkness and fog TO
find Kershaw's Confederate infantry
rushing over the parapets. Before a
defensive shot could be fired Kershaw's
men laid hold of seven cannon, seized
hundreds of prisoners, turned the guns
on those who retreated and in short
order swept Thorburn's camp bare of
defenders. This was General Jubal A.
Earlys initial stroke in his famous sur
prise of Phil Sheridan's line at Cedar
creek.
Sheridan had left the front four days
before the attack. He had been warn
ed of trouble, but had ignored it be-
cause he believed that Early was too
far away from his base of supplies to
undertake q battle.
Before leaving the camps Sheridan
posted Crooks command, the Eighth
corps, including Thorburn's division,
along the valley pike on the left. Next
came the Nineteenth corps-Emory'
along the east bank of the creek, with
the Sixth corps. under Wright on the
right of the Nineteenth. The cavalry
lowered on the extreme TANKS, watch
ing the roads that come in from the
east and west Leaving the command
to General II. G. Wright Sheridan set
n1rt tho 15th n tha pl11a i1,ro
east.
On the 1Ith Sheridan had finished his
mission and returned as far as Mar
tinsburg. On the 18th he started up
the valley pike on horseback and halt
ed in Winchester for the night. Early
on the 18th he was aroused by an Of
ficer on duty with the word that artil-
lery firing could be heard at Cedar
creek. The report said that the firing
was not continuous and might be caus-
ed by a reconnaissance, and Sheridan
leisurely awaited his breakfast
Meanwhile Early had advanced three
columns to support Ramseur's attack.
Crooks command, which was isolated
and the farthest front, had been envel-
oped by the Confederate divisions of
Kershaw, Ramseur Pegram and Cor
don. At the same time WhartOn'S Con
federate division, formerly Breckin-
ridges, advanced against Emory's
Nineteenth corps. Crooks entire corps
was overwhelmed and his ranks seat
tered, but at the camp of the Nine
teenth corps the division of Grover
stood at arms, having been ordered out
on a reconnaissance at daylight.
q Generals Wright and Emory were
promptly at the front and, having
formed a line of defense, awaited the
coming of Kershaw, who was in
Crooks camp pursuing the defeated
soldiers. But further surprise awaited
the Federal line. Gordon and Pegram
had passed around Crook and, defect
ing, struck the Nineteenth corps in the
flank, being sheltered from view by the
heavy fog that hung over the valley.
The Confederate cannon soon enfiladed
the works of the Nineteenth corps, and
General Wright ordered it to fall back.
A stirring episode of the retreat of the
Nineteenth corps is described by Colonel
H. e. Hill of the Eighth Vermont. Says
Colonel HILL In the early morning
fight the colorS of the Eighth Vermont
passed through a terrible ordeal and
received a bloody baptism. Suddenly a
mass of enemies confronted the flags
and with hoarse shouts demanded
their surrender. Defiant shouts went
back: Never! Neveri' And then, amid
tremendous excitement, commenced one
of the most desperate and ugly hand
to hand conflicts over the flags that
have ever been recorded. Men seemed
more like demons than human beings
as they struck fiercely at each other
with dubbed muskets and bayonets.
A Confederate of powerful build at
tempted to bayonet Corporal Worden of
the color guard. Worden, a tall, sin
envy man, who had no bayonet on his
musket, parted his enemy's thrusts
until some one-I think Sergeant Brown
shot the aSsailant dead. Another Con
federate then leveled his musket and
shot Corporal Petre who held the col
ors, in the thigh, terrible wound, from
WulSA hc ulSd t1dl ulSul. cure uSlu
the regimental flag. He cried out:
Boys, leave me! Take care of your
selves and the fagp But in that vor-
tex of hell men did not forget the col
ors, and as Petre crawled away to die
they were instantly seized and borne
aloft by Corporal Perham and We're
as instantly demanded again by an as
sailant who attempted to grasp them.
Sergeant Shores of the guard placed
his musket at the mans breast and
fired, instantly killing him. But now
another rife flash, and a bullet from
the dead southerners companion killed
Corporal Perham, and the colors fell
to the earth. Once more, amid terrific
yells, the colors went up, this time held
by Corporal Blanchard, and the car
mage went on.
"The fight for the colors continued.
A Confederate discharged his rifle
within foot of Corporal Bemis of the
color guard and wounded him, but
was, in turn, shot dead by one Of our
men. A little later Sergeant Shores
and Lemuel Simpson were standing to-
gether by the flags when three Con-