The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-21
THE FAMOUS FIGHT
At CEDAR CREEK
Rccollections Of Colonel William
Z. Cutsl1aw, Who Command
an Artillery Battalion.
GENERAL GORDoN's ERROR
His "reminiscences Do Not Agree
With Testimony Of Many
Eye Witnesses.

Major General John B. Gordon. In his
"reminiscences, PIP. S47. s4s, relates that
Just before Ahe afternoon counter as
saut of General Sheridan, which broke
through his division on the Confederate
left at Cedar Creek october 10, 1864, he
General Gordon) rode to General Early
to urge that "hc reinforce the left and
fill the gap which would become reri-
table death trap IL left open many min
his entire force for desperate defense or
immediate withdrawal" and says He
instructed me to stretch out the already
weak lines and take a battery of guns
ITO the left"
He further rrcites that he (Gordon)
rode at furious gallop" to do as Or
dered but it was toe late and adds:
..Major Kirkpatrick was starting with.
his guns. rushing across the plain to the
crumbling Confederate lines like fire en-
gines tearing through streets in the vain
effort to save a building already wrapped
in flames, and tumbling to the ground.
reached my command only in time to
find the unresisted columns of Sheridan
rushing this gap, and worse still to find
Clement A. Evans, whom left in COM
nland almost completely surrounded by
literally overwhelming numbers, but be
WAS handling the men With great skill,
ard fighting in almost every direction
With characteristic coolness.'
This was the fatal break that opened
the left flank of the Confederate line
and led to tho defeat of our army, and
these observations occur to me:
j. The troops had been posted by Cen
cral Gordon, and If General Early gave
tho order for extension of the lines,
which he relates (Which l think is Il
mistake of General Gordon, it had best
been complied with.
@ What General Gordon meant by
suggesting to General Early "the con-
centration of his army for desperate
defense" General Gordon does not cx-
plain, and it is by no means apparent
or easily imagined, as all Of Earys
troops in possible reach were already
concentrated and overlappcd.
8. 1t was evidently too late for any
new orders, as General Gordon going
back to his troops at a furious gallop"
found them "crumbling," the columns
of Sheridan "unresisted' and Evans
surrounded by literally overwhelming
numbers 49,
A. The recitsar.,lhat General Early sent a
battery OF Guns and that Major Kirk
like fire engines. :" Is, | believe, a
mistake of General Gordon,
s. Six guns We're sent to help General
Gordon-the only possible reinforcement
avnilable--immcdatel upon his calling
for them.
G. Colonel w. T.. Cutshaw is known as
a soldier of GOODNESS and firInness, as we'll
as of clear headcdness, veracty and ac-
curacy, and i submit herewith his ac-
count of the occasion. 1t WAS his guns
mot Major Kirkpatrick SHAT were hur.
ried to the Confederate left. The lines
did not break before they got there, but
afterwards. If Major Kirkpatricks guns
were also sent, no trace Of the matter
IS found In the records or histories thai
know Of
] would be thankful to any comrade
who was at Cedar Creek for an accoun,
OF Major Kirkpatrick movements thai
day; General Gordon's assurance to Colo
mel Cutshaw not 10 be uneasy apon'
carrying his guns to the left. and tha'
.,hls (Gordon's) old brigade was there
and would protect them does not sonht
as # that officer felt the anxiety which
his forty-year aftcrward account indi
Gates. The brigade WAS. indeed, goot
one but good troops are sometimes ban
ished General Gordon, in another par
of his book, speaks OF the panic tina
seized Shcridan's troops in the morning
and of that also which seized Early's OF
the evening ms neither of them, tn
necessary logical OF even natural sequence
of the conditions which presented them
See his "reminiscences, p i5. The pant
commenced IN Gordon's old brigade undo
"a fine officer, General G, a. Evans. Wit
deserves all the praise General Gordoi
accords him. II spread TO Gordon's di
vision. whore he himself had placed II
and where his assurance to Colonel Cut
shaw shows lie felt it could protect
his guns