The Shenandoah Valley in 1864, by George E. Pond—Campaigns of the civil war, XI.
This is one of the most interesting of the Scribner series and is valuable because of the clearness with which it is written, and of the amount of research it shows in bringing together information from widely scattered sources, concerning an exciting and important campaign.
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As history, too, it is far better than
General Doubleday's Gettysburg, though it is far behind the best numbers of the series.
Mr. Rope's Army under
Pope, and
General Palfrey's Antietam, for instance.
It is mainly a narrative of the
Federal operations in the
Valley in 1864, only describing and discussing the
Confederate side, so far as is necessary to the comprehension of the achievements of the
Union armies.
While, too,
Mr. Pond's language is temperate, and he aims at fairness, his bias is very evident, and often converts his pages into a defence of, or panegyric upon the
Federal commanders.
He is not careful to state the strength of the forces engaged in many of the battles (though he gives pretty full extracts from the returns in the appendix), and sometimes, perhaps unwittingly, gives a wrong impression.
Nor has he a word of reprobation for any of the outrages and cruelties which marked the path of the
Federal armies along the
Shenandoah, though he is prompt to condemn the burning of
Chambersburg, which was the outgrowth of some of these cruelties.
At the opening of the campaign of 1864,
General Sigel commanded the Federal department of
West Virginia.
He had over 27,000 men present for duty under his command.
These were scattered over his department, the two principal bodies being one of about 10,000 under
Crook, in
Southwest Virginia, and another of 8,500 under
Sigel, in person, near
Martinsburg.
General Breckinridge commanded all the Confederate forces in this region.
His forces amounted probably to over 8,000 men, scattered at different points.
The Federal forces were ordered forward simultaneously with the advance of
Grant on the
Rapidan.
Crook was to break the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and destroy the lead mines and salt works in
Southwest Virginia, while
Sigel was to move up the Shenandoah Valley, and threaten
Staunton and
Charlottesville.
Crook sent his cavalry under
Averell against
Wytheville and
Saltville, while he led his infantry towards
Dublin and New River bridge.
Averell was defeated and driven back from
Wytheville by
Jno. Morgan; but
Crook's larger force met with more success.
Sigel having begun his movement up the
Valley,
General Lee had ordered
Breckinridge with the mass of his forces, to go to meet him. This left an entirely inadequate force to oppose
Crook, who defeated it, under
W. E. Jones and
Jenkins, at
Cloyd's Mountain, and subsequently pushed on to
Dublin and New River bridge.
After burning the bridge and doing some slight damage to the railroad,
Crook promptly returned to
Meadow Bluff, where he re-united with
Averell.
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Meantime
Breckinridge had reached
Staunton, and was moving rapidly down the
Valley to meet
Sigel, who was advancing.
Learning on the 14th May that
Sigel was near
New Market,
Breckinridge left his camp at Lacy Springs, nine miles south of that town, after midnight, and attacked
Sigel early next morning.
The advent of
Breckinridge was probably unexpected by the
Federal General.
He accepted battle, however, and was entirely defeated and driven from the field, losing five or six pieces of artillery.
He puts his force engaged at 5,500, though
General Strother says in his report that
Sigel's column numbered 8,500.
Mr. Pond puts
Breckinridge's numbers at from 4,600 to 5,000.
Colonel Stoddard Johnston says that
Breckinridge had 3,100 muskets in his infantry, and if so, his force was probably under 4,600, and not over it.
The curtain drops, and the principal actors now change.
General Lee, pressed by
Grant's overwhelming numbers, as soon as he learns that
Sigel is disposed of, orders
Breckinridge to
Hanover Junction, and leaves the defence of the
Valley to
W. E. Jones, with some 5,000 or 6,000 men scraped together from every part of it. The result proved that the withdrawal of
Breckinridge was unfortunate, but the necessity which prompted it was not less than that which forbade it.
General Grant, when he learned of
Sigel's defeat, had him removed promptly, and
Hunter placed in command, and instructed the latter to renew the advance against
Staunton,
Charlottesville, and
Lynchburg.
Hunter ordered
Crook to march on
Staunton from the west, and moved towards the same point himself from the lower Shenandoah Valley.
On June 5th
Hunter, at the head of his column of 8,500 men, came up with
W. E. Jones at
Piedmont, some ten or twelve miles in advance of
Staunton.
Jones's mixed and not well-organized force of about 5,500 men was completely defeated, and
Jones himself killed.
