The National tribune., 1906-02-15
sheridan.s Ride From Winchester.

Editor National Tribune Being a
reader OF The National Tribune and
believing that its columns are open for
all who desire TO write on any subject
pertaining TO the war, ! take the liberty
of criticising an article published by
the indianapolis Star of Jan. 25 The
article is headed: sent Sheridan on
Famous Ride
\ comrade, Mixell, of Warrensburg
ILL.,, says lie IS the man who awoke
Sheridan from his much-neesled slum-
Der. At Fairfax Station. Va, and started
him on his famous ride TO Winchester
TO win back a battle that was lost. If
Comrade Mixell was acting as referee
in the battle in question, he threw up
the sponge too early in the dag. He
says ii was o'clock when he heard
csnnonadine in the direction of Cedar
Greek, which. he says, is near Winches-
ter. He also says that Fairfax Station
is 20 or 80 miles southwest of Winches-
ter, in Old Virginia, and that Sheridan
was visiting Gen. Grant at City Point,
which place is about 25 miles south
and west of Winchester, in West Vir-
ginia. / think that Comrade Mixell,
like many of us, gets locations some
what mixed. He surely is badly ratified
in trying TO give locations in regard to
the battle Of Cedar Creek. I was over
| the road from Martinsburg to Winches-
ter. as far up as Staunton. in June,
1863. /, with the Captain and about
half of the company, was taken prison.
er by Jenkins's Cavalry, at Martinsburg.
on Sunday evening, June IA, 1863. We
were escorted to Winchester by rebel
cavalry. who We're very cruel and shot
colored boy on the way. without any
provocation whatever. They wouldn' I
allow us to stop to fill canteen with
water on the way. 1t is % miles from
Martinsburg to Winchester After ly-
| ing in one of Millroy's forts a day or
| two-almost without anything TO eat or
water to drink-they started us on our
journey up the Valley, en- route to Lib
by, at Richmond. Cedar Creek is 30
miles south and little west from Win
chester.
In regard to the battle of Cedar
| Creek, Early moved his army down
along the foot of the mountain, there
being only a cowpath. They had taken
precaution to rid themselves of any
j, thing that would be likely 10 make q
noise. They succeeded In capturing the
pickets and massed in front of the
! Eighth Corps, which was on the ex-
treme left Of the line. The Nineteenth
Corps held the right and the Sixth Corps
was on the right Of the Nineteenth. II
my memory serves me, the first firing
was about daybreak, Oct. 10. There
was no artillery firing until later. as
Early had given instructions for the
lartillery to be stationed as near as nos.
sible on the south side of Cedar Creek
The battle opened very early In the
morning. ] think there will be quite
a number Of the Eighth Corps boys who
VIII bear me out in this, that there was
no cannonading at o'clock that morn.
ing. There was complete rout on the
left of the line; but the Sixth Corn.
and part of the Nineteenth were no
whipped. as they were not engaged un'
I'll later in the day. II was pretty fal
toward noon when Gen. Sheridan ar
| rived upon the field. II has always
t been my idea that Gen. Wright (wht
mad temporary command while Sheri
. dan was away had the battle well il
hand when Sheridan arrived IL ha.
. always been my opinion that Gen
Wright never got the credit due hin
under the circumstances. L think ais,
that history will show that the wor,
whipped has no place in the histor,
Iof the gallant old Sixth Corps Com
radcs VIII remember that part of tn,
corps was overpowered or outnumbere,
five TO one at Monocacy, near Frederick
Md, and had TO fall back; but accord
= ing to the Confederate reports our it'll
y army gave them the hardest battle
[ considering the number of troops-an,
2 absence of artillery on our side-tha
I they ever had. Don't think that / an
5 trying 10 make you believe that III
Skin corps put down The rebellion: bu
s | do say that il did its part and cam
. out covered with glory.
d Now. Comrade Mixell, Straighten OH
y some of your geographic lines. and te
= us why your regiment didn't get ther
!. in time 10 participate in that battle u
[ Cedar Creek. / was and am a grea
I admirer of Gen. Sheridan. [ was Dor
and raised in the same County and nea
: the old home of the Sheridans; and
= am proud to say that my uncle, Ger
: Tom Ritchey, who was a member q
g Congress ut that time, secured the ap
= pointment at West Point for Little Phi
: II was told that when the wires car
:. ried the news North that Sheridan wa
+ whipped in the Valley, Uncle Ritche
9 mounted his old gray mare and went I
: Somerset to hear about IL, staying unit
g late In the afternoon, when the wire
d clicked off the news of Sheridan's vic
!. tory. The old man cried like chill