The National tribune., 1910-10-13

achievement at Rappahanock Station,
and came rightfully into command
when Gen. Sedgwick fell. He outranked
sheridan as Major-General by nearly
n year, but cheerfully accepted the
Presidents assignment of Sheridan to
command over him, something quite
unusual among Regular Army officers.
This is especially true, for it is remem-
bered that he was commanding a big
department when he . recommended
Sheridan's commission as Brigadier-
General
The divisions of the Sixth Corps were
| commanded by those splendid officers.
Geo. w. Getty. David A. Russell and
James B. Ricketts,, all of whom had
shown their entire fitness for such COM
mands. Russell had been Sheridan's
Captain before the war
Gen. VIM. II. Emory, commanding
the Nineteenth Corps, was older than
any of them, as he graduated from
West Point in 1881, the year Sheridan
was born. He, Emory, was a fine SOL
dier. The one division of the Nine
teenth Corps present was commanded
| by Gen. Wm. Dwight. volunteer Off
Ger of high merit.
Brig Gen. Geo. Crook commanded
the two small divisions which repre-
sented the Army of West Virginia.
Crook was classmate OF Sheridan's,
and their relations were quite brother
| ly The separate divisions were COM
manded respectively by Coils. Joseph
Thoburn and Isaac II: Duval. both VOL
unteer officers who had made fine repu-
tations. % 90
Gen. Torberts Division of Cavalry
had come from the Army of the Poto-
mac. and Sheridan now assigned this
officer as Chief of Cavalry, while Gen.
Wesley Merritt succeeded to the COM
nand of the First Cavalry Division.
Gen. Sheridan was like Grant in not
wanting TO push the lenemy hack into
the country. He wasTyelI content that
Early should remain at or near Win
chester. and keep up his sensational
raids across the Potomac until an op-
portunity came to crush him Then
his destruction would be more complete
than If accomplished farther south.
Early, however. was wary, and skilfully
checkmated all efforts of Sheridan to
pass around his right fehk and inter
pose between him and Richmond. At
the same time Sheridan had to be care
full not to expose his left flank to the
force sent up by Lee. A catastrope of
this kind was narrowly averted by
quick intuition and Grants
watchfulness. Aug. 10 Sheridan felt
that the time was ripe for attacking
Early, and moved his whole force out
from Harper's Ferry to strike at his
antagonists right flank. AS he did so
his scouts began to bring him in stories
of column of the enemy coming up
from Culpeper Court House toward
Chester Gap on his left and rear On
the morning of Aug. IA the reports be-
came so impressive that Sheridan sent
a brigade of cavalry to Front Royal to
reconnoiter. On Aug. IL Grants secret
service men informed him that Lee
had sent 90 pieces of artillery, two di-
visions of infantry and a considerable
cavalry force to Early. Grant sent this
information TO Washington by tele-
graph. and ordered that a courier be
dispatched to get the message thru to
Sheridan at all hazards. Col. N. p
Chapman was Immediately hurried off,
with regiment of cavalry as his es-
cort, and galloped thru Smokers Gap
to hand Sheridan the following dis
patch:
City Point, Aug. ~. 1864; 9 a. m.
'Maj.-Gen. Halleck:
Inform Gen. Sheridan that it is now
certain two divisions of infantry have
gone to Early and some cavalry and
20 pieces of artillery. This movement |
commenced last Saturday night. He
must be cautious, and act now on the
defensive until moven ents here force |
them to detach to send this way. Ear |
ly's force. with this increase cannot |
exceed 10000 men. but this is too much |,
TOR Gen. Sheridan to attack Send |
Gen. Sheridan the remaining brigade |
of the Nineteenth Corps
have ordered TO Washington all I
the 1OO-day men. Their time will soon |
be out, but for the present they will |
10 to serve In the defenses.
u. S. Grant, Lieutenant General"
(To be continued.)