Confederate Military History/Volume 3/Chapter 28
CHAPTER XXVIII.
EARLY'S LYNCHBURG AND VALLEY CAMPAIGNS.
CONSIDERING the great disparity of forces engaged and the results accomplished, the Shenandoah Valley campaigns of 1864, by Lieut.-Gen. Jubal Anderson Early against the forces of Gen. David Hunter at and beyond Lynchburg, including the advance on Washington and the subsequent numerous contentions with the large army commanded by General Sheridan, were among the most remarkable and brilliant of the Confederate war in Virginia and Maryland. Unfortunately the record of these campaigns, as officially published, is a very meager one, as scarcely any reports concerning its operations were sent in to the Confederate government, and consequently few were found among the archives that were captured by the Federal forces during the retreat from Richmond, and since so impartially published. The Confederate portion of the story of these campaigns is mainly told by the maps and accompanying brief report and personal diary of the writer of this volume, which were furnished to the United States war department and are published in serial No. 90 of the War Records of the Union and Confederate armies, and in part 17 of the great Atlas accompanying these records. Aided by these, General Early wrote and published his brief, truth-telling narrative of the events of these campaigns. The Federal reports of these campaigns, as published in the Official Records, are voluminous, and numbers of the officers connected with the portion of the Federal army that Early contended with, have published narratives and magazine articles concerning these unique and but little understood campaigns.
The Second corps of the army of Northern Virginia, after participating in all the battles and engagements of the Wilderness campaign, from the 3d of May until the 8th of June, 1864, was resting, in reserve, in a camp to the west of Gaines' mill, until the morning of the 13th of June. Just preceding this date, two Federal armies—one under Hunter, coming up the Shenandoah valley, and another, under Crook, coming from the Kanawha from the west by way of the White Sulphur Springs—had made a junction at Staunton and moved up the valley to Lexington. Hunter had, on the 5th of June, encountered and defeated a small Confederate force, under Jones and Imboden, at Piedmont, a hamlet some fourteen miles northeast of Staunton, on the road leading to Port Republic. The force that was there defeated fell back to and held Rockfish gap, of the Blue ridge, where the Virginia Central railroad runs through a tunnel, and thus diverted Hunter's army from going in that direction toward Richmond to join Grant, and decided him to follow up the Valley to Lexington, where he had skirmishes with the cadets of the Virginia military institute and with a small force of Confederates that had fallen back as he advanced. Thence, after burning the Virginia military institute and committing other deeds of barbaric vandalism, he moved on to Buchanan, where he had another skirmish, June 14th, after which he turned across the Blue ridge toward Lynchburg, in front of which he appeared on the 17th of June; thus menacing not only Lee's communications with one of his principal bases of supplies, but also the rear of his army.
On the 13th of June, Lieut.-Gen. Jubal A. Early, who had been promoted and put in command of the Second corps, was detached from the army of Northern Virginia, and marched, at 3 a. m., by way of the Mountain road, to Auburn mills, on the South Anna, where he encamped that night. On the 14th, he marched to Gardiner's cross roads; on the 15th to the vicinity of Trevilian's, and on the 16th to the vicinity of Charlottesville. Thence, on the 17th, a portion of his command was taken by the trains of the Orange & Alexandria railroad to Lynchburg, and a portion of it marched to North Garden depot, whence, later, it was carried to Lynchburg by rail. Arriving at Lynchburg with Ramseur's and Gordon's divisions at 1 p. m., of the 17th, Early at once marched out on the Salem road, and taking command, put his men in position with those of General Breckinridge's command, consisting of Wharton's division of infantry, King's artillery, and Jackson's, Imboden's, McCausland's and Jones' brigades of cavalry, which he found holding and constructing a line of defenses in front of that city.
On the 18th, Rodes' division arrived, brought by rail from North Garden. Early, his command now concentrated, formed a line of battle some three miles west and in front of Lynchburg; in the afternoon met and repulsed Hunter's attack, and compelled him to retreat that night by the Salem road. The next morning the "army of the Valley District," which the Second corps had again become, promptly pursued Hunter, over a hot and dusty road, and attacked his rear in a skirmish at Liberty, and there encamped for the night. On the 20th, Early continued the pursuit to the entrance to Buford's gap, where he had another skirmish with Hunter's rear guard. From Liberty he had sent most of his cavalry across the Blue ridge, by way of the Peaks gap, to Buchanan, to hold the Valley and prevent Hunter from retreating in the direction of Lexington. This force turned from Buchanan toward Salem, and was ready to fall on Hunter's right flank and co-operate with Early's pursuit, on the 21st, to Big Lick, and then across to Hanging Rock, a gap in the North mountains, on the Salem and Sweet Springs turnpike. There it struck the flank of Hunter's retreat, which had been expedited by Imboden's cavalry, which had marched to the left and crossed the Blue ridge southwest of Buford's gap and fallen upon Hunter's rear and left flank at Big Lick (now Roanoke) and forced him in rapid retreat through Salem, harassing and damaging his rear and capturing a portion of his train at Hanging Rock, as he escaped into the mountains west of the Valley. Imboden followed the rear of Hunter's retreating army across to New Castle, on the 21st and 22d. Ransom's cavalry, the command that had marched by way of Buchanan, attacked Hunter's line of retreat at 11 a. m. of the 21st, at Hanging Rock, and also in the vicinity of Salem, aiding Imboden in creating dismay in the ranks of the baffled and retreating army at the latter place; Early's strategy having attacked it in the rear and on both flanks at the same time.
The night of the 21st, the Valley army encamped between Big Lick and Hanging Rock, and there it remained on the 22d, except Ramseur's division, which moved eastward to the vicinity of Botetourt Springs, where headquarters were established, while Ransom's cavalry marched northward to the vicinity of Fincastle.
