The National tribune., 1907-07-11

IN The National Tribune of June q
Comrade j. H. Barney wants to know
'.where Sheridan was from dawn to day
Oct. 16 until 10 a. m, also stating that
he was seen by Comrade Lanchon, 49tn
Pa, two miles south of Winchester al
daybreak, and that he. was then Only
eight miles from his army.
Now. as | was one of Gen. Sheridan $
escort on that memorable day l will
saw that Conrade Lanchon must have
been laboring under an optical delu-
sion, for Sheridan was at Col. Edwards 5
headquarters in Winchester at that
time. History gives the distance from
Winchester to the battlefield OF Cedar
Creek as 20 miles, but the writer's over
looked the fact that our army had been
driven back two miles, which would
make it about Is miles to the extreme
front or the skirnish. SO had Gen.
Sheridan been really seen at the point
designated by Comrade Lanchon he
would then have been 16 miles from
the field instead of eight, as stated by
Comrade Barney. But to settle the
matter / will reproduce an article writ
ten by Maj. W. H. Spera, of the 18th
Pa. Cav. (now living at Council Bluffs.
Iowa. 735 Madison avenue), who COM
manded escort that day. Mai. Spera
was one of our very best officers; he
always saw the bright and also the
comical side Of eye1y-.h his. hi-, | used to
envy him his SUNNY disposition.
Maj. Spera's Narrative.
Gen. Sheridan was relieved from COM
mand of the cavalry OF the Army of the
Potomac on Aug. /. 1864, and ordered
to the command of the Middle Mill
tary Department, which included the
Shenandoah Valley. The First and
Third of Cavalry Divisions and the
Sixth Corps Of infantry of the Army of
rnlFN fnp pfa.,
Sheridan. The cavalry was almost daily
engaged with the enemy, who at 3
O'Clock on the morning of Sept 19 was
attacked across OpeQuan Creek and
driven thru Winchester, when Sheridan
sent the famous I'VE have sent the enc
my whirling up the Valley This is
known as the battle CT the OpeQuan.
After this Sheridan held the line of
Cedar Creek, and a question arose as to
an advance on Gordonsvilie as suggest
ed in the following dispatch:
Washington, D. c., Oct. ., 1864;
lam.
Maj Gen. Sheridan: Lieut.-Gen. Grant
wishes a position taken far enough
south TO serve as a base for further
operations upon Gordonsville and Char
lottesvflle. 1t must be strongly fortified
and provisioned
H. ". Halleck, Major-General."
Gen. Sheridan being acquainted with
the nature of the country. would not in
dorse this plan, but in order to settle it
definitely he was called to Washington
by the following telegram:
Washington, October, 1864.
Gen. Sheridan: If you can come
here a consultation on several impor-
tant points is extremely desirable.
propose to visit Gen. Grant, and would
like to see you first.
Edwin NJ Stanton,
Secretary of War"
Dispatch From Gen. Wright.
Gen. Sheridan determined to go to
Washington by the way of Manassas
Gap to Piedmont, and from thence by
rail to Washington On the night of
the 18th he arrived with the cavalry
at Front Royal Here he received a
in command of the army in Sheridan's
absence:
Headquarters Middle Military Divi-
sion, Oct. Is, 1864.
General: 1 inclose you dispatch
which explains itself. If the enemy
should be strongly reinforced in cavalry
he might, by turning our right, give US
a great deal of trouble. l shall hold
here until the enemy's movements are
developed, and shall only fear an at
tack on our right, which / shall make
every preparation for guarding against
and resisting.
Very respectfully, your obendient
servant,
n G. Wright, Major-General Com
manding.''
ma. P. H. Sheridan"
Unclosure.)
'To Lieut.-Gen. Early:
BE ready TO move as soon as my
forces join you and We will crush Sheri-
dan.
"Longstreet, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This message was secured by our Sig
nal Corps from the rebel signal flag on
Tree Top Mountain. Sheridan had
planned raid for the cavalry thru
Chester Gap to the Virginia Central
Railroad at Charlottesville, but on the
receipt of the above dispatch he aban-
doned the raid and ordered the cavalry
back to Gen. Wright, and sent the fol-
lowing:
Headquarters Middle Military Divi-
sion, Front Royal, Oct. 16, 1864.
General: The cavalry is all ordered
back to you. Make your position strong.
II Longstreet's dispatch is true he is
under the impression that We have
largely detached. l will go over to
Augur and get additional news Close
in Col. Powell, who will be at that point
If the enemy should make an advance
know you viii defeat him. Look well
10 your ground ana De prepared. Gel
up everything that can be spared.
will bring up all / can. and will be vi
on Tuesday If not sooner
''P. II. Sheridan. Major-General
"Maj.-Gen. Wright, commanding Sixth
Corps
The Army Surprised.
Sheridan arrived at Washington or
the morning of the 18th, leaving Wash.
ington at IL o'clock noon, returning by
special train to Martinsburg.
During Sheridan's absence the enemy
had gathered all his available strength
On the night of the 18th and befor.
daylight of the 18th ne moved from
Fishers Hill thru the village of Stras.
burg. across the Shenandoah, on tn,
Strasburg and Front Royal road, re
crossing the river at Bowman's Ford
striking the left of our line held by Gen
Crook in flank and rear. A heavy fot
hung over the Valley, completely con
cealing the enemy from view. The at
tack was made so Unexpectedly ant
vigorously that outposts We're driven in
the camps invaded, men bayoneted il
their tents and the position turned. Tn.
result was that our army was driver
back at all points, retiring in confusion
10 about a mile north of Middletown,
large portion of the Infantry not ever
preserving Il company organization. on
division of the Sixth Corps and the cav
airy alone formed line against the enc
my. This was the condition in which
Sheridan found the army