Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War. Volume 3.

[372] the National troops occupied their old position at Cedar Creek. Sheridan's promise, “We will have all the camps and cannon back again,” had been kept. The conqueror returned to Kernstown, near Winchester, and there, in the house of Mrs. Francis Mahaney, he established his Headquarters for awhile. Government and people united in praise of the young leader, and there was joy in every loyal heart because of his achievements. Art and song celebrated “Sheridan's ride” from Winchester to the front; and when, less than three weeks afterward, General McClellan resigned,

Nov. 4, 1864.

and thereby created a vacant major-generalship in the regular army, the victor in the Shenandoah Valley was substantially rewarded by a commission to fill his place.

The writer, with friends already mentioned (Messrs. Buckingham and Young), visited the theater of Sheridan's exploits in the Shenandoah Valley, from the Opequan and Winchester to Fisher's Hill, early in October, 1866.¹ We left Gettysburg in a carriage, for Harper's Ferry, on the morning of the first, and followed the line of march of the corps of Howard and Sickles, when moving northward from Frederick, in the summer of 1863.² We passed through the picturesque region into which the road to Emmettsburg led us, with the South Mountain range on our right, dined at Creagerstown, twenty miles from Gettysburg, and rode through Frederick toward evening, stopping only long enough to make the sketch of Barbara Freitchie's house.³ Then we passed along the magnificent Cumberland road over the lofty mountain range west of Frederick, into the delightful Middletown Valley. From the road, on the summit of that range, we had some of the most charming views to be found anywhere in our broad land. The valley was smiling with plenty, for the most bountiful crops, gathered and a-gathering, were filling barns and barracks on every side. We passed through the valley, and following the line of march of a portion of McClellan's army,⁴ reached the summit of South Mountain after dark, where we lodged. We visited the battle-ground there — the place where the gallant Reno was killed⁵--early the next morning, and rode on to Sharpsburg. There we remained long enough to visit the Antietam battle-ground, the National Cemetery, McClellan's Headquarters, and other localities of special interest,⁶ and after a late dinner, went down the Antietam Valley to the Potomac, at the mouth of the Antietam Creek. Then we passed over the rugged hills west of Maryland Heights, and descending through gorges, passed along the margin of the river at the base of that historical eminence at twilight, and at dark reached Harper's Ferry.

Having visited places of interest at and around Harper's Ferry, we left that picturesque place in the afternoon of the 3d, for Winchester, where we arrived in time to ramble over the hills and among the fortifications on the northern side of the town, before nightfall. We spent the following morning in visiting Kernstown, and places of interest in the city of Winchester;⁷ and in