Hunter's army now disposed of and sent in disastrous defeat through the mountains to the Kanawha, and the Valley of Virginia now cleared of the enemy, Early started on June 23d, by easy marches, for Staunton, whither he had been ordered by Lee, there to await further instructions. He encamped the night of the 23d at Buchanan, and that of the 24th at Buffalo creek. On the 25th, reaching Lexington, he divided his command; one portion followed the Middlebrook road and encamped at Brownsburg, and the other the Greenville road and encamped at Midway, both of these roads leading to Staunton. A portion of the army marched to Middlebrook on the 25th. Ransom's cavalry had proceeded from Fincastle across to Clifton Forge, to intercept a possible turning of Hunter to the eastward, and thence, by way of Lucy Salina furnace, across the North mountain, and encamped at Collierstown on the 24th, then had marched to Middlebrook for the night of the 25th, thus covering widely the flank and front of the infantry movement against any possible attack by a force of the enemy coming in by any of the great highways leading from the west to Early's line of march. On the 26th, the cavalry continued along the highway on the western side of the Shenandoah valley and encamped near Buffalo gap and Churchville, covering the two great highways leading from Staunton toward the west and northwest. The same day the infantry reached Staunton, where it rested and refitted during the 27th.
Having received instructions from General Lee to march down the Shenandoah valley and make demonstrations toward Washington, General Early lost no time in obeying his orders, and on the 28th, took up his line of march down the Valley turnpike, with most of his command, and encamping that night near North river, while the remainder of his infantry, taking the Keezletown road at Mt. Sidney, encamped on the south bank of the same North river at Rockland mills. The cavalry followed the back road parallel to and on the left of the infantry advance. On the 29th, a long march was made, through Harrisonburg and Keezletown, to Sparta, where the command was reunited and encamped.
The troops, animated by the familiar scenes of the Shenandoah valley and inspired by these with the remembrance of their famous exploits under Stonewall Jackson, marched briskly forward, on the 30th, through New Market and Mt. Jackson, to the vicinity of Hawkinstown. The next day, July 1st, with like alacrity, the march was continued, through Edenburg, Woodstock and Maurertown, to a camp near Fisher's hill. On the 2d, the march was through Strasburg, Middletown and Newtown, to the Opequan at Bartonsville; all places that recalled glorious victories. On the 3d, a long march carried Early's men through grand old Winchester, with its ever zealous and patriotic people, all of whom that were not in the army, cheering, meeting and welcoming the passing soldiery. A portion of the command went to Martinsburg and another portion to Leetown, on the way to Harper's Ferry. Part of the cavalry advanced from Winchester, by way of the Back Creek valley, to North Mountain depot, of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, cut off the retreat of a body of the enemy at Martinsburg, and protected the flank of the army moving in that direction; while another portion led the advance to Leetown, where it encountered the enemy's cavalry, and after a severe engagement drove it through Kearneysville.
On the 4th of July, Ramseur's division marched, by way of Flowing Springs and Brown's, to Halltown, and Rodes' division to the same point by way of Charlestown. This combined force drove the enemy from Halltown and Bolivar heights, and took possession of the latter with its skirmishers, the enemy shelling these from Maryland heights, where they had planted 100-pounder guns, also from Fort Duncan, north of the Potomac, and from works in front of Harper's Ferry. After dark the enemy evacuated the latter place, and Early's skirmishers took possession of it. The other divisions of the army marched from Martinsburg to Duffield's, on the Baltimore & Ohio, not far from Harper's Ferry, and the infantry was again united in that vicinity. McCausland's brigades of cavalry attacked North Mountain depot of the Baltimore & Ohio early on the morning of the 4th, took 200 prisoners, and then marched to Hainesville.
On the 5th of July, Gordon's division crossed the Potomac, at the familiar Boteler's ford, and then marched down the river, on the Maryland side, and encamped near the mouth of the historic Antietam. Vaughn, in command of Breckinridge's division (Breckinridge himself commanding a corps which Early had formed from .jpg)
On the 7th, Gordon drove in the enemy's outposts at Fort Duncan and Maryland heights, and supported by Wharton (Breckinridge's division), he engaged the enemy to within 600 yards of these frowning and commanding fortifications. Rodes, threatening the rear of these same intrenched Federal forces, advanced to near Rohrersville, while Ramseur marched to near Sharpsburg. Lewis' brigade of Ramseur's division remained on Bolivar heights until late in the afternoon, when it rejoined him at Sharpsburg by the usual route. McCausland marched to Hagerstown, and there had an engagement with some United States regular cavalry, which he forced to retreat. The remainder of the cavalry marched across the mountains to the vicinity of Frederick City, where it had a slight engagement with the enemy's outposts.
On the 8th, Ramseur marched, by way of Boonsboro and Middletown, to the summit of the Catoctin mountain, where he found Early's cavalry advance in position, and where he encamped. Gordon and Wharton marched from Rohrersville, by way of Fox's gap and Middletown, to the foot of the Catoctin mountain; while Rodes, from Rohrersville, crossed the South mountain by Crampton's gap and encamped near Jefferson, also at the foot of the Catoctin mountain, but a few miles south from the camp of the other divisions, and in position to meet any demonstration from the enemy's force left on Maryland heights. McCausland marched all night, passed the Boonsboro gap at daylight and went on to Frederick City, where he skirmished with the enemy, and then encamped in front of the infantry at Middletown.
The battle of the Monocacy, a short and bloody battle, was fought on the 9th of July. Ramseur, at an early hour of that morning, drove in the enemy's pickets, near Frederick City, and followed them through that town toward Monocacy Junction of the Baltimore & Ohio, on the eastern side of Monocacy river, where a Federal army, under Gen. Lew Wallace, occupied a strong position, protected by two well-constructed block-houses, one of them flanked by strong earthworks on a nearby hill, its main force occupying a commanding plateau extending southward from the block-houses and overlooking the lovely valley of the Monocacy. Ramseur promptly engaged the enemy in his front, skirmished with them, and brought several batteries into position to reply to those from the plateau that had opened on him. Having reconnoitered the enemy's position. Early ordered McCausland's brigade of cavalry, which had moved from Middletown by way of Jefferson, to cross the Monocacy, below the enemy, and get upon his flank. This movement was successful, and he quickly drove away the Federal cavalry and skirmished with its infantry. Gordon's division soon followed McCausland, struck the enemy's flank and drove it back in confusion, having turned its works, to a second line, which he also broke and completely routed, pursuing them for some distance and capturing many prisoners, until night closed the pursuit. McCausland's brigade followed the enemy's cavalry to Urbana, on the road to Washington city, and there had an engagement with them, after which he fell back to the Monocacy.
