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Chapter IV
Early's broken army practically made no halt in its retreat after the
battle of Cedar Creek until it reached
New Market, though at
Fisher's Hill was left a small rear-guard of cavalry, which hastily decamped, however, when charged by
Gibbs's brigade on the morning of the 20th.
Between the date of his signal defeat and the 11th of November, the enemy's scattered forces had sufficiently reorganized to permit his again making a reconnoissance in the valley as far north as
Cedar Creek, my army having meanwhile withdrawn to
Kernstown, where it had been finally decided that a defensive line should be held to enable me to detach troops to
General Grant, and where, by reconstructing the Winchester and Potomac railroad from
Stephenson's depot to
Harper's Ferry, any command might be more readily supplied.
Early's reconnoissance north of
Cedar Creek ended in a rapid withdrawal of his infantry after feeling my front, and with the usual ill-fortune to his cavalry;
Merritt and
Custer driving
Rosser and
Lomax with ease across
Cedar Creek on the
Middle and Back roads, while
Powell's cavalry struck
McCausland near
Stony Point, and after capturing two pieces of artillery and about three hundred officers and men, chased him into the
Luray Valley.
Early got back to
New Market on the 14th of November, and, from lack of subsistence, being unable to continue demonstrations to prevent my reinforcement of
General Grant, began himself to detach to General
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Lee by returning
Kershaw's division to
Petersburg, as was definitely ascertained by
Torbert in a reconnoissance to
Mount Jackson.
At this time
General Grant wished me to send him the Sixth Corps, and it was got ready for the purpose, but when I informed him that
Torbert's reconnoissance had developed the fact that
Early still retained four divisions of infantry and one of cavalry, it was decided, on my suggestion, to let the Sixth Corps remain till the season should be a little further advanced, when the inclemency of the weather would preclude infantry campaigning.
These conditions came about early in December, and by the middle of the month the whole of the Sixth Corps was at
Petersburg; simultaneously with its transfer to that line
Early sending his Second Corps to
Lee.
During the entire campaign I had been annoyed by guerrilla bands under such partisan chiefs as
Mosby,
White,
Gilmore,
McNeil, and others, and this had considerably depleted my line-of-battle strength, necessitating as it did large escorts for my supply-trains.
The most redoubtable of these leaders was
Mosby, whose force was made up from the country around
Upperville, east of the
Blue Ridge, to which section he always fled for a hiding-place when he scented danger.
I had not directed any special operations against these partisans while the campaign was active, but as
Mosby's men had lately killed, within my lines, my chief quartermaster,
Colonel Tolles, and
Medical Inspector Ohlenchlager, I concluded to devote particular attention to these “irregulars” during the lull that now occurred; so on the 28th of November, I directed
General Merritt to march to the
Loudoun Valley and operate against
Mosby, taking care to clear the country of forage and subsistence, so as to prevent the guerrillas from being harbored there in the future, their destruction or capture being wellnigh impossible, on account of their intimate knowledge of the mountain region.
Merritt carried out his instructions with his usual sagacity and thoroughness, sweeping widely over each side of his general line of march with flankers, who burned the grain and brought in large herds of cattle, hogs and sheep, which were issued to the troops.
While
Merritt was engaged in this service the Baltimore and Ohio railroad once more received the attention of the enemy;
Rosser, with two brigades of cavalry, crossing the
Great North Mountain, capturing the post of
New Creek, with about five hundred prisoners and seven guns, destroying all the supplies of the garrison, and breaking up the railroad track.
This slight success of the
Confederates in
West Virginia, and the intelligence that they were contemplating further raids in that section, led me to send
Crook there with one division, his other troops going to
City Point; and I hoped that all the threatened places would
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thus be sufficiently protected, but negligence at
Beverly resulted in the capture of that station by
Rosser on the 11th of January.
In the meanwhile,
Early established himself with
Wharton's division at
Staunton in winter quarters, posting his cavalry in that neighborhood also, except a detachment at
New Market, and another small one at the signal-station on Three Top Mountain.
The winter was a most severe one, snow falling frequently to the depth of several inches, and the mercury often sinking below zero.
