The National tribune., 1904-07-28

Before proceeding to recount the history
of the final campaign of the Army of the
Potomac. it will be necessary to describe
briefly the Summer and Autumn opera
tions in the Shenandoah Valley, as they
have an important bearing on the events
that are to follow.
sHERIDAN's OPERATIONS IN THE VALLEY.
In the relative situations of the contend
ing armies i'll Virginia, the operations in
the Shenandoah Valley had always exer-
cised a powerful influence on the main
current of action. From the peculiar geo
graphical relations of that Valley in a
military point Of view, 1t was always open
to a detached force to make incursions
across the frontier of the loyal State,
whether for the purpose of plunder or Of
Il diversion in favor Of the main confeder-
ate army, by a menace against Washing
ton. At the same time, the line of the
Blue Ridge perfectly covered it's cummuni-
cations with Richmond and Lees army.
From this circumstance, the Conf federates
had always been able. with astonishingly
small bodies of cavalry and infantry, TO
retain a powerful Federal force for the
protection of the frontier of Maryland and
Pennsylvania. In several critical situa-
tlons the Shenandoah column had by Wig
orous demonstrations, paralyZed the Army
Of the Potomac, By calling away therefrom
SO considerable a force as to compel u
surcease Of operations on the main line.
Relying on the oft-proved effect Of such
threats. Lee, as soon as lie found himself
under belcagucrmcnt at Petersburg, had
detached the column of Early to menace
the Federal Capital. 1t has already been
seen that the result did not correspond
with his wishes; for Grant. parting only
with n sufiiciency Of force to protect
Washington, continued to hold Lee with
an unrelaxing grip.
Bnt although the direct object Of the
Confederate menace had failed it never
thelaSS met so considerable n measure of
success that even after Early had retired
TO the Valley of the ShenadOah, he was
there able to take up so threatening an
attitude that it was found impossible to
return the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps to
the Army of the Potomac. No sooner was
this attempted. than Early was again
across the border-his cavalry penetrating
Pennsylvania as far as the town Of Cham
bersburg. which they laid in ashes. Upon
| this. the Sixth Corps, which had been re
tired to Washington en- route for the
James. was returned to Harper's Ferry.
TO unite with the Nineteenth Corps and
the Federal forces OF West Virginia in an
effort to clear the Valley of the Shenan-
doah.
USMILITARY MILITARY DISTRIBUTIONS.
The distribution of the Union force in
the region of Northern and West Vir-
ginia, and along the frontier of the loyal
States, was at this time as little conform
able to military principles as it had been
in the worst period of 1862. Washington
| and Baltimore and the country adjacent.
| formed the Department of Washington; |;
| Eastern and Central Pennsylvania and
| Northern Maryland, the Department Of
| the Susquehanna; Northwestern Virginia
| and Western Pennsylvania, the Depart
ment of West Virginia; and the region of
| the Shenandoah, and eastward to the Bull
Run Mountains, the Middle Department
These several military bailiwicks were
under control Of independent military COM
! manders, whose petty jealOusies and want
crates, with a force ridiculously inferior,
| TO pluck at any time cheap laurels.
| Happily the conduct Of the war was
now under one military head. so that Gen.
Grant could at will end this costly and
diSgraceful policy. The events of July
showed the urgent need Of unity of COM
mand in Northern Virginia, and the Lieu
tenant General, in August, consolidated
these four Departments into one, named
the Middle Military Division, under Gen.
| Hunter. That officer, however, before ell
tering on the proposed campaign, ex-
| pressed Willingness to be relieved, and
| Gen. Il. II. Sheridan, who had been trans
| feIIcd from the Army Of the Potomac to
the command of the forces in the field un-
| der Hunter, was appointed in his stead.
| The selection was a fortunate one. An
excellent rategist, of sound military
| views, and wary, enterprsing, and ag-
gressive temper, Gen. Sheridan was of all
| others the man best fitted for the peculiar
command intrusted to him. To the column