Rodes' division moved out on the road to Baltimore and had a brief skirmish with Wallace's discomfited and retreating army. Early's troops encamped on the battlefield, resting from their decisive, but dearly bought victory. Gen. Bradley Johnson's brigade of cavalry, formerly Jones', started on an expedition to the vicinity of Baltimore, riding by way of Liberty, Unionville and Westminster, then along the Western Maryland railroad to Relay and to Gunpowder bridge, on the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad, which they destroyed; detached parties visited other important points to the north of Baltimore, and all returned, by way of Brookeville, to the vicinity of Washington, where they rejoined the main body on the 12th.
On Sunday, the 10th, the enemy retreated toward Baltimore. Early destroyed the iron bridge of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad across the Monocacy, and the blockhouses at the junction, and, having buried his dead and cared for his wounded, continued his march toward Washington City, by way of Urbana, with Gordon in front and Ramseur in the rear, who had some skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry, to near Gaithersburg, where he encamped. McCausland's, in advance, drove Wilson's cavalry contending with him to Rockville, where he encamped that night. On the 11th, with Rodes in front, Early advanced to Silver Spring, on the Seventh Street turnpike, on the borders of the District of Columbia and in sight of the dome of the capitol, where he engaged the enemy's skirmishers and drove them into the fortifications surrounding the city. The day was intensely hot, and the army much exhausted by its many long marches and by the severe and sanguinary battle it had fought at Monocacy. The forts and other works around Washington were found to be of a very formidable character, and fully manned; the whole surrounding country had been cleared off, so that every line of advance was exposed to the fire from the numerous forts and batteries that crowned the heights surrounding the Federal city. McCausland's cavalry brigade, in advancing from Rockville, took the Georgetown road, and had an engagement with the Federal cavalry near Tennallytown, while Colonel Mosby's command made a demonstration at the Chain bridge, northwest of Washington, on the Virginia side of the Potomac.
General Early learned, from a reliable source, soon after reaching the vicinity of Washington, that while his unexpected arrival had created great alarm, large reinforcements, consisting of two corps from Grant's army, were already beginning to arrive in Washington, by way of the Potomac, so that very soon the force of veteran soldiers in that city would be larger than his own. The delay caused by the well-contested battle of Monocacy had given the Federal authorities opportunity for bringing forward these reinforcements, and had made it not only inadvisable, but extremely hazardous for him to make an assault upon the works and attempt to capture the city. The 12th was spent in front of Washington, and Rodes' division had a heavy skirmish with the enemy in the afternoon on the Seventh Street turnpike, in front of Silver Spring, where Early had established his headquarters. McCausland's cavalry was attacked on the Georgetown road, and he was forced, by superior numbers, to retire until infantry supports came to his relief.
At dark of the 12th of July, the trains were started to the rear, with Wharton's division in front, and at 11 p. m. the other divisions followed, with Ramseur in the rear, McCausland falling back by the river road and thus guarding the left flank of the march. Rockville was reached by daylight of the 13th, and Seneca creek at about noon of that day, where the army halted and rested until dark. McCausland marched to Edwards' ferry. The enemy's cavalry followed the main body to Rockville and attacked the rear guard, Jackson's brigade of cavalry, but were handsomely repulsed. The march was continued during the night, by way of Poolesville, the army reaching White's ford of the Potomac about midnight and resting there until dawn of the 14th, when it crossed the Potomac and went into camp on the Virginia side, on the road leading to Leesburg. The cavalry crossed into Virginia at Conrad's ferry, and then marched to Edwards' ferry, where it had an engagement with the Federal cavalry from the Maryland side.
The 15th was spent in camp, while the trains and prisoners were sent toward the Valley, by way of Upperville and Ashby's gap, convoyed by McCausland. The enemy made demonstrations along the Potomac, shelling the cavalry guarding the fords. On the 16th, the army again marched, by way of Leesburg and Purcellville, through Snicker's gap of the Blue ridge, with Jackson's cavalry in advance; and Gordon's and Wharton's divisions crossed the Shenandoah and encamped on its western side, between Snicker's ferry and Berryville, while the other divisions encamped on both slopes of the Blue ridge. McCausland followed after the trains to Ashby's gap, and Johnson marched on roads to protect the right flank from the enemy at Hillsboro, who had come in from Harper's Ferry, but he failed in doing this and an attack was made on the train, in passing through Purcellville, and some damage done; but the attack was soon repulsed, and a piece of artillery captured from the attacking party. McCausland crossed the river and went to the vicinity of Millwood.
On the 17th of July, the entire army got into camps on the western side of the Shenandoah, near Castleman's ferry. Imboden went to Millwood, McCausland to Salem church, Jackson toward Charlestown, and Johnson farther to the left. The cavalry holding the rear fought the enemy's advance, on that day, at Snicker's gap of the Blue ridge. On the 18th the pursuing enemy crossed the Blue ridge at Snicker's gap, and made a furious attack on the Confederate camps, with their artillery on the bluffs overlooking the Shenandoah from the east. They attempted to cross the river at Cool Springs, but were met by Rodes and Wharton and driven back with considerable loss, Gordon engaging them at the same time near Castleman's ferry. In advancing across the mountain, the enemy met a lively cavalry contention. On the 19th an attempt was again made to cross the Shenandoah at Berry's ferry, from Ashby's gap, but this was frustrated and considerable loss inflicted on the enemy by the cavalry brigades of Imboden and McCausland.
On the 20th of July, Ramseur's division, with the cavalry of Vaughn and Jackson, which had been sent to Winchester the night before, marched out three miles toward Martinsburg, when it was vigorously attacked at Rutherford's farm, by Averell's Federal division of cavalry, its left flank turned and the entire force signally defeated, but saved from utter rout by Jackson's cavalry, which charged to the front and covered the retreat. One of the most notable instances of womanly courage and devotion was displayed upon this battlefield during the succeeding night, when one of the many noble women of the Valley that had gathered to care for the Confederate wounded, Miss Russell, held in her lap, during the entire night, the head of a Confederate soldier who could not be moved without the risk of his life, and thus saved him from death.
In the afternoon of the 20th, the trains were started up the Valley toward Newtown, and during the night Breckinridge's corps, consisting of Gordon's and Wharton's divisions, followed by McCausland, marched to Cedarville by way of Millwood, and on the 20th, to Middletown on the Valley turnpike. Rodes marched through White Post and on to Newtown, while Ramseur, having covered the evacuation of Winchester, marched to Kernstown.
