before whose advance the enemy found it prudent rapidly to withdraw. Our loss in this affair was less than one hundred. The troops then fell back upon Charlestown, where they remained quiet for several days.

On the morning of September 3d, the whole army was again put in motion in a southerly direction, Crook's command occupying the left, the Nineteenth Corps the centre, and the Sixth the right. At noon, Crook reached the vicinity of Berryville, where, a few hours later, he was fiercely attacked by a heavy rebel force approaching from the direction of Winchester, which lies directly west. The enemy were handsomely repulsed; and during the succeeding night the whole army was engaged in throwing up substantial breastworks, as if for the purpose of making their position a permanent one. Thus affairs remained for nearly two weeks, Early being, according to reports, at Bunker Hill in force, and Sheridan showing no disposition to leave his intrenched lines near Berryville. The cavalry on both sides were active in recormoissances.

The campaign in the Shenandoah, since the appointment of Sheridan to the command of the Middle Division, had hitherto been one of manœuvres rather than of decisive fighting, and the marchings and counter-marchings, advances and retreats of the Union general were to the public mind a source of no little perplexity. To comprehend his motives, it must be remembered that the possession of Lynchburg was indispensable to Lee if he wished to remain in Richmond, and that the large force detached under Early, to drive away Hunter and demonstrate against Washington, was still in the valley. Under these circumstances, Grant placed Sheridan at the mouth of the valley-first, to detach a force from Lee; second, to employ that force in the valley, so that no portion of it might be sent to Hood at Atlanta; third, to guard Washington and the border from the attacks of this force. For about five or six weeks, Sheridan's incessant moving backward and forward kept Early so busy that Hood could not get a man from Lee, and was forced to suffer defeat at Jonesboro', and to evacuate Atlanta for lack of re-enforcements. Meantime, Early and Sheridan were living off the valley farms, and together destroying much food and forage precious to Lee, and all this time Early did no essential damage to Sheridan.

With the fall of Atlanta, one of the prime motives for pursuing this Fabian policy was removed, and to a general of so energetic and impetuous a temperament as Sheridan, the opportunity now afforded to fight a pitched battle with the enemy for the possession of the valley was seized with avidity. About the middle of September the lieutenant-general paid a hasty visit to the Upper Potomac, and, after learning from Sheridan that the enemy was still in force in the valley, released him from the irksome task of manoeuvring, and bade him strike when he found the opportunity. Reconnoissances undertaken on the 13th and 16th rendered it evident that the main body of the enemy had advanced to the vicinity of Bunker Hill and Stephenson's Dépôt, and General Sheridan resolved to take advantage of this opportunity, and by a rapid movement fall on Early's rear from the

direction of Berryville towards Winchester. Accordingly, on Monday, the 19th, pursuant to orders, the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps were ordered to march at three o'clock, and the Army of Western Virginia, under Crook, at five o'clock. The Sixth Corps was directed to move out on the Winchester and Berryville Pike, marching in parallel columns on each side of the road, with the artillery, ammunition, and supply trains on the road-the Nineteenth Corps to follow on the same road in similar order. Crook was ordered to move from his position in the vicinity of Summit Point across the country in a southwesterly direction, and form a junction at the crossing of the Opequan, on the Berryville and Winchester pike. The cavalry, under Torbert and Averill, were meanwhile to divert the enemy's attention by heavy demonstrations on his left. Shortly after daylight, Wilson's Division of cavalry crossed the Opequan, and skirmished with the enemy, who were discovered in force on the west bank of the Opequan. Early immediately recalled his forces from Bunker Hill, and when the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps advanced across the Opequan, they were met and repulsed by a fire from the enemy's guns. Being re-enforced by our batteries, they again advanced and retook the position. At three o'clock, Crook's First Division came into position on the right, the Second Division, in the rear, supporting a division of the Nineteenth Corps. At about the same time, General Torbert arrived on the extreme right with Averill's and Merritt's Divisions of cavalry. With his forces thus consolidated, General Sheridan ordered an advance along the entire line. Our infantry were soon hotly engaged with the enemy, who stubbornly maintained their ground until our cavalry joined in the charge, when they gave way in utter confusion, never pausing in their flight until they reached Fisher's Hill, thirty miles south of Winchester, where they took refuge behind some previously erected earthworks. The following is Sheridan's dispatch announcing his success:

"We fought Early from daylight till between six and seven P. M. We drove him from Opequan Creek through Winchester and beyond the town. We captured two thousand five hundred to three thousand prisoners, five pieces of artillery, nine battle-flags, and all the rebel wounded and dead.