Hunter next day entered
Staunton, where
Crook joined him with 10,000 men. The Federal army now had nothing that could oppose or seriously delay its progress, but
Hunter, instead of moving on
Charlottesville according to his instructions, marched to
Lexington, (where he wasted some days in plundering the country), and thence (June 14) by
Buchanan and the Peaks of Otter towards
Lynchburg.
Meantime
Lee was taking as vigorous steps as his resources permitted, to checkmate this movement in his rear.
As soon as the defeat of
Jones was known,
Breckinridge was sent back to Rockfish Gap to unite with
Vaughan (who had succeeded
Jones) in opposing
Hunter.
Hampton, at the same time, was sent to drive back
Sheridan's
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cavalry, which had been sent forward to meet
Hunter at
Charlottesville and coperate with him in the attempt on
Lynchburg.
A few days later,
General Early, with the Second corps, was detached and ordered in the same direction to ensure the defeat of
Hunter.
Hampton performed his work admirably, barred
Sheridan's progress at Louisa Courthouse, and forced him to return, baffled, from a fruitless expedition.
Breckinridge transferred his troops to
Lynchburg to hold it as long as he might against
Hunter.
It was the 13th June that
Early left
General Lee's lines at
Richmond, and on this day
Hunter threw forward his advance from
Lexington to
Buchanan.
Early made a rapid march, reaching
Charlottesville, 80 miles distant, in four days. During the night of the 16th June, and the day of the 17th, he hurried his troops, by railroad, to
Lynchburg.
On the evening of the, 17th the advance of his infantry was thrown into the works on the
Bedford road to support the troops who were delaying
Hunter's advance.
By the next day (18th) most of
Early's infantry were at
Lynchburg, and when
Hunter attacked he was repulsed.
The Federal army, of 18,000 men, was much superior to
Early in numbers, but
Hunter was far from his base and (he says) his supply of ammunition was limited, This, with the repulse on the 18th, caused him to retreat during the night.
Early followed next day, overhauling the rear-guard under
Averell and driving it through Liberty in the afternoon.
Hunter reached
Salem on the 21st, and here adopted a line of retreat as injudicious as had been his line of advance on
Lynchburg.
Though at the head of superior numbers, he declined to return down the
Valley from fear of flank attacks, and decided to retreat through the mountains into
West Virginia, by the shortest route.
This retreat was really a flight,
McCausland dashed in and captured eight of his guns.
The Federal army hurried on almost in panic.
Mr. Pond says: ‘The retreat was continued through
New Castle with the same headlong speed, not through fear of the enemy, but through necessity of reaching supplies.
During the week that elapsed before these were obtained, the troops had no hard bread, and only one issue of six ounces of flour per man. But there was beef on the hoof, the cattle being driven by day and eaten the same night.
Many horses and mules died for want of fodder and rest, and not a few wagons were burned for lack of animals to draw them.’
Hunter reached
Gauley Bridge, June 27, with his army in a state of demoralization and exhaustion.
Early reached
Salem on the 22d.
He had moved 209 miles in
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nine days, had saved
Lynchburg and driven
Hunter headlong back to the
Valley, and then across it and into the
Alleghany mountains.
His instructions were to destroy
Hunter if possible, and to threaten
Maryland and
Washington city by an advance northward, if the way should be open.
Hunter was now out of reach, and his flight left the road to the
Potomac open.
Early, determined to seize the opportunity and try to relieve the pressure on
Lee by a rapid advance to the
Potomac and demonstrations against
Washington and
Baltimore.
Leaving
Salem on June 24,
Early marched rapidly to the
Potomac, a distance of 212 miles, by July 4th, driving
Sigel's forces from
Martinsburg and other points, to take refuge on the
Maryland Heights.
Mr. Pond praises
Sigel for remaining there with 6,000 or 8,000 men when he should have joined
Wallace's troops advancing from
Baltimore.
Early finding he could not get at
Siegel, marched round him, and on July 9th, entered
Frederick; on the same day he attacked
Wallace, who, with some garrison troops and
Rickett's division, of the Sixth corps, which
Grant had sent up, was holding the line of the
Monocacy.
Wallace had about 6,000 men. He was completely defeated and driven in rout towards
Baltimore, with the loss of one-third of his command.
Early now continued to press forward by forced marches and in spite of heat and dust arrived before the defences of
Washington during the afternoon of the 11th, while
Bradley Johnson with a portion of the cavalry was making a circuit about
Baltimore and breaking the railroads from the north.
Great panic and consternation was produced in
Washington and at the
North.