The army marched to Cedar creek on the 21st, slowly followed by the enemy with a large force; on the 22d the march was continued to the vicinity of Strasburg, the army encamping on Hupp's hill. McCausland moved to the vicinity of Front Royal. On the 23d, the enemy's cavalry attacked Early's rear guard near Newtown, but was driven back to Kernstown. McCausland's brigade marched up the North Fork of the Shenandoah from near Front Royal, to the vicinity of Buckton; the army remaining in camp near Strasburg, resting and cleaning up.
Having sent his prisoners, and the trains not needed, to the rear, and concentrated and rested his army, General Early again made a forward movement on the 24th, and marched toward Winchester, Gordon in front, preceded by Vaughn's cavalry, with Johnson on the right flank, Jackson on the left on the middle road, and Imboden on the back road. The enemy's pickets were driven in at Bartonsville, and the cavalry engaged them, at Kernstown, at 10 a. m. The infantry following soon came up, and a line of battle was formed, with Wharton on the right and Gordon on the left of the Valley turnpike, and Ramseur still further to the left on the middle road. Wharton soon turned the enemy's left flank, and they retreated in confusion from Stonewall Jackson's first battlefield of his famous Valley campaign. Johnson engaged the enemy's cavalry on the Front Royal road, and Rodes was moved across to cut off their retreat. They made desperate efforts to repulse the Confederate attack, but were pressed vigorously, not only by the cavalry, but also by Rodes and Gordon, through Winchester, and the infantry pursuit continued to Stephenson's and the cavalry to Bunker Hill, forcing them to burn and abandon 70 wagons and 12 caissons. The Confederate artillery did excellent work during this second Kernstown-Winchester engagement. The army went into camp between Winchester and Stephenson's. McCausland's cavalry marched that day by way of Cedarville to Winchester and on to Stephenson's. The Federal forces retreated toward the Potomac, the Confederate cavalry following to Martinsburg, where it had a lively skirmish with the Federal rear guard.
On the 25th, there was a heavy rain in the morning, after which the army marched to Bunker Hill. The cavalry, following the enemy to Martinsburg, again had a lively skirmish with its rear guard, covering its retreat across the Potomac. On the 26th, General Early marched to Martinsburg and encamped in its vicinity; the cavalry continuing to opposite Williamsport, Md. The 27th and 28th were spent in destroying the Baltimore & Ohio railroad in the vicinity of Martinsburg, the cavalry guarding the flanks of the army.
On the 27th of July, McCausland, with his own and Johnson's brigades of cavalry, started on a memorable raid to Chambersburg, Pa., by way of Clear Spring, Md., where he encamped that night, reaching Chambersburg, by way of Mercersburg and St. Thomas, on the 30th, and demanding a named sum of money as an indemnity for the wanton burning of the house of Hon. A. R. Boteler, near Martinsburg, and that of Governor Letcher, by Hunter, in Lexington; declaring, at the same time, that if the indemnity were not paid, he would burn the town in retaliation and to put a stop to such vandalism. Payment was not made, and the town was given over to the flames. The same day McCausland marched to McConnellsburg for the night, and on the 31st fell back to the Potomac, at Hancock, then followed the National road to Cumberland, August 1st, and thence down that river to Old Town, where he crossed into Virginia and encamped that night at Springfield. The next day he marched up the South branch of the Potomac to Romney, where he spent the 3d; then on the 4th he crossed over to New Creek, then back to Burlington and on to Moorefield on the 6th, where he was attacked and surprised in his camp by Averell's cavalry that had been following him, and driven out with loss and in confusion toward Lost river, which his shattered forces reached on the 7th. On the 8th, he rejoined the army at Mt. Jackson, in the Shenandoah valley.
On the 29th of July, Rodes and Ramseur marched to Williamsport, their skirmishers driving the enemy to Shepherdstown and clearing the way for McCausland to cross at McCoy's ford. The enemy's cavalry fired on their line of march at Falling Waters. After the passing of McCausland, the infantry returned to the Virginia side to encamp. These divisions fell back to Martinsburg on the 30th, and on the 31st to Bunker Hill, between which and Darkesville the entire army encamped, and where it remained during the 1st, 2d and 3d of August.
On the 4th of August, Breckinridge's corps, to draw attention from McCausland, advanced to Shepherdstown, by way of Leetown, while Rodes and Ramseur marched, by way of Martinsburg, to Hainesville. On the 5th, Breckinridge crossed the Potomac at Williamsport and encamped near St. James college, between Williamsport and Hagerstown. On the 6th, Rodes and Ramseur returned to Virginia, by way of Williamsport, and encamped at Hammond's mill, while Breckinridge recrossed to the Virginia shore opposite Williamsport, by way of Tilghmanton. Some of the Confederate cavalry made a demonstration as far as Hagerstown.
On the 7th of August, the march of the army was continued, through Martinsburg, to the former camps at Bunker Hill and Darkesville. There General Early received information that a large Federal force was being concentrated at Harper's Ferry; and on that day the Middle military division of the United States army, consisting of the Middle department and the departments of Washington, of the Susquehanna and of West Virginia, was constituted, and Maj.-Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, of the United States army, was assigned to its command. Upon that day it is generally considered that the Valley campaign of Early and Sheridan began.
The preceding details as to the marches, encampments and engagements of the army of the Valley District, commanded by General Early, may be thought confusing and uninstructive; but in no other way can so good an idea be given of the boldness and energy, as well as of the strategic and tactic ability of the commander of that army. It is hoped that these details will also show the reader that Early had not only toughened and disciplined his little army, by keeping it constantly employed and in fighting trim, but had, in the best manner possible, impressed upon the authorities at Washington the necessity for bringing from Grant's army a large contingent of veteran troops and placing them in command of a leader of acknowledged ability and forceful activity, if they would protect the capital of the nation from assault, prevent incursions into the rich territory of the adjacent States of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and especially if they would keep open the great line of communication for the transport of supplies and the moving back and forth of armies that the Baltimore & Ohio railroad had proven to be.