The rigor of the season was very much against the success of any mounted operations, but
General Grant being very desirous to have the railroads broken up about
Gordonsville and
Charlottesville, on the 19th of December I started the cavalry out for that purpose,
Torbert, with
Merritt and
Powell, marching through
Chester Gap, while
Custer moved toward
Staunton to make a demonstration in
Torbert's favor, hoping to hold the enemy's troops in the valley.
Unfortunately,
Custer did not accomplish all that was expected of him, and being surprised by
Rosser and
Payne near Lacy's Springs before reveille, had to abandon his bivouac and retreat down the valley, with the loss of a number of prisoners, a few horses, and a good many horse equipments, for, because of the suddenness of
Rosser's attack, many of the men had no time to saddle up. As soon as
Custer's retreat was assured,
Wharton's division of infantry was sent to
Charlottesville to check
Torbert, but this had already been done by
Lomax, with the assistance of infantry sent up from
Richmond.
Indeed, from the very beginning of the movement the
Confederates had been closely observing the columns of
Torbert and
Custer, and in consequence of the knowledge thus derived,
Early had marched
Lomax to
Gordonsville in anticipation of an attack there, at the same time sending
Rosser down the valley to meet
Custer.
Torbert in the performance of his task captured two pieces of artillery from
Johnson's and
McCausland's brigades, at
Liberty Mills on the
Rapidan River, but in the main the purpose of the raid utterly failed, so by the 27th of December he returned, many of his men badly frost-bitten from the extreme cold which had prevailed.
This expedition practically closed all operations for the season, and the cavalry was put into winter cantonment near
Winchester.
The distribution of my infantry to
Petersburg and
West Virginia left with me in the beginning of the new year, as already stated, but the one small division of the Nineteenth Corps.
On account of this diminution of force, it became necessary for me to keep thoroughly posted in regard to the enemy, and I now realized more than I had done hitherto how efficient my scouts had become since under the control of
Colonel Young; for not only did they bring me almost every day intelligence
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from within
Early's lines, but they also operated efficiently against the guerrillas infesting
West Virginia.
Harry Gilmore, of
Maryland, was the most noted of these since the death of
McNeil, and as the scouts had reported him in
Harrisonburg the latter part of January, I directed two of the most trustworthy to be sent to watch his movements and ascertain his purposes.
In a few days these spies returned with the intelligence that
Gilmore was on his way to
Moorefield, the centre of a very disloyal section in
West Virginia, about ninety miles southwest of
Winchester, where, under the guise of a camp-meeting, a gathering was to take place, at which he expected to enlist a number of men, be joined by a party of about twenty recruits coming from
Maryland, and then begin depredations along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
Believing that
Gilmore might be captured, I directed Young to undertake the task, and as a preliminary step he sent to
Moorefield two of his men who early in the war had “refugeed” from that section and enlisted in one of the
Union regiments from
West Virginia.
In about a week these men came back and reported that
Gilmore was living at a house between three and four miles from
Moorefield, and gave full particulars as to his coming and going, the number of men he had about there and where they rendezvoused.
With this knowledge at hand I directed Young to take twenty of his best men and leave that night for
Moorefield, dressed in Confederate uniforms, telling him that I would have about three hundred cavalry follow in his wake when he had got about fifteen miles start, and instructing him to pass his party off as a body of recruits for
Gilmore coming from
Maryland and pursued by the
Yankee cavalry.
I knew this would allay suspicion and provide him help on the road; and, indeed, as
Colonel Whittaker, who alone knew the secret, followed after the fleeing “Marylanders,” he found that their advent had caused so little remark that the trail would have been lost had he not already known their destination.
Young met with a hearty welcome wherever he halted on the way, and as he passed through the town of
Moorefield learned with satisfaction that
Gilmore still made his headquarters at the house where the report of the two scouts had located him a few days before.
Reaching the designated place about 12 o'clock on the night of the 5th of February, Young, under the representation that he had come directly from
Maryland and was being pursued by the
Union cavalry, gained immediate access to
Gilmore's room.
He found the bold guerrilla snugly tucked in bed, with two pistols lying on a chair near by. He was sleeping so soundly that to arouse him Young had to give him a violent shake.
As he awoke and asked who was disturbing his slumbers, Young, pointing at him a cocked six-shooter, ordered him to dress without delay,
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and in answer to his inquiry, informed him that he was a prisoner to one of
Sheridan's staff.