President Lincoln called for hundred day volunteers,
Hunter was ordered to hasten forward from
West Virginia to
Harper's Ferry.
Grant sent up the other two divisions of the Sixth corps from
Petersburg, and the Nineteenth corps arrived in
Hampton Roads from the
South was also ordered to
Washington.
Some 20,000 troops of one kind or other were in and about
Washington, half of whom, at least, were available for holding the defences until the troops sent by
Grant could arrive.
Early's forces after their severe march of near 300 miles from
Salem were greatly worn, and probably did not number 10,000 men in front of
Washington.
It was never possible for them to enter the city.
The garrison was ample to hold them in check until the arrival of the Sixth corps, which took place a few hours after the
Confederate advance had reached the
Federal lines.
Early had fully and successfully carried out the purpose of his expedition.
He had produced a tremendous scare and had caused two corps to be
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detached by
Grant to oppose him. A much larger force than his own had thus been drawn away from
Richmond.
His position in front of
Washington quickly became critical.
Hunter was hastening to
Harper's Ferry, in his rear, and had reached
Martinsburg on the 11th, while overwhelming forces were gathering before him. After skirmishing vigorously on the 12th,
Early fell back on that night, and on the 14th recrossed the
Potomac at
White's Ford, and camped at
Leesburg.
This retreat was managed most skillfully and successfully, the
Confederates slipping, without loss, between the armies gathering for their destruction.
As the two Federal armies united and advanced south of the
Potomac, under
Wright of the Sixth corps,
Early crossed the
Blue Ridge into the
Valley about
Berryville.
Here he repulsed an attack on the 18th, with severe loss to the assailants, and the next day began to fall back to
Strasburg, a more secure position, now that 30,000 men were pressing him. On the 20th,
Averell defeated his rear guard under
Ramseur, near
Winchester, but the
Federals did not push on.
General Grant expected that
Early would be recalled to
Richmond, and he had therefore ordered that the corps (Sixth and Nineteenth) he had sent up, should, if possible, anticipate him. They were now withdrawn, and
Hunter's forces, under
Crook, were left to hold the
Valley.
Early quickly discovered this, and promptly advancing from
Strasburg, on July 24th, fell upon
Crook, on the battlefield of
Kernstown, where
Shields had repulsed
Jackson in 1862.
Early's victory was thorough,
Crook's forces being routed with heavy loss, and in two days Early once more held the
Potomac.
Mr. Pond does not give
Crook's strength in this fight, but as the returns for August show some 22,000 men in the ‘Department of West
Virginia,’ it is certain that
Crook outnumbered
Early, who, according to
Mr. Pond, had in all about 15,000 under his command.
This victory caused an immediate change in the
Federal programme.
The troops that had been recalled to
Richmond were ordered back from
Washington and others in addition were sent up. Meantime
Early again broke up railroad and canal and spread consternation by sending two brigades of cavalry to levy a contribution upon
Chambersburg, and in case of refusal to burn it. Mc-Causland, in command of this expedition, burnt the town on July 30th, and as his men were improperly turned loose in it, there were no doubt many unjustifiable acts of plunder and wrong.
But
Mr. Pond gives an entirely unfair and one-sided account of this transaction.
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Grant's instruction to
Hunter as expressed in a letter about this time were that he should make ‘
all the Valley south of the Baltimore and Ohio road a desert, as high up as possible.
I do not mean that houses should be burned, but every particle of provisions and stock should be removed, and the people notified to move out.’
When it is remembered that this policy was to be applied to a fertile and populous country some one hundred and fifty by twenty-five miles in extent, we think it has no parallel among civilized nations in modern times.
It was never in
General Hunter's power to carry out this order, but his acts of brutality that provoked the burning of
Chambersburg exceeded even
Grant's barbarous order.
When
Hunter had returned to the lower Valley from the
Kanawha he selected the homes of three prominent citizens of
Virginia (
Messrs. Edmund I. Lee, and
Andrew Hunter, and
Colonel A. R. Boteler) and sending an officer and party turned out the lady occupants and burned the houses, refusing them permission to save anything from the flames.
It is not claimed that these gentlemen had done anything to put themselves beyond the protection of the ordinary usages of war. Two of them, indeed, were not in the military service of the
Confederacy and one of these was a kinsman of
General Hunter who had in happier years been his host.
This act of
Hunter's was not in obedience to
Grant's instructions, but rather in contravention of them.
Yet
Mr. Pond would place this burning on the same footing as the accidental or unauthorized destruction of private property (such as the burning of Montgomery Blair's house), by stragglers or drunken soldiers.
Great numbers of houses had been shamefully pillaged by
Hunter's soldiers in his march through
Virginia, and many of them burned, and though such sights naturally exasperated the
Confederate soldiers and made it difficult to prevent similar acts on their part, yet it was not for this, nor yet for the destruction of supplies under
Grant's order, that
Early resorted to the
lex talionis. It was for the official act of
General Hunter, above described, and for similar deeds that
Early ordered a levy to be made upon
Chambersburg, and directed that in case of refusal to pay the town should be fired.
The necessity for this order may be regretted, the manner in which it was executed may be open to criticism, but it will be difficult to prove that this was not a case that called for retaliation.
Mr. Pond thinks the burning of
Chambersburg ‘indefensible,’ while he has not a single word to say in adverse criticism of
Grant's orders or of
Hunter's cruelties!
While
McCausland was on the
Chambersburg expedition
Early made a demonstration across the
Potomac to cover the movement
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and kept the
Federal troops in a constant state of excitement.
Averell followed
McCausland on his return and overhauled and defeated him at
Moorfield, on August 7th, thus atoning to some extent for his remissness in having allowed
McCausland, with a force not one-half as large as his own, to reach
Chambersburg.
On this same August 7th,
Hunter was relieved from command at his own request, made upon finding that
Grant had determined practicably to supersede him. This officer whose achievements had been in inverse ratio to his barbarities, now sank from view, destined to add, afterwards, but one more to his claims for distinction, in presiding over the court that hung
Mrs. Surat.
The defeat of
Crook, and the advance on
Chambersburg had caused
Grant to send up two divisions of cavalry, from
Richmond.
Now
Sheridan was put in command of all the forces gathered to crush
Early.
Grant had come up himself to see the situation.
He added to the
Federal forces in the
Valley until they numbered, by the returns for August, 56,618 present for duty, (of which some 5,000 or 6,000 were on garrison duty) and gave orders for a vigorous following up and attack upon
Early.
Early's strength at this time by the returns given by
Mr. Pond, was not over 15,000 men. There is no ground for
Mr. Pond's unfair statement—that
Sheridan's strength was ‘far below the official returns’ while
Early's was above them.
The same causes affected both armies.
In the above figures for
Early's strength the cavalry under
Ransom is put at 3,500.
It probably never mustered more than the half of this at any one time ready for action.
The truth is that
Sheridan was sent forward with a movable column of about 50,000 men, to drive
Early with a force of somewhere between 13,000 and 15,000 men out of the
Valley.
The large detachments that
Grant had made to
Sheridan enabled
Lee to order
Kershaw's division of infantry, and
Fitz. Lee's cavalry, under
General Anderson, to
Early's assistance.
Sheridan began to move from
Harper's Ferry promptly, and
Early fell back before him to
Fisher's Hill, to await the arrival of his reinforcements.
By the 10th of August,
Anderson came up, and
Early was ready to resume the offensive, though his total strength now reached but 21,000 men. Early's boldness, and his aggressive attitude, deceived
Sheridan, and convinced the latter that he was in a critical situation.
Sheridan's over-estimate of
Early's forces finds its only parallel in
McClellan's estimates of the troops opposed to him in the
Peninsula campaign.
The Federal General, with his large army, fell back to
Winchester, and the
Confederate General, with his small army, followed close at
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his heels.
Sheridan availed himself, however, of the opportunity to plunder and ravage the country.
He says, ‘I destroyed all the wheat, hay and provisions south of
Winchester and
Berryville, and drove off all the cattle.’
The Federal rear-guard, under
Torbert, was overhauled at
Winchester and severely handled, when
Sheridan fell back behind the
Opequan, and subsequently withdrew towards
Charlestown.
Here
Early and
Anderson made an attack upon him on August 21.
After a sharp encounter
Early drove his advance, and again
Sheridan fell back, this time to
Halltown.
At last he had reached a position he deemed himself strong enough to hold against
Early's 21,000 men. Early finding it impossible to get at the
Federal army in its last position, moved on the 25th towards the
Potomac, and ran against and severely defeated
Sheridan's cavalry.
Once more it seemed as if the
North was to be invaded.
Sheridan telegraphed that
Early had marched with the intention of crossing the
Potomac; that two of
Longstreet's divisions were with him; that his own army might have to cross to the north side; that he hardly thought they would attempt to go to
Washington.
He hurried troops to hold the
South Mountain gaps, near
Boonsboro.