It is well for the narrative to pause, to call attention to the fact that the bold movements of Early had not only removed the apprehensions of Lee as to an attack in his rear by the large force that had been intrusted to Hunter, but had relieved Lee in the defense of Richmond by the distraction caused by the Maryland campaign, and the withdrawal of so many men from Grant's besieging army; also to consider the heroic achievements of this little army of men in the brief period from June 13th to August 7th, during which it had made direct marches from Richmond to beyond Lynchburg, into the Valley near Salem, then down the Valley into Maryland and to the very gates of Washington, fighting two important battles and engaging the enemy in uncounted skirmishes and engagements worthy of record. No less remarkable was Early's masterly retreat from Washington, back into the Shenandoah valley, warding off blows that from all sides were aimed at his movements, and giving better ones in return, so that he was not only able to maintain himself and provide for his army in the lower valley, but to destroy long stretches of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and exact tribute from a wealthy Pennsylvania town for the wanton destruction of the private property of prominent citizens in Virginia.
The student of military history can but be impressed with the way in which Early dealt with Hunter; with the boldness and ability of his treatment of the defensive garrison occupying the strong position on Maryland heights at Harper's Ferry, merely toying with it in advancing and then, unhesitatingly, leaving it in his rear and ignoring it in passing on to Washington, a treatment quite unlike that of Lee's ever memorable Maryland campaign; the promptness and originality of his attacks on Lew Wallace, at Monocacy, when he landed a brigade of infantry on his enemy's flank, across a deep river, by the unheard of device of having each man of a brigade of cavalry take an infantryman behind him, in a dash through the river, and thus enable him to surprise the enemy by turning his flank with an infantry force, supported by a wing of cavalry, from a direction supposed to be unapproachable, and, so far as the writer knows, introducing to armies a novel method of movement and attack.
After spending August 8th and 9th in his camps at Bunker Hill and Darkesville, Early fell back to Stephenson's depot and sent Breckinridge to the mouth of Abraham's creek, where he encamped, while Ramseur marched to Winchester, to meet a reported advance of the enemy from Romney, Rodes remaining at Stephenson's. The Federal advance made demonstrations on the Martinsburg, the Berryville and the Millwood roads, in the afternoon of the 10th, but was easily repulsed. On the morning of the 11th, Early concentrated his forces and formed a line of battle covering the approaches to Winchester from the east and southeast, also from the south and southwest. Ramseur observed the Front Royal road, Breckinridge the roads leading to Berryville and Millwood, and Rodes the one leading to Martinsburg. Some skirmishing and cannonading took place on the Millwood road, but it was soon ascertained that the Federal forces were aiming to reach the Valley turnpike, in Early's rear; to check this, Gordon was moved to the vicinity of Newtown, and took position covering the approaches to that place from the south and southeast, the remainder of the army following. About dark, Gordon had a brisk skirmish with the enemy, repulsing them, at the double toll-gate, where the turnpike road leading from Charlestown, by way of Berryville, Millwood and White Post, intersects the turnpike leading from Winchester to Front Royal, by which Sheridan was advancing to get in Early's rear. The latter encamped in the vicinity of Newtown.
On the morning of the 12th, the Confederate army marched, took position, and formed a line of battle behind Cedar creek, the enemy forming on the north side, and the armies engaged in skirmishing. In the afternoon Early retired beyond Strasburg to Fisher's hill, posting cavalry on his flanks and in front. The next day a line of defense was selected on Fisher's hill, following the bluff on the south bank of Tumbling run and extending from the North Fork of the Shenandoah northwest across the valley to the back road and the Little North mountain. Along this, rude intrenchments were made. On the 14th the enemy's skirmishers advanced across Cedar creek and engaged those of Early. A detachment of Federal troops drove the Confederate signal men from the peak on the end of Three-top mountain, or Massanutton; but this was soon driven off, with loss, by a detachment of sharpshooters, and this admirable point of observation recovered. On the 15th the enemy's pickets were driven across Cedar creek and his position reconnoitered from the commanding point in the Valley turnpike, near Stickley's, overlooking his camps along Cedar creek.
The reinforcements sent by Lee to Early, under Anderson, marching by way of Front Royal, had their pickets attacked by the enemy at Guard hill, on the road from Front Royal to Winchester, to Anderson's disadvantage. This was followed by the Kernstown-Winchester engagement. On the morning of the 17th, apprised of the approach of additional troops to Early's assistance, by the skirmish at Guard hill, the enemy fell back from Cedar creek, burning barns and hay and grain ricks as they retired down the Valley, in order to destroy the subsistence on which Early depended for a supply for his army. Pursuit was immediately begun, down the Valley turnpike, with McCausland's cavalry in front, followed by Gordon, and with Jackson's cavalry on the Middle road and Johnson's on the back road. The enemy was overtaken at Kernstown and his skirmishers driven in, when it was found that his cavalry was supported by a brigade of infantry, posted on Bower's hill, in front of Winchester. Early promptly formed in line of battle, with a brigade of Wharton's division on his left and Ramseur's sharpshooters on his right. These advancing about dark, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, drove the enemy from the hill and through Winchester, McCausland having helped the movement by marching to the right of Winchester and coming in by the Berryville road. General Anderson, with Kershaw's division of infantry and Fitz Lee's of cavalry, advanced by the Front Royal road and encamped on the Opequan.
On the 18th, Rodes pushed out a reconnoissance on the Berryville road and Ramseur on the Martinsburg road, while Anderson came forward and encamped on the Front Royal and Millwood road, and Wharton and Gordon encamped on Abraham's creek, near Winchester. McCausland pushed the advance to Stephenson's depot, on the road to Martinsburg and Shepherdstown. On the 20th there was some cavalry skirmishing along the Opequan.
On the 21st, Early marched from Bunker Hill to the vicinity of Charlestown, driving the Federal cavalry from the line of the Opequan back upon an infantry support near Cameron station, and, engaging these about 9 a. m., he drove them toward Charlestown, in front of which some severe skirmishing took place; he also shelled the enemy's position. The Federals threw up rude fortifications in front of their lines and boldly resisted. Early encamped in front of the enemy near Cameron station. Vaughn's, Johnson's and Jackson's brigades of cavalry advanced to Leetown and then crossed to the vicinity of Charlestown; while McCausland's cavalry brigade followed the enemy's cavalry from the Opequan to Summit Point and covered the left of Rodes' advance. Fitz Lee, advancing his cavalry division by way of Berryville, engaged the enemy on that road, while Anderson forced them back on the Summit Point road. The enemy retired during the night, and on the morning of the 22d his cavalry was driven through Charlestown, and Early established his line of battle in the immediate front of that place, with Fitz Lee on his right and Lomax on his left. Anderson came to the vicinity of Charlestown. The army remained in this position on the 23d and 24th, extending its left along the Leetown road. The Federals drove in Early's pickets on the 24th; but they were easily repulsed and driven to within the defenses of Harper's Ferry.
