The Washington herald., 1914-11-15
E.rly's Adsanes and Retreat.
Nsvsnbsr Eleventh.

4 T.
Fifty years ago today Gen. Uubal A.
Early. the Confederate leader who had
disputed with the FederAls the posses
sion Of the Shenandoah Vsiley since the
preceding June. advanced with his de
feated and hungry army for The last time
down the valley. to the scene Of HIS
triumph ana discontinue on October 70.
the battlefield Of Cedar Creek.
Here he had surprised sheridan's army
routed its left wing and driven II from
the field. Then he had halted, and sher-
idan. riding from Winchester, had form
ed his troops and delivered q counter At.
tack which sent Early, with great loss.
flying up the valley to New Market.
thirty-ffve miles SOUTH
II was a bold thing for the Confeder-
ate general TO return 20 that fatal field.
His force was now much less than l0ooo
men; Sheridan's was more than 3o.0oo.
The valley had been stripped OF It's sup
plies by Sheridan. and the Confederates
were short Of rstions. They were also
short Of clothing and of supplies Of every
kind The biting winds from the noun
tains blew keenly through their rags.
and the hard and frosty road bruised
their feet through their wretched shoes.
Many OF the men indeed were without
foot covering. unless bandages OF rags
could be called such.
Early knew he was hopelessly defeat
ed. yet with that tenaoity OF purpose that
distinguished the Confederates to the end
Of the struggle, he would not yield to
fate. He found comfort, even on the
verge of the bitter winter. in the knowl-
edge that the Federals were obliged
10 retain q heavy force in the valley
to observe him.
His purpose In returning to the scene
Of the disaster Of October - was to con-
firm by q reconnaissance the continued
presence Of that force.
Once More On Fatal Field.
Sheridan's army was now established
in winter quarters at Kernstown. near
Winchester. Its lines were fortified, and
its men were engaged IN building huts
In which to make themselves comfort
able through the cold months. Sheridan
was preparing to reduce his force, by
sending q part of his infantry back to
Gen. Grant, for employment in the siege
Of Petersburg.
His cavalry, however, was to be kept
up to its full strength of more thsp
1000 sabers. It was employed daily. In
the hardest steady duty that had fallen
to cavalry In the valley campaign. pa
trolling all the roads that ran up the
valley and watching the passes In the
Blue Ridge.
There were three principal roads run
ming southwark from winchester. known
respectively as the Back road, on the
west side Of the valley, the Valley turn
pike. in the center, and the Front Royal
road, to the east. These. with various
diverging highways and cross roads,
swarmed with blue troopers.
The division OF Gen. George A. Custer
held the back road, that Of Gen. Wesley
Merritt the pike, and that Of Gen. W.
II. Powell (formerly Gen w. W. Aver
eIfe),. the Front Royal road and the
bordering Il.
As the enemy advanced down the val
ley. having marched from New Market.
on November II, Federal vedettes near
four miles south OF Cedar
Creek battlefield, and nineteen miles from
observed his advance.
Marching through the dllapidated town
Of Strasburg on November IL the Confed-
crates trod again the road over which
they had freshly fed in panic on the even
ing Of October 70; saw once more the
spot in the village street where their
guns and wagons had become jSInmed
in q solid mass and were lost. swung
OuCe u1OTc aiOnk lne nAFo PIKE nOTIn OF
the town and crossed Cedar Creek.
With their cavalry ahead Of them and
with the Federals near Md
6letown and Newtown, the infantry halt
ed on the Cedar Creek field. which was
will strewn with the debris Of battle.
DriveA By Hanger and Saber.
What Gen. Early's thoughts might
have been as he surveyed that field may
nA fsCnfa0fnnad IL had halfad
the morning OF October 10 in the very
hush OF victory. Later he charged his
roops with having enforced the halt. by
tarrying to plunder the Federal camps.
Some Of his generals charged him with
having halted because confident that the
Federals would not check their iight
short OF Winchester.
The halt had been fatal. as history now
records: and now the army that had
driven Sheridan : host from its CAMPS |
was shivering In the November blast. |
hungry and hopsiesE, on the field OF their |
flashing explicit.
Advancing on November Il from the ILL., |
opened ground along Cedar Creek, Gen. |
Early found his way barred by the Fed |
sral cavalry. On the back and centor |
-oads there was heavy skirmishing, with |
Earying results. On the Front Royal
-oad fortune favored the Federals.
Here Gen. Powell had sent out q brig
lde, under Col. William b. Tibbitts, Of |
he Twenty-frst New York Regiment, to |
ook for the enemy. This brigade met |
he command Of Gen. John McCausland-
he Confederate officer who under Gen. i
5arly's orders; had burned the town OF |
Pa, in the preceding |
Tuly-and at once attacked 1t.
The ConfedeTates fought well After
sharp skirmish Col. Tibbitts was NOV
ng on across country, in obedience to
lis original orders to proceed toward
when he met Gen. Powell,
lear Ninevah, coming up with another
,rigaee.
The combined force now turned upon
he Confederates. charging them with the
aber and driving them across the Shen-
.ndoah and through Front Royal into
he Luray Valley, and taking from them
wo guns and 1s1 prisoners, including
line teen officers. The Confederate dead
numbered twenty, and included three
olonels.
This ended Gen. ESrly's last aggressive
lcvement IE t-e valley Ta~ next day
be Confeds-ates. driven by hunger and
heridan's cavalry. began fall back
pom New Market. Here, after q brief
alt, Gen. Early began to reduce his
onnand hv aanffnD frooDa m TAa -