But
Early did not cross; he had already gone to the utmost verge of prudence in the presence of a foe, whose strength was between two and three times as great as his own, and he therefore fell back next day to
Bunker Hill and
Stephenson's.
Mr. Pond attempts a defence of these operations of
Sheridan's, and would shelter him under some instructions of
Grant's, which ordered him to be cautious, and not ‘attack’ Early, while the latter's force amounted to 40,000 men. The facts above are the best reply.
The cause of
Sheridan's feeble policy at this time was his absurd over-estimate of the Confederate forces, which was itself a high tribute to the vigor and skill with which they were handled.
Grant now informed
Sheridan that his own progress at
Petersburg would compel the recall of the reinforcements
Lee had sent to
Early, and that he (
Sheridan) must ‘watch closely,’ and ‘push with all vigor.’
He also reiterated his orders to convert the
Valley into a ‘barren waste.’
Lee did order the return of
Anderson, but the latter did not finally leave until the 14th September, and meantime
Early held his position in front of
Winchester, constantly breaking up the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at
Martinsburg and threatening
Maryland.
Sheridan remained strictly on the defensive, and exhibited great caution in all his movements.
The incessant and aggressive activity of the
Confederates imposed upon him still, and it was not until
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Kershaw's division had left
Early that he thought it prudent to move out against him.
Grant, impatient, no doubt, at the failure of the campaign so far and staggered by
Sheridan's persistent hallucination in regard to the forces opposed to him, came up to the
Valley, and finding
Sheridan about to assume the offensive, had only to say, ‘Go in.’
Sheridan finally attacked on September 19th.
Part of
Early's force had gone two days before to
Martinsburg, and
Sheridan hoped to defeat the part near
Winchester and seize that place before the absent troops could return.
Early had tempted fortune too far; his campaign up to this time had been brilliantly successful, and the ease with which he had for six weeks baffled
Sheridan, no doubt, made him over confident.
The withdrawal of
Kershaw, left him, even by
Mr. Pond's account, but 17,000 men of all arms.
His real strength was not over
one-third of
Sheridan's, and the boldness of his movements now was injudicious.
They invited and led to attack in an open country.
Had he fallen back to
Strasburg after
Kershaw left, it would have been far more difficult for the
Federals to have attacked him. On September 19,
Sheridan's troops were held at bay by
Ramseur's division and the cavalry under
Lomax and
Fitz Lee, until the mass of
Early's infantry could get up from
Stephenson and
Bunker Hill.
Then ensued one of the longest and steadiest days of fighting that occurred during the war.
Sheridan was repulsed with fearful slaughter in front, and at times it seemed as if his great army was about to yield to the fierce onsets of his antagonist, but the battle was finally decided in his favor by his large and well equipped cavalry, which, after driving in the
Confederate horsemen on
Early's left, dashed against and broke that wing of the
Confederates.
The heavy pressure of his numbers could no longer be borne, and late in the afternoon the
Confederate lines gave way and their army was forced through
Winchester.
Early fell back to
Fisher's Hill during the night.
Sheridan suffered heavily but followed up, and on September 22, at
Fisher's Hill, inflicted another defeat upon the
Confederates.
Here, he, under cover of the forest, outflanked
Early's left and stampeded it. This quickly led to the abandonment of his whole line, and the loss of eleven guns.
Though
Early's loss here was nothing like so heavy as at
Winchester, the injury done to the
morale of the army was much greater.
In both battles the
Confederates lost valuable officers.
At
Winchester fell
Rodes,
Godwin, and
Patton, at
Fisher's Hill fell
A. S. Pendleton, the
Assistant Adjutant General of the army—a costly offering upon their country's altar.
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Sheridan now marched forward with little opposition.
Early fell back before him to Brown's Gap, while the
Federals pushed on to
Staunton and Waynesboroa.
Kershaw's infantry and
Rosser's cavalry were sent to
Early's aid, and in a short time he was ready for fight again.
The Confederate cavalry was so active that
Sheridan found it difficult to protect his supply trains, and considered it impracticable to cross the mountains and move on
Charlottesville, as
Grant desired.
He therefore retired down the
Valley, plundering or burning everything in his pathway that he deemed might be of service to the
Confederates.
He supposed the campaign over, and advised that a large part of his force be taken elsewhere.
Early followed as he retired, and though the Confederate cavalry was badly beaten on October 9th,
Early continued to advance to
Fisher's Hill, while
Sheridan halted at
Cedar Creek, and prepared to send some of his troops to
Grant.