On the 25th of August, leaving Anderson in front of Charlestown, with cavalry on his flanks, Early marched for Shepherdstown, by way of Leetown, with Wharton in front, and while on the march stumbled on Wilson's and Merritt's large divisions of Federal cavalry, which were starting on a reconnoissance up the Valley and had halted in a piece of woods to feed and rest, about two miles from Leetown, neither party expecting to meet the other. After some confusion, which was soon checked, Early formed a line of battle and boldly advanced, forcing the enemy back rapidly, although he met with bold and determined contention, during which artillery was used, through Kearneysville, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, to near Shepherdstown, where another brave stand was made and the opposing forces engaged in combat until dark, when part of the Federal cavalry, under Custer, escaped across the Potomac and part of it toward Harper's Ferry. Early's infantry encamped near Shepherdstown. The cavalry divisions of Fitz Lee and Lomax, preceding Early from Charlestown, met at Leetown, advancing by way of Smithfield, and went on to the Potomac at Williamsport, by way of Martinsburg, where they had an artillery duel with the enemy across the river, the next day. During the Kearneysville combat, Early sent Gordon's division around to the Federal flank, where that incomparable fighter and his fighting division made valorous and telling charges, in one of which Gordon was wounded in the face, by a saber slash.
On the 26th the army marched back to Leetown, with Ramseur in advance. The cavalry marched to Shepherdstown, after its artillery engagement at Williamsport. In the afternoon, the Federals from Harper's Ferry made an attack on Anderson's comparatively small force at Charlestown, which he repulsed. On the 27th the army marched to its old camps at Bunker Hill; Rodes by way of "The Bower," and Ramseur by way of Smithfield. Anderson fell back from Charlestown, by way of Smithfield and Brucetown, to Stephenson's. The cavalry that had been left at Charlestown retired to Smithfield, but was ordered back to hold its position in front of Charlestown. On the 28th the enemy's cavalry attacked Early's and compelled it to cross the Opequon. After a brisk engagement at Smithfield, Fitz Lee retired toward Brucetown, and Lomax toward Bunker Hill, thus allowing the enemy to occupy Smithfield, in the vicinity where they burned barns and houses. To stop this vandalism, Ramseur was advanced and crossed the Opequon, driving in the Federal cavalry; and Early's infantry, aided by sharp artillery practice, drove the Federals back across the Opequon, and from some rude works which they had constructed in front of Smithfield, and then returned to camp, leaving the cavalry behind. These the enemy again engaged in the afternoon and drove them back across the Opequon. McCausland advanced videttes on Gordon's right, from his position at Beeson's ford. Quiet prevailed on the 30th; but the enemy made some demonstrations along the Opequon on the 31st, which were met by the cavalry. On that day Anderson moved back to near Winchester, and Rodes marched to Martinsburg and back, on a reconnoissance.
Quiet prevailed September 1st, but on the 2d the enemy was reported as moving in force from Harper's Ferry and Charlestown toward Berryville. Early marched three divisions of infantry, preceded by cavalry, across the country to near Stone's chapel, on a reconnoissance, Vaughn's brigade of cavalry, which had been left at Bunker Hill, having been stampeded by Averell's, the enemy was enabled to get on Johnson's flank and rout the whole command, capturing wagons, etc. Rodes, who had been left at Stephenson's, learning of this attack, moved forward rapidly and drove the enemy back to Bunker Hill. In the afternoon, in consequence of this attack. Early returned to camps in the vicinity of Brucetown and Stephenson's, McCausland moving from Brucetown to Rodes' right. Fitz Lee and Anderson moved toward Berryville, intending to recross the Blue ridge the next day, on the way to Richmond; Lee, hard pressed at Petersburg, having requested Early to return to him these troops. Early intended to move toward Charlestown the next day and engage the enemy's attention during Anderson's movement.
On the 3d of September, Sheridan started two divisions of cavalry, from near Charlestown, through Berryville and White Post, to raid on Early's rear, while he followed with his large infantry force to reoccupy his former position near Berryville. Fitz Lee, marching to cover Anderson's right, encountered the advance of Sheridan's cavalry, on the 3d, near White Post. He retired toward Newtown to guard Early's rear. Anderson, resuming his march on the 4th, crossed the Opequan, and between that stream and Berryville unexpectedly encountered part of Crook's corps, the advance of Sheridan's infantry movement, occupying an earthwork in front of Berryville and barring his progress. He promptly massed an attack and drove the enemy out of its works and back upon the main body of Sheridan's army, which he found occupying and fortifying a strong position, extending for over two miles along the Berryville and Summit Point road.
Informed of Anderson's engagement and the host he had encountered, and comprehending the critical position in which he was placed. Early abandoned his contemplated movement toward Charlestown, and at daylight, on the 4th, marched with three of his divisions for relief and support, leaving Gordon's division, the infantry portion of Anderson's command, audaciously extended as a strong skirmish line along Sheridan's entire front; aware that the Federal cavalry, returning from its raid, which Fitz Lee had frustrated, was to Sheridan's rear, between Berryville and the Shenandoah. Early placed Ramseur's division on Kershaw's left and then moved, with Wharton's and Rodes' divisions, along the enemy's front toward his right, to reconnoiter and attack that flank if a favorable opportunity offered. Early, in his "Memoirs of the Last Year of the War for Independence, in the Confederate States of America," writes of this reconnoissance:
After moving in this way for two miles, I reached an elevated position from which the enemy's line was visible, and within artillery range of it. I at first thought that I had reached his right flank, and was about making arrangements to attack it, when casting my eye to my left, I discovered, as far as the eye could reach with the aid of glasses, a line extending toward Summit Point. The position the enemy occupied was a strong one, and he was busily engaged fortifying it, having already made considerable progress. It was not until I had had this view that I realized the size of the enemy's force, and as I discovered that his line was too long for me to get around his flank, and the position was too strong to attack in front, I returned and informed General Anderson of the condition of things. After consultation with him, we thought it not advisable to attack the enemy in his intrenched lines, and we determined to move our forces back to the west side of the Opequon, and see if he would not move out of his works.
