The Washington herald., 1914-08-06

on the raid in which chambersburg.
Pa, was burned.
Early had moved go rapidly and sol
menacingly that the washington author
titles had fallen into a state Of nerv-
our uncertainty as to what to do to-
drive him south
Owing to a break in the cable across
Chesapeake Bay that connected the near
est telegraph station to Grants head
quarters-on jamestown Island-with
Washington, from twelve to twenty-four
hours had been required to get q mes
sage to Grant and receive a reply As
the situation might radically change In
that time, Grant had authorized Gen.
Henry W. Halleck. Chief OF Stan, to Issue
orders to the Federal troops covering
Washington. These consisted of the
Sixth Army Corps, under Gen. Horatio
G. Wright, part of the Nineteenth Corps
under Gen. William II. Emory. and the
troops of the Department of West vIr-
ginia, under Gen. David Hunter, with
Gen George Crook comman ndinE them
in the field.
Lincoln Sends for Grant.
Gen. HalIeck apprehensive Of danger
and unable to fathom the intentions of
the enemy. had moved the Sixth Corps
on marches and countermarches. be-
tween the lower Shenandoah valley to
the vicinity of Frederick, Nd. until the
command was worn out. The weather
had been extremely hot. and the corps
had lost many men from sunstroke. No
body knew where the enemy was The
soldiers, always keeH to understand in
effective orders. grumbled at what they
chose to term the imbecility Of the au-
thorities. The officers enforced their
orders in a sort OF dumb despair Of ever
hxrt he yrht .
In this situation Lincoln asked Grant
to come to Washington. Grant replied
that in two hours he would be ready
to leave City Point. This he did on
August 4. The next day he was at the
Capital. ready to take hold Of the tanEle
in the field. Gen. Hunter was at Mono
cracy Junction with his army. To him
Grant issued an order that clearly de-
fined his policy. already adopted. as to
the course TO be pursued against Early.
This policy was to carry devastation
into the Valley OF the Shenandoah 50
that the enemy's army could not live
there. It had already been enunciated
by Grant in an order to Gen. Hunter
dated July II. in which he said that he
wanted all the valleys south of the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad made a desert
without the houses being destroyed.
Troops should eat out Virginia clear
and clean as far as they go. so that
crows flying over IT for the balance OF
the season will have to carry their pro-
vender with them"
To DcvRstate the Valley.
In Cen Grants orders to Gen Hunter.
dated August s. which were turned over
to Gen. Sheridan for his guidance, the
idea of devastation was elaborated as fol-
lows:
II n,shins IN tba Shenandoah UaI
ley II is desirable that moth
ing should be left to invite the enc
my's return. Take all provisions,
forage and stock wanted for the use
Of your command such as cannot be
consumed. destroy. 1t is not desira-
BILE that buildings should be de-
stroyed; they should rather be pro-
tected: but the people should be in
formed that so long as an army can
subsist among them, occurrences Of
these raids (by the enemy must be
expected. and we are determined to
stop them at all hazards. Bear in
mind the object Is to drive the enemy
South, and to do this you want to
keep him always in sight. Be guided
in your course by the course he
takes. Make your own arrange
ments for supplies Of all kinds, Civ
ing regular vouchers for such as
win be taken from loyal citizens in
the country through which you will r
march.
Under these orders, and a supplement
tary order dated August Z. giving Sheri-
dan authority to act as far as possible
on his own judgment, the great final cam
paign in the Valley of the Shenandoah
was begun.
(copyrisht. lshl
Tomorrswi Eariy's raiding cavalry