The Washington herald., 1914-08-06
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
1S64Gen Grant, the Field Near Washington Gave Cen She
dan His Orders for the Shenandoah Valley Campaign and Gen. Sheridan
Confening with His Chief, Hurried the by Special Train
Written expressly for T

Fifty years ago todav Gen. Grant. in
the field at Monocacy Junction. thirty
aye miles from Washington, gave Gen.
Philip II. Sheridan his final orders for
the celebrated Shenandoah Valley cam
paign, and Gen. Sheridan. after confer
ring with his chief. hurried to the front
at Harpers Ferry by special train.
In twenty-fo hours Grant, by per-
sonal direction OF the forces that had
been Intellectually attempting to Impose
some check upon the movements of the
Confederate column under Gen subal A
EarIv in MARYLAND and the lower Shen-
andoah Valley, cleared the air Of clouds
OF uncertainty and doubt that had hung
over the administration at Washington
ever since Early's appearance before the
Capital on July II.
Grants vigorous direction OF affairs
replaced abortive movements with posi-
tive action. On learning the state OF
affairs before Washington, Grant had
come up from City Point by steamer had
arrived at Washington August .. and
the same day had proceeded to Monoc-
acy Junction. thirty-five miles out, where
the forces covering the city lay, under
Gen. David Hunter.
Grants first act was to hurry the
troops away through Harpers Ferry to
Halltown, in the lower Shenandoah. to
face the enemy. Then he had taken
up the vexed question Of command. He
wished Gen. Sheridan to lead the forces
in the field Gen. Hunter was Sheridan
senior and in command OF the Depart
ment embracing the scene Of operations.
On learning Gen. Grants view, Cen
Hunter-who might easily have stuck 10
his post-ellminated himself from the sit
uation by asking that he be relieved oi
command.
The way was now clear Tor glElhe
Sheridan complete command in the Shen-
andoah campaign Grant at once pro-
posed that the four military districts
about Washington be consolidated. &c
eliminate divided authority, and on Aug
ust this was done. and Sheridan was
placed in command OF the new Middle
Military Division.
Strength Of Opposing Forces.
On arriving at Harpers Ferry on the
afternoon OF August Sheridan began the
labors of this new chapter in his career
with a study of the maps Of his new de-
partment The field before him was a
difficult one in which to operate. The
enemy had made it a parade ground and
the great stone pike that extended from
one end Of the valley to the other q
race course Of armies" on which the
Federals more than once had made some
remarkably rapid retreats.
Sheridan's force was about 5000 men
but the number Of men with which the
enemy was operating he did not know.
Early's force had been habitually over
estimated by the Federals. In his ad'
vance against Washington II was placed
as high, in popular rumor, as 5000 AND
by the administration at $1,000. Gen
Grant set II at the latter figure.
Gen. Early states that he had I,OO ef'
fective infantry and 1900 cavalry at the
beginning Of his campaign. HIS losse:
of infantry in his invasion OF Maryland
was about 1900 men. Later about Loo
of his cavalry was lost or dismounted
Accepting his own figures, he had about
5000 infantry when Sheridan took the
field against him. His cavalry wa
greater than Gen. Early states. as there
were $500 men in the column then absent