After remaining in front of the enemy at Berryville until 2 p. m. of the 5th, Early returned the divisions of Rodes, Wharton and Ramseur to Stephenson's, by way of the burnt factory. Rodes, in front, reached Stephenson's just in time to form a brigade on the right of the Confederate cavalry, which was falling back before superior numbers, commanded by Averell, and to aid in driving him back, for several miles, through a hard rain with considerable loss. On the morning of that day Anderson retired from the front of Berryville to the west side of the Opequon, having concluded to remain with Early, who was now confronted by such a large army of the enemy. It was quiet on the 6th, but on the 7th the enemy made demonstrations at the Yellow House, near Brucetown, and on the Martinsburg road, and also on the Millwood and Front Royal roads, not far from Winchester. These were all repulsed. There was enforced quiet on the 8th owing to a hard rain, but on the 9th the enemy advanced to the Opequon, below Brucetown, and burned some mills. They retired when met by Wharton.
On the 10th Early marched, with Rodes in front, preceded by some of Lomax's cavalry, through a very hard rain, and encountered the enemy's cavalry near Darkesville, compelled it to retreat, followed by Lomax, through and beyond Martinsburg. The infantry returned to Bunker Hill, but the cavalry remained at Darkesville. The next day, leaving the cavalry at Darkesville, the infantry marched back to Stephenson's. It was quiet along the lines on the 12th, but on the 13th the enemy again advanced, by the old Charlestown road, and an artillery duel took place, across the Opequon, lasting most of the day, the Federals withdrawing at night. On the 14th of September General Anderson again marched away, unmolested, from Early's command, with Kershaw's infantry division and Cutshaw's artillery, by way of Front Royal. Early's army remained in camp, near Stephenson's, on the 15th and 16th.
On the afternoon of the 17th, the divisions of Gordon and Rodes, preceded by Jackson's brigade of cavalry, marched to Bunker Hill. On the 18th Gordon advanced to Martinsburg, meeting the enemy's pickets at Big Spring and driving them through the town, making some captures and burning Baltimore & Ohio railroad bridges, and afterward returning to Bunker Hill, Rodes continuing to Stephenson's.
Capt. L. W. V. Kennon, U. S. A., in a paper criticising Sheridan's campaign, states that while Early was at Martinsburg, at this time:
He learned at the telegraph office that Grant was with Sheridan at Charlestown. Early's movements up to this time had been conducted with conspicuous skill and judgment, although with audacity that bordered on rashness. He states, however, that the events of the last month had satisfied him that the commander opposed to him was "without enterprise, and possessed of an excessive caution which amounted to timidity." Otherwise he would not have volunteered to make so perilous a move as this one to Martinsburg. It is evident that he held a different opinion of Grant, for on learning of his presence in the Valley he "expected an early move," and at once sent Gordon back to Bunker Hill, with orders to march to Stephenson's depot by sunrise the next morning. Rodes' division was moved the same night to Stephenson's, where, also, Early himself returned.
The appearance of Grant in this part of the theater of war was, in truth, indicative of his urgent desire for speedy action. Early's continued presence in the lower valley was not merely annoying and humiliating, but it was retarding the progress of the campaign in front of Richmond, and was a hindrance of which Grant was very anxious to rid himself.
The battle of Winchester, of September 19th, was opened by an advance of the enemy along the Berryville road toward Winchester, and across, the Opequon, at 3 a. m. Ramseur, on the west bank of the Opequon, with Johnson's and Jackson's cavalry on his right, opposed and delayed this advance. Rodes came up from Stephenson's at 10 o'clock and formed on Ramseur's left, and Gordon, arriving about noon from Bunker Hill, formed on Rodes' left. These dispositions placed Early's army facing in a semi-circle to the south, southeast and east of Winchester, along the Opequon and its Red Bud branch, across and in advance of the Winchester and Berryville road. Wharton was formed to the rear and left of Gordon, extending the line northward across the Martinsburg road, on which he drove back several advances of the enemy's cavalry. The Federal infantry, about midday, made a furious attack all along the line; but its advances were all repulsed, with great slaughter, by the Confederate infantry and artillery. At 1 p. m. Sheridan massed his large body of cavalry and attempted to turn the Confederate left, but this attack was also repulsed. At 4 p. m. this attempt was renewed, and this great force, consisting of two divisions of cavalry backed by a fresh corps of infantry, turned and got in the rear of Early's left, when the whole line gave way and the army retreated, near sundown, some of it in confusion and disorder, but most of it in an orderly way, followed by the enemy's cavalry to Kernstown, where they were gallantly repulsed by Ramseur, who brought up the rear. The Confederates fell back to Newtown, with Gordon in advance, where they encamped about midnight, the enemy having been too roughly handled to follow up with vigor the advantages it had gained, mainly through the efforts of its great cavalry corps, of more than 10,000 well mounted and ably led men, which Early had to corresponding force to meet.
On the 20th, at daylight, Early continued his retreat, falling back through Strasburg to Fisher's hill, and there taking the position he had previously occupied. The brave Maj.-Gen. Robert E. Rodes having been killed at Winchester, Ramseur was put in command of his division, and Brig.-Gen. John Pegram took command of Early's old division, which he had hitherto commanded. Fitz Lee's cavalry retired to Front Royal, and one division of the enemy's cavalry came on to near Strasburg. Early spent the 21st in his works on Fisher's hill, the enemy making some demonstrations, in the forenoon, with infantry on his right and center and cavalry on his left. Late in the afternoon the enemy drove in the Confederate skirmish line on the middle road and gained possession of the end of a ridge, the summit of which was cleared, but which was screened in front from Early's view by a skirt of forest occupying the slope to Tumbling run. Upon this point, which commanded Early's position, Sheridan massed his artillery, protecting it with earthworks. Wickham, in command of Fitz Lee's cavalry, fell back from Front Royal, up the South Fork of the Shenandoah, to Milford.