Meanwhile
Gilmore's men had learned of his trouble, but the early appearance of
Colonel Whittaker caused them to disperse; thus the last link between
Maryland and the
Confederacy was carried a prisoner to
Winchester, whence he was sent to
Fort Warren.
The capture of
Gilmore caused the disbandment of the party he had organized at the “camp-meeting,” most of the men he had recruited returning to their homes discouraged, though some few joined the bands of
Woodson and young
Jesse McNeil, which, led by the latter, dashed into
Cumberland, Maryland, at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 21st of February and made a reprisal by carrying off
General Crook and
General Kelly, and doing their work so silently and quickly that they escaped without being noticed, and were some distance on their way before the colored watchman at the hotel where
Crook was quartered could compose himself enough to give the alarm.
A troop of cavalry gave hot chase from
Cumberland, striving to intercept the party at
Moorefield and other points, but all efforts were fruitless, the prisoners soon being beyond reach.
Although I had adopted the general rule of employing only soldiers as scouts, there was an occasional exception to it. I cannot say that these exceptions proved wholly that an iron-clad observance of the rule would have been best, but I am sure of it in one instance.
A man named
Lomas, who claimed to be a Marylander, offered me his services as a spy, and coming highly recommended from
Mr. Stanton, who had made use of him in that capacity, I employed him. He made many pretensions, often appearing over anxious to impart information seemingly intended to impress me with his importance, and yet was more than ordinarily intelligent, but in spite of that my confidence in him was by no means unlimited.
I often found what he reported to me as taking place within the
Confederate lines corroborated by
Young's men, but generally there were discrepancies in his tales, which led me to suspect that he was employed by the enemy as well as by me. I felt, however, that with good watching he could do me little harm, and if my suspicions were incorrect he might be very useful, so I held on to him.
Early in February
Lomas was very solicitous for me to employ a man who, he said, had been with
Mosby, but on account of some quarrel in the irregular camp had abandoned that leader.
Thinking that with two of them I might destroy the railroad bridges east of
Lynchburg, I concluded, after the Mosby man had been brought to my headquarters by
Lomas about 12 o'clock one night, to give him employment, at the same time informing
Colonel Young that I suspected their fidelity, however, and that he must test it by shadowing their every movement.
When
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Lomas's companion entered my room he was completely disguised, but on discarding the various contrivances by which his identity was concealed he proved to be a rather slender, dark complexioned, handsome young man, of easy address and captivating manners.
He gave his name as
Renfrew, answered all my questions satisfactorily, and went into details about
Mosby and his men which showed an intimacy with them at some time.
I explained to the two men the work I had laid out for them, and stated the sum of money I would give to have it done, but stipulated that in case of failure there would be no compensation whatever beyond the few dollars necessary for their expenses.
They readily assented, and it was arranged that they should start the following night.
Meanwhile Young had selected his men to shadow them, and in two days reported my spies as being concealed at
Strasburg, where they remained, without making the slightest effort to continue on their mission, and were busy, no doubt, communicating with the enemy, though I was not able to fasten this on them.
On the 16th of February they returned to
Winchester, and reported their failure, telling so many lies about their hazardous adventure as to remove all remaining doubt as to their double-dealing.
Unquestionably they were spies from the enemy, and hence liable to the usual penalties of such service; but it struck me that through them I might deceive
Early as to the time of opening the spring campaign, I having already received from
General Grant an intimation of what was expected of me. I therefore retained the men without even a suggestion of my knowledge of their true character, Young meanwhile keeping close watch over all their doings.
Toward the last of February
General Early had at
Staunton two brigades of infantry under
Wharton.
All the rest of the infantry except
Echol's brigade, which was in
southwestern Virginia, had been sent to
Petersburg during the winter, and
Fitz. Lee's two brigades of cavalry also.
Rosser's men were mostly at their homes, where, on account of a lack of subsistence and forage in the valley, they had been permitted to go, subject to call.
Lomax's cavalry was at Millboroa, west of
Staunton, where supplies were obtainable.
It was my aim to get well on the road before
Early could collect these scattered forces, and as many of the officers had been in the habit of amusing themselves fox-hunting during the latter part of the winter, I decided to use the hunt as an expedient for stealing a march on the enemy, and had it given out officially that a grand fox-chase would take place on the 29th of February.
Knowing that
Lomas and
Renfrew would spread the announcement
South, they were permitted to see several red foxes that had been secured, as well as a large pack of hounds which
Colonel Young had collected for the sport, and were then started on a second expedition to burn the bridges.
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Of course, they were shadowed as usual, and two days later, after they had communicated with friends from their hiding-place in
Newtown, they were arrested.
On the way north to
Fort Warren they escaped from their guards when passing through
Baltimore, and I never heard of them again, though I learned that, after the assassination of
Mr. Lincoln,
Secretary Stanton strongly suspected his friend
Lomas of being associated with the conspirators, and it then occurred to me that the good-looking
Renfrew may have been
Wilkes Booth, for he certainly bore a strong resemblance to
Booth's pictures.
On the 27th of February my cavalry entered upon the campaign which cleared the Shenandoah Valley of every remnant of organized Confederates.
General Torbert being absent on leave at this time, I did not recall him, but appointed
General Merritt Chief of Cavalry, for
Torbert had disappointed me on two important occasions — in the
Luray Valley during the battle of
Fisher's Hill, and on the recent
Gordonsville expedition-and I mistrusted his ability to conduct any operations requiring much self-reliance.
The column was composed of
Custer's and
Devin's divisions of cavalry, and two sections of artillery, comprising in all about 10,000 officers and men. On wheels we had, to accompany this column, eight ambulances, sixteen ammunition wagons, a pontoon train for eight canvas boats, and a small supply-train, with fifteen days rations of coffee, sugar, and salt, it being intended to depend on the country for the meat and bread ration, the men carrying in their haversacks nearly enough to subsist them till out of the exhausted valley.
Grant's orders were for me to destroy the Virginia Central railroad and the
James River canal, capture
Lynchburg if practicable, and then join
General Sherman in
North Carolina wherever he might be found, or return to
Winchester, but as to joining
Sherman I was to be governed by the state of affairs after the projected capture of
Lynchburg.
The weather was cold, the valley and surrounding mountains being still covered with snow; but this was fast disappearing, however, under the heavy rain that was coming down as the column moved along up the
Valley pike at a steady gait that took us to
Woodstock the first day. The second day we crossed the
North Fork of the
Shenandoah on our pontoonbridge, and by night-fall reached Lacy's Springs, having seen nothing of the enemy as yet but a few partisans who hung on our flanks in the afternoon.
March 1 we encountered
General Rosser at
Mt. Crawford, he having been able to call together only some five or six hundred of his troops, our unsuspected march becoming known to
Early only the day before.
Rosser attempted to delay us here, trying to burn the bridges over the
Middle Fork of the
Shenandoah, but two regiments from
Colonel
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Capehart's brigade swam the stream and drove
Rosser to Kline's Mills, taking thirty prisoners and twenty ambulances and wagons.
Meanwhile
General Early was busy at
Staunton, but not knowing my objective point, he had ordered the return of
Echol's brigade from
southwestern Virginia for the protection of
Lynchburg, directed
Lomax's cavalry to concentrate at
Pond Gap for the purpose of harassing me if I moved toward
Lynchburg, and at the same time marched
Wharton's two brigades of infantry, Nelson's artillery, and
Rosser's cavalry to Waynesboroa, whither he went also to remain till the object of my movement was ascertained.
I entered
Staunton the morning of March 2, and finding that
Early had gone to Waynesboroa with his infantry and
Rosser, the question at once arose whether I should continue my march to
Lynchburg direct, leaving my adversary in my rear, or turn east and open the way through Rockfish Gap to the Virginia Central railroad and James River canal.
I felt confident of the success of the latter plan, for I knew that
Early numbered there not more than two thousand men; so, influenced by this, and somewhat also by the fact that
Early had left word in
Staunton that he would fight at Waynesboroa, I directed
Merritt to move toward that place with
Custer, to be closely followed by
Devin, who was to detach one brigade to destroy supplies at Swoope's depot.
The by-roads were miry beyond description, rain having fallen almost incessantly since we left
Winchester, but notwithstanding the down-pour the column pushed on, men and horses growing almost unrecognizable from the mud covering them from head to foot.
General Early was true to the promise made his friends in
Staunton, for when
Custer neared Waynesboroa he found, occupying a line of breastworks on a ridge west of the town, two brigades of infantry, with eleven pieces of artillery and
Rosser's cavalry.
Custer, when developing the position of the
Confederates, discovered that their left was somewhat exposed instead of resting on
South River; he therefore made his dispositions for attack, sending around that flank the dismounted regiments from
Pennington's brigade, while he himself, with two brigades, partly mounted and partly dismounted, assaulted along the whole line of breastworks.
Pennington's flanking movement stampeded the enemy in short order, thus enabling
Custer to carry the front with little resistance, and as he did so the Eighth New York and First Connecticut, in a charge in column, broke through the opening made by
Custer, and continued on through the town of Waynesboroa, never stopping till they crossed
South River.
There, finding themselves immediately in the enemy's rear, they promptly formed as foragers and held the east bank of the stream till all the
Confederates surrendered except
Rosser, who
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succeeded in making his way back to the valley, and
Generals Early,
Wharton,
Long, and
Lilley, who, with fifteen or twenty men, escaped across the
Blue Ridge.
I followed up the victory immediately by despatching
Capehart through Rock-fish Gap, with orders to encamp on the east side of the
Blue Ridge.
By reason of this move all the enemy's stores and transportation fell into our hands, while we captured on the field seventeen battle flags, sixteen hundred officers and men, and eleven pieces of artillery.
This decisive victory closed hostilities in the Shenandoah Valley.
The prisoners and artillery were sent back to
Winchester next morning, under a guard of 1,500 men, commanded by
Colonel J. H. Thompson, of the First New Hampshire.
The night of March 2
Custer camped at
Brookfield,
Devin remaining at Waynesboroa.
The former started for
Charlottesville the next morning early, followed by
Devin with but two brigades.
Gibbs having been left behind to blow up the iron railroad bridge across
South River.
Because of the incessant rains and spring thaws the roads were very soft, and the columns cut them up .terribly, the mud being thrown by the sets of fours across the road in ridges as much as two feet high, making it most difficult to get our wagons along, and distressingly wearing on the animals toward the middle and rear of the columns.
Consequently I concluded to rest at
Charlottesville for a couple of days and recuperate a little, intending at the same time to destroy; with small parties, the railroad from that point toward
Lynchburg.
Custer reached
Charlottesville the 3d, in the afternoon, and was met at the outskirts by a deputation of its citizens, headed by the mayor, who surrendered the town with mediaeval ceremony, formally handing over the keys of the public buildings and of the University of Virginia.
But this little scene did not delay
Custer long enough to prevent his capturing, just beyond the village, a small body of cavalry and three pieces of artillery.
Gibbs's brigade, which was bringing up my mud-impeded train, did not arrive until the 5th of March.
In the mean time
Young's scouts had brought word that the garrison of
Lynchburg was being increased and the fortifications strengthened, so that its capture would be improbable.
I decided, however, to move toward the place as far as
Amherst Court House, which is sixteen miles short of the town, so
Devin, under
Merritt's supervision, marched along the
James River, destroying the canal, while
Custer pushed ahead on the railroad and broke it up. The two columns were to join at
New Market, whence I intended to cross the
James River at some point east of
Lynchburg, if practicable, so as to make my way to Appomattox Court House, and destroy the Southside railroad as far east as
Farmville.
Owing to its swollen condition the river was unfordable, but knowing that there was a covered bridge at Duguids-
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ville, I hoped to secure it by a dash, and cross there, but the enemy, anticipating this, had filled the bridge with inflammable material, and just as our troops got within striking distance it burst into flames.
The bridge at Hardwicksville also having been burned by the enemy, there was now no means of crossing except by pontoons, but, unfortunately, I had only eight of these, and they could not be made to span the swollen river.
Being thus unable to cross until the river should fall, and knowing that it was impracticable to join
General Sherman, and useless to adhere to my alternative instructions to return to
Winchester, I now decided to destroy still more thoroughly the
James River canal and the Virginia Central railroad and then join
General Grant in front of
Petersburg.
I was master of the whole country north of the
James as far down as
Goochland; hence the destruction of these arteries of supply could be easily compassed, and feeling that the war was nearing its end, I desired my cavalry to be in at the death.
On March 9 the main column started eastward down the
James River, destroying locks, dams, and boats, having been preceded by
Colonel Fitzhugh's brigade of
Devin's division in a forced march to
Goochland and
Beaver Dam Creek, with orders to destroy everything below
Columbia.
I made
Columbia on the 10th, and from there sent a communication to
General Grant reporting what had occurred, informing him of my condition and intention, asking him to send forage and rations to meet me at the
White House, and also a pontoon-bridge to carry me over the
Pamunkey, for in view of the fact that hitherto it had been impracticable to hold
Lee in the trenches around
Petersburg, I regarded as too hazardous a march down the south bank of the
Pamunkey, where the enemy, by sending troops out from
Richmond, might fall upon my flank and rear.
It was of the utmost importance that
General Grant should receive these despatches without chance of failure, in order that I might depend absolutely on securing supplies at the
White House; therefore I sent the message in duplicate, one copy overland direct to
City Point by two scouts,
Campbell and
Rowan, and the other by
Fannin and
Moore, who were to go down the
James River in a small boat to
Richmond, join the troops in the trenches in front of
Petersburg, and, deserting to the
Union lines, deliver their tidings into
General Grant's hands.
Each set of messengers got through, but the copy confided to
Campbell and
Rowan was first at
Grant's headquarters.
I halted for one day at
Columbia to let my trains catch up, for it was still raining and the mud greatly delayed the teams, fatiguing and wearying the mules so much that I believe we should have been forced to abandon most of the wagons except for the invaluable help given by
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some two thousand negroes who had attached themselves to the column: they literally lifted the wagons out of the mud. From
Columbia Merritt, with
Devin's division, marched to Louisa Court House and destroyed the
Virginia Central to Frederick's Hall.
Meanwhile
Custer was performing similar work from Frederick's Hall to
Beaver Dam Station, and also pursued for a time
General Early, who, it was learned from despatches captured in the telegraph office at Frederick's Hall, was in the neighborhood with a couple of hundred men.
Custer captured some of these men and two of
Early's staff-officers, but the commander of the Valley District, accompanied by a single orderly, escaped across the
South Anna and next day made his way to
Richmond, the last man of the Confederate army that had so long contended with us in the Shenandoah Valley.
At Frederick's Hall,
Young's scouts brought me word from
Richmond that
General Longstreet was assembling a force there to prevent my junction with
Grant, and that
Pickett's division, which had been sent toward
Lynchburg to oppose my march, and
Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, were moving east on the Southside railroad, with the object of circumventing me. Reasoning that
Longstreet could interpose effectually only by getting to the
White House ahead of me, I pushed one column under
Custer across the
South Anna, by way of Ground Squirrel bridge, to
Ashland, where it united with
Merritt, who had meanwhile marched through
Hanover Junction.
Our appearance at
Ashland drew the
Confederates out in that direction, as was hoped, so, leaving
Colonel Pennington's brigade there to amuse them, the united command retraced its route to Mount Carmel church to cross the
North Anna.
After dark
Pennington came away, and all the troops reached the church by midnight of the 15th.
Resuming the march at an early hour next morning, we took the road by way of King William Court House to the
White House, where, arriving on the 18th, we found, greatly to our relief, the supplies which I had requested to be sent there.
In the meanwhile the enemy had marched to Hanover Court House, but being unable either to cross the
Pamunkey there or forestall me at the
White House on the south side of the river, he withdrew to
Richmond without further effort to impede my column.
The hardships of this march far exceeded those of any previous campaigns by the cavalry.
Almost incessant rains had drenched us for sixteen days and nights, and the swollen streams and wellnigh bottomless roads east of
Staunton presented grave difficulties on every hand, but surmounting them all, we destroyed the enemy's means of subsistence, in quantities beyond computation, and permanently crippled the
Virginia
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Central railroad, as well as the
James River canal, and as each day brought us nearer the Army of the Potomac, all were filled with the comforting reflection that our work in the Shenandoah Valley had been thoroughly done, and every one was buoyed up by the cheering thought that we should soon take part in the final struggle of the war.
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