place while he was there. He then fell back without molestation to his former position, and established his line on Stony
Creek, across from Cokimbia Furnace to Edinburg, seven
miles below Mount Jackson. My other troops were halted at
New Market, about seven miles from Mount Jackson, and
there was an entirely open country between the two places,
they being very nearly in sight of each other.[1]
Lomax had moved, on the day of the battle, on the Front Royal road towards Winchester, under the impression that the enemy was being forced back towards that place, and he did not reach me. When he ascertained the reverse which had taken place in the latter part of the day, he retired up the Luray Valley to his former position at Millford, without molestation.
My loss in the battle of Cedar Creek was twenty-three pieces of artillery, some ordnance and medical waggons and ambulances, which had been carried to the front for the use of the troops on the field, about 1860 in killed and wounded and something over 1,000 prisoners. Major General Ramseur
fell into the hands of the enemy mortally wounded, and in him, not only my command, but the country sustained a heavy loss. He was a most gallant and energetic officer whom no disaster appalled, but his courage and energy seemed to gain new
- ↑ Grant says in his account of the battle of Cedar Creek: "The enemy was defeated with great slaughter, and the loss of the most of his artillery and trains, and the trophies he had captured in the morning. The wreck of his army escaped during the night, and fled in the direction of Staunton and Lynchburg. Pursuit was made to Mount Jackson." Stanton, who seems to think it his duty to improve on all Grant's statements, says: "The routed forces of the enemy were pursued to Mount Jackson, where he arrived without an organized regiment of his army. All of his artillery, and thousands of prisoners fell into Sheridan's hands. These successes closed military operations in the Shenandoah Valley, and a rebel force appeared there no more during the war." The recklessnes of these statements, of both Grant and Stanton, will appear from the above narrative, as well as from my subsequent operations in the Shenandoah Valley. Would it be believed that this wreck of my army, which fled in such wild dismay before its pursuers, carried from the battle field 1500 prisoners, who were sent to Richmond—subsequently confronted Sheridan's whole force north of Cedar Creek, for two days, without his attacking it, and sent out expeditions which captured two important posts, with over 1000 prisoners and several pieces of artillery, in the limits of Sheridan's command? Yet such was the case.