"Their wounded in Winchester amount to some three thousand. We lost in killed General David Russell, commanding a division of the Sixth Army Corps, and wounded Generals Chapman, McIntosh, and Upton. The rebels lost in killed the following general officers:

"General Rhodes, General Wharton, General Gordon, and General Ramseur.

"We have just sent them whirling through Winchester, and we are after them to morrow. This army behaved splendidly. I am sending forward all the medical supplies, subsistence stores, and ambulances."

Sheridan lost no time in following the retreating rebels, and the 21st found his army confronting their new position. The enemy was posted with his right on the North Fork of the Shenandoah, and his left on the North Mountain. His line, running westerly, extended across the Strasburg Valley. There was considerable manoeuvring for position till after mid-day. Crook's command was on our right, Wright's Sixth Corps in the centre, and Emory's Nineteenth on the left.

Emory demonstrated on the left, Ricketts's Division of the Sixth Corps advanced directly in front, and Averill drove in the enemy's skirmishers. Under cover of these demonstrations, Crook moved out to the extreme right, and, after an arduous march, swept about, and flanked the enemy's left.

At four or five o'clock in the evening, a successful charge was made by Crook, who carried the enemy before him. At the same time, Wright attacked in the centre, Emory on the left, and Averill skirted along the base of the South Mountain. With great rapidity, the Sixth Corps broke in the enemy's centre, separating his two wings, when he retreated towards Woodstock in great confusion. Artillery, horses, wagons, rifles, knapsacks, and canteens were abandoned in the flight, and eleven hundred prisoners and sixteen pieces of artillery captured. In the battles of the 19th and 21st the rebels lost, in killed, wounded, prisoners, and missing, not less than ten thousand men.

Sheridan continued the pursuit on the night after the battle to Woodstock, and there halted next morning, for rest and rations. Averill, pushing on in advance, drove the enemy to Mount Jackson, twenty-five miles south of Strasburg, where he halted and made a stand, checking our advance with infantry and artillery. From Woodstock Sheridan moved rapidly up the Valley to Mount Jackson. About a mile from the town the North Fork" of the Shenandoah crosses the pike. A good wooden bridge still spanned the stream. After some sharp skirmishing on our left, Devin's Cavalry drove the enemy before him, whereupon our batteries, posted near the bridge, opened on the opposite crest, over which the enemy finally retired. Skirmish lines were immediately moved across the stream, and, covering the fronts of their respective corps, pushed forward. In the advance, the Nineteenth Corps marched in column on the right of the pike, and the Sixth in like formation on the left, ready at any moment to form line. The batteries had the pike. The cavalry was thrown forward in advance of the infantry skirmish line. At every favorable position the enemy would halt and contest our advance; but the batteries, being brought forward, would, after a few rounds, cause them to resume their march in retreat. No stop was made at Newmarket, the scene of Sigel's fight and defeat in May.

On Sunday, September 25th, Sheridan's head-quarters were in Harrisonburg, and on Monday morning, Torbert, with his troopers, pushed out to Staunton, twenty-five miles away. Meantime, Early retired upon Brown's Gap, in the Blue Ridge, eight miles southeast of Port Republic, twenty miles east of Staunton, and fifteen northeast of Waynesboro'. Sheridan pursued to Port Republic, destroying seventy-five wagons and four caissons. From Harrisonburg, Torbert, with Wilson's cavalry division and one brigade of Merritt's, marched to Staunton, which he entered at eight A. M. of Monday, the 26th, and there destroyed a large quantity of the enemy's property of various kinds. Thence he marched southeasterly to Waynesboro'; threw the iron bridge over the South River at that point into the river, and destroyed the bridge over Christiana Creek, and the railroad from Saunton to Waynesboro'. At Waynesboro' other Government prop

erty was destroyed. But finding the tunnel defended by troops, Torbert retired to Harrisonburg by way of Staunton.

On the 27th, offensive demonstrations were resumed. But before they were fairly opened, the enemy suddenly burst upon Powell's flank with great force, and was with difficulty repulsed. The effect of this engagement was to cause our cavalry to fall back from Port Republic to Cross Keys. Brown's Gap remained in the enemy's possession.

