BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK, VA.
October 19, 1864.
On the night of the eighteenth, General Kershaw, of the rebel army, crossed the mountains which separated the branches of the Shenandoah, forded the north fork, and early on the morning of the nineteenth, under cover of the darkness and the fog, surprised and turned the left flank of General Sheridan’s army, and captured the batteries which enfiladed the whole line. At the same time the rest of Early’s forces marched down the turnpike from Strasburg to Cedar Creek, and before the Union army was fairly awake, the rebels had penetrated within the intrenchments of the Eighth corps, and the left division of Crook was thoroughly broken up. The Federals were driven in confusion and many taken prisoners. The Nineteenth corps now gave way and the entire left and centre were routed, while the artillery and musketry of the rebels, playing upon the disordered ranks of the Federals, increased momentarily the terror and confusion. The full light of day exposed the extent of the disaster, and showed the greater part of the army in a state of confusion. The rebels had already captured eighteen cannon, which were turned upon the Federal troops. The Sixth corps, under General Getty, by a gallant and rapid movement, succeeded in turning the flank of Emory’s army, and attacking him boldly, soon checked the onward movement of the enemy, for a time, and enabled the Federal army to retreat in some degree of order to Middletown, a village about five miles from Strasburg. They were closely followed by the enemy, however, when the Federals continued their retreat towards Newtown, a village five miles further in the rear. The troops fell back with heavy loss and in much confusion, but were finally rallied between Middletown and Newtown. At this juncture General Sheridan, who was at Winchester when the battle commenced, arrived on the field, arranged his lines just in time to repulse a heavy attack of the enemy, and immediately assuming the offensive, attacked in turn with great vigor. His arrival inspired the soldiers with new courage and energy, and entirely changed the fortunes of the day. The enemy was defeated with great slaughter and the loss of most of his artillery and trains, and the trophies he had captured in the morning.
The Federal loss, in this battle, was between five and six thousand men, which was much greater than that of the enemy. Three thousand rebels were captured.
The wreck of Early’s army escaped during the night, and fled in the direction of Staunton and Lynchburg. Pursuit was made to Mount Jackson. Thus ended this, the enemy’s last attempt to invade the North, via the Shenandoah valley.
General Sheridan’s army now retired to Winchester, in order to be near their supplies; while the Shenandoah valley was laid waste for miles in order that no subsistence might be obtained by the enemy, who had, from the first of the war, made that section a base of supplies, from which numerous bands of guerrillas were provided, and who were thus enabled to make frequent damaging raids on the Federal borders. Merritt’s cavalry crossed the Blue Ridge in December and carried desolation through Loudon and Fauquier counties, destroying property valued at two and a half millions of dollars.
Neither commander seemed desirous of carrying on hostilities longer in that devastated district, and a large portion of either army was detached early in the winter, to take part in the grand contest then centering around Richmond.
On the twenty-seventh of February, 1865, General Sheridan left Winchester with a large cavalry force, in three days marching eighty miles. He drove Early from Stanton and pursued him to Waynesboro, where thirteen hundred rebels and eleven guns were captured. Charlottesville was next entered by Sheridan’s victorious troops, where three more guns were taken from the enemy. The line of the James river canal was now followed by the cavalry, and much damage done on the route. From the north side of the James river, Sheridan struck across the country to the Virginia Central railroad, carrying the desolation of war in his path. On the tenth of March the north bank of the Pamunkey was reached, from whence he crossed to the White House, where his troops were incorporated into the army of General Grant.
Major-General Phillip Henry Sheridan was born in Perry County, Ohio, in the year 1831, and was appointed a cadet at West Point in 1848. He graduated on the thirtieth of June, 1853, and entered the United States Regular Army on July 1st, as a brevet second lieutenant of Infantry. He was attached to the First regiment, and joined his company at Fort Duncan, Texas, during the autumn of that year. He fought against the Indians of this region until the Spring of 1855, when he was transferred to the Fourth regiment of United States Infantry, with the full rank of Second Lieutenant, dated from November 22d, 1854.
During the months of May and June, 1855, Lieutenant Sheridan held command of Fort Wood, New York Harbor, and in July, 1855, embarked for California with a large body of recruits. He was next engaged in the survey for the Pacific railroad from San Francisco, California, to Columbia river, Oregon.