Early now planned and executed one of the most daring exploits of the war. With a force of about 12,000 men he determined to attack the immensely superior and victorious forces of the enemy, relying on the very boldness and unexpectedness of the movement for success.
Early properly disposed his troops, and at daybreak on October 19th
Sheridan's camp was attacked.
The Federals were taken completely by surprise, and in a short time two of
Sheridan's corps were overwhelmed and dispersed, and their camps and artillery captured, and the third one was forced from the field.
The force of
Early's attack had now spent itself, his cavalry had not been able to drive the masses of Federal cavalry on the flanks, the country in front was open, and the
Confederates halted for some hours.
Meantime the
Federals recovered from their surprise; their broken ranks were reformed upon the Sixth corps, which had preserved its organization;
General Sheridan, who had been absent, came hurriedly up from
Winchester, and exerted all his influence to allay the panic and reform his troops.
When this was done, perceiving
Early's small force and exposed situation, he attacked him in the afternoon, pierced his line, and soon had the
Confederates in full retreat for
Cedar Creek.
Pressing them with his cavalry, he converted the retreat into a rout.
The trains and artillery were jammed in the road, and fell into the hands of the
Federals, and only the 1,500 prisoners he had taken was
Early able to get off.
Sheridan recaptured all the artillery he had lost, and a great deal more.
The brilliant victory, which at mid-day had been
Early's, was at nightfall
Sheridan's. This was one of the most remarkable days in history, and the interest in it and discussion about it will grow with
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time.
The achievements of both
Generals upon this day entitle them to high praise,
Early for the audacity of his plan, and the skill with which it was carried out,
Sheridan for the cool judgment with which he took in the situation, and the readiness of resource he displayed in converting a disastrous defeat into a great victory.
Sheridan was satisfied with the results of this day, and did not push
Early up the
Valley again.
The latter rested and recruited at
New Market, and on November 12th was again able to confront
Sheridan at
Middletown.
The Confederate cavalry having again been worsted on the flanks,
Early retired on the night of that day, no engagement of the infantry having taken place.
For some weeks after this the
Confederates remained at
New Market, when it being manifest that important operations in the
Valley were at an end for the season, the mass of
Early's troops were withdrawn by
General Lee to
Petersburg.
About the same time
General Grant withdrew a large part of
Sheridan's infantry to the same place.
Early removed his headquarters to
Staunton, and kept his cavalry busy during the winter in making dashes at exposed posts and at the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
He also checked effectually the cavalry expeditions sent out by
Sheridan.
Matters were now rapidly hastening to an end. Late in February
Sheridan set out from
Winchester with ‘10,000 sabres,’ and moved up the
Valley.
Early attempted, with the 1,200 or 1,300 men he had, to stop him at Rockfish Gap.
The Federals attacked the
Confederates, however, at Waynesboroa before they had fallen back into the gap, and quickly routed, rode down and captured the greater part of this handful of troops.
Sheridan's command in the
Valley was marked by excessive barbarity.
Not only was
Grant's order for the wholesale destruction of private property carried out, but, like
Hunter,
Sheridan took occasion to improve upon his superior.
On one occasion a young
Lieutenant (
Meigs) upon his staff, having been shot while on a reconnoissance, by a Confederate scout, he ordered all the houses within five miles of the spot to be burned.
This illustration is by no means an isolated one of the savage mode in which he carried on the war.
Early has been severely criticised, and naturally so, for in war success is with the mass the sole test of merit, and many disasters marked the latter part of his campaign.
As time goes on, however, and the truth becomes more clearly seen, history will do justice to the vigor which drove
Hunter almost in panic out of the
Valley, to the
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audacity and celerity—only comparable with that of
Stonewall Jackson—which carried 15,000 men, in less than three weeks, from
Salem to the suburbs of
Washington and spread consternation in the
North; to the skill which extricated his army in safety from the multitude of foes which quickly gathered about it; to the hard blows which demolished
Wallace and
Crook; to the splendid game of bluff, which for six weeks kept 50,000 men cooped up in a corner of the
Valley; to the indomitable courage and tenacity which would never accept defeat but struggled on against overwhelming numbers and resources, almost snatching victory from Fate itself, until his cause and country sank exhausted in the unequal strife.
That
Early was bold to rashness, and that he often took fearful risks is true.
Had he been cautious he would never have undertaken the campaign at all.
Mr. Pond's book, though marked by serious defects, is a valuable contribution towards getting at the truth.