The position of Early at Brown's Gap was a very strong one. It had the advantage of covering Gordonsville and Charlottesville, and of threatening Sheridan's flank and rear should he attempt to move from Lynchburg. It possessed also unusual facilities for defence. North of it are Swift's Run and Semon's Gaps; south of it, Rockfish Gap and Jaman's Gaps. All of these are so near together that Early easily held them under his control, posting his main force at Brown's Gap, and throwing his flanks out as far as Rockfish Gap and Swift Run Gap. These are the gateways to Gordonsville and Charlottesville from Staunton and Harrisonburg. He held them firmly, and was disposed not to surrender them without a decisive battle. One or two assaults had resulted in such stout resistance from Early's troops that it was very evident that the enemy had recovered his equilibrium, and was disposed to contest every rod of the way. It was also dis covered that Early was too strongly posted in the Gap to be assaulted. Two courses, therefore, remained for Sheridan: either to prosecute his advance towards Lynchburg, or to retire down the valley. To reach Lynchburg had been a prime object with Sigel and Hunter, as it was now with Sheridan. But to move with Early upon his flank and rear would have been hazardous in the extreme. There remained, then, nothing but to fall back. Mosby also was on Sheridan's flank, and the army supplies on the way up the valley were in danger, as before, when Mosby captured the train.

On the 6th October, Sheridan retreated to Woodstock, whence he sent the following dispatch :

"Lieutenant-General U. S. GRANT:

"WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA, October 7, 1864-9 P. M

"I have the honor to report my command at this point to-night. I commenced mov. ing back from Port Republic, Mount Crawford, Bridgewater, and Harrisonburg yes terday morning. The grain and forage in advance of these points had previously been destroyed. In moving back to this point the whole country from the Blue Ridge to the North Mountain has been made entirely untenable for a rebel army. I have destroyed over two thousand barns filled with wheat and hay and farming implements, over seventy mills filled with flour and wheat; have driven in front of the army over four thousand head of stock, and have killed and issued to the troops not less than three thousand sheep. This destruction embraces the Luray Valley and Little Fort Valley, as well as the main valley. A large number of horses have been obtained, a proper estimate of which I cannot now make. Lieutenant John R. Meigs, my engineer officer, was murdered beyond Harrisonburg, near Dayton. For this atrocious act all the houses within an area of five miles were burned. Since I came into the valley from Harper's Ferry, every train, every small party, and every straggler has been bushwhacked by the people, many of whom have protection-passes from commanders who have been hitherto in that valley The people here are getting sick of the war. Heretofore they have had no reason to complain, because they have been living in great abundance. I have not been followed by the enemy to this point, with the exception of a small force of the rebel cavalry that showed themselves some distance

behind my rear-guard to-day. A party of one hundred of the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, which I had stationed at the bridge over the North Shenandoah, near Mount Jackson, was attacked by McNeil with seventeen men, while they were asleep, and the whole party dispersed or captured. I think they will all turn up. I learn that fifty-six of them had reached Winchester. McNeil was mortally wounded, and fell into our hands. This was fortunate, as he was the most daring and dangerous of all the bushwhackers in this section of the country.

(Signed)

"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."

During his pursuit of Early, and on his retreat down the valley, Sheridan effected an immense destruction of public property, and in accordance with orders from Government, destroyed all the grain, hay, and forage to be found, except what was necessary for his own army. The valley had been the great store-house and granary of the rebel armies in Virginia, and in order to cripple Lee it was deemed indispensable to carry out this harsh but necessary policy. It had also harbored perhaps the worst class of guerrillas to be found in the countrymen who were farmers by day and robbers by night; who, under the guise of loyalty, entrapped and murdered unsuspecting Union soldiers, and had, from the outset of the war, been systematie and successful spies over the movements of the Union armies. To strike terror into this class of men and those who sympathized with or harbored them, and put a stop to their excesses, was the prime object of the Government, and a wholesale system of devastation was inaugurated by Sheridan, which, while it sometimes struck friend as well as foe, undoubtedly had on the whole a beneficial influence in restraining the operations of the guerrillas and bushwhackers, and driving them to parts of the country where it would be less dangerous for the inhabitants to harbor them. This duty was efficiently performed by Torbert's Cavalry. On the 8th of October the rebel General Rosser, while harassing Sheridan's rear, was suddenly encountered by the Union cavalry and soundly beaten, losing three hundred prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery, and a number of caissons and wagons. He was then pursued a distance of twenty-six miles.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

Position of Armies.-Early Advances.-Battle of Cedar Creek.-Opportune Arrival of Sheridan.-Disastrous Defeat of the Enemy.-Sheridan's Troops leave for the Potomac.-Devastation.

EARLY promptly renewed his advance movement on the retirement of Sheridan to Cedar Creek. The losses inflicted upon him were soon made up by re-enforcements, and a few days of repose in the fastnesses of Brown's Gap enabled him to recuperate his forces, and to take the field with twenty-eight thousand men, comprising the five divisions of infantry under Ramseur, Gordon, Pegram, Wharton, and Kershaw. While Early was advancing, the Federal commander had quietly occupied the north bank of Cedar Creek. The Army of Western Virginia, General Crook, held the left, its right resting on the pike; the