The battle of Fisher's Hill, on the 22d of September, was opened by an advance of Sheridan's infantry, in line of battle, all along the Confederate front, at an early hour, and an engagement of skirmishers. At 9:30 a. m. the infantry contention was hot in front of the center; at 1 p.m. Sheridan advanced several lines of battle, close to the front of Ramseur, the left of Early's infantry line, but only succeeded in driving in his skirmishers; at 4:30 p. m. the enemy drove in Gordon's skirmishers, on Early's center, between the Manassas Gap railway and the Valley turnpike, and at the same time opened a heavy and most destructive fire from the commanding ridge on the bluff between the railway and the North Fork of the Shenandoah. At the same time Crook's corps of Federal infantry, having made a concealed detour, through the woods, westward, to the foot of the Little North mountain beyond the back road, formed in line of battle, and advancing, fell upon Early's left flank, which was extended beyond Ramseur's division by a weak body of cavalry, compelling that to retreat in confusion, and then pushing forward in attack on the left and rear of Early's infantry. About 5:30 p. m. Early attempted to withdraw his whole line, especially retiring his left to meet this flank movement of the enemy; but Sheridan's attack was so rapid and vigorous, on both flank and front, that the left of the Confederates gave way in great confusion, and admitted Crook's corps to the rear of the whole line northwest of the railway. Under the overwhelming pressure of this attack the entire line gave way, and the whole army of the Valley, at about dark, retreated in great disorder, except some of Wharton's division which formed a rear guard, and some of the artillery brigade, which continued fighting until Early ordered them to desist. The success of Sheridan's movement was greatly aided by the plunging fire of his massed artillery on the commanding ridge in front of Early's center.
A few infantry and some artillery rallied on the hill at the Four-mile house, not far back from Fisher's hill, and for a time checked the rather feebly sustained pursuit of the enemy. The Confederate army retreated rapidly, the enemy following to Tom's brook, some three miles in the rear of Early's position at Fisher's hill, where they were again checked by Smith's brigade, of Wharton's division, and gave up the pursuit. The retreat continued all night, the army reaching Mt. Jackson at an early hour on the morning of the 23d, where it remained in line of battle during the day, skirmishing some with the enemy's cavalry, which came up and threw a few shells, but made no earnest attempt to advance. The trains were sent across the North Fork of the Shenandoah, by a bridge that the engineering company of Captain Hart had completed the day before. After dark Early retired across the river and encamped at Rude's hill.
Forming a line of battle on Rude's hill on the morning of the 24th, Early remained there until noon, Averell's division of cavalry advancing to the river and throwing a few shells at Early's front, at the same time moving a large cavalry force up the opposite side of the river to turn Early's flank, his largely superior numbers enabling him to drive Early's cavalry rapidly back on the middle road. Early then withdrew in line and in column, and formed again in the rear of New Market, to meet this flank movement. In the same way, skirmishing and using his artillery, he took position as the enemy advanced, and fell back to Tenth Legion, where he formed a line of battle late in the afternoon, which he held until after dark, when, leaving Jackson's cavalry on picket, he followed his trains by the Keezletown road, Ramseur in front, five miles to Flook's, where he arrived and went into camp about midnight. The Federals pursued his cavalry to near Harrisonburg.
September 25th the trains moved on at an early hour, by way of Peale's cross roads and Port Republic, to Brown's gap, and at daylight the troops followed, with Pegram in advance, and occupied Jackson's old camp within the western entrance to Brown's gap, the cavalry encamping between the South and the Middle rivers, covering the infantry position. The enemy advanced to Harrisonburg.
On the 26th, Kershaw's division, which had been ordered back to Early from Culpeper Court House, on its way back to Lee, and had crossed the Blue ridge at Swift Run gap, came up the South Fork of the Shenandoah, and turning off from the River road to Lewiston, joined the rest of the army, in Brown's gap, after having had an encounter with the enemy's cavalry and artillery, on the old battlefield of Port Republic, as he was about to turn off from the river road. This attack was from Fremont's old position, across the river, but was repulsed by Kershaw's artillery. In the early morning of the same day, the Federal cavalry came on from Harrisonburg and drove the Confederate cavalry across South river. Pegram's division, with artillery, was advanced into the plain in front and east of Weyer's cave, and engaged the enemy, repulsing several charges of cavalry. Ramseur, with his skirmishers, repelled an advance of the enemy on the Port Republic and Brown's Gap turnpike at about the same time that Kershaw's line of march was attacked at Lewiston. Wharton and Gordon were moved out and put in position to support the other divisions, if necessary. Wickham's cavalry brigade (which had come up the Luray valley and joined Early at Port Republic) was moved to the left, to Patterson's ford, or South river, in the afternoon, to meet a reported move of the enemy. The Federal cavalry went into camp between Weyer's cave and Mt. Meridian, and also between the South and the North rivers, with skirmishers on the eastern side of South river.
The Weyer's cave attack was made on information by Engineer Hotchkiss in reference to the position of the enemy's camp, and that it could be readily reached by roads concealed by forests, by way of Patterson's ford. Wickham's cavalry led the advance, followed by Gordon with artillery, and by Ramseur, Wharton guarding the right flank of the movement while Pegram engaged the enemy's attention in front, and Kershaw guarded, on the right, the approaches to Brown's gap from the northeast. The movement was a success and the troops were in position for a surprise, when the artillery, without orders from Early, opened prematurely upon the enemy's camp. Thus warned, they fled precipitately, pursued by the cavalry, with which their rear skirmished, toward Mt. Meridian. A portion of the enemy fled across North river toward Cross Keys, followed by Pegram, who crossed that river and joined with Gordon and Ramseur in the pursuit, damaging the enemy considerably with artillery from the hill above Port Republic, as they fled across North river. Returning, the army took Jackson's old camp between the rivers, except Kershaw, who remained in Brown's gap.
On the morning of the 28th, after some delay from a misunderstanding of orders. Early marched for Waynesboro, the enemy having gone thither by way of Staunton. The trains crossed South river at Patterson's ford and went up the east side of that stream, with Ramseur in front, followed by Gordon. Pegram marched on the right flank by the Waynesboro road, from Mt. Meridian, turning by the Dogtown road, five miles from Waynesboro. Early, with Kershaw's division, followed by Gordon, marched by the way of New Hope and Hermitage, striking the outpost of the Federal cavalry at the latter place and driving it in toward Dogtown. Pegram also encountered the enemy, about four miles from Dogtown, and drove them to that place, then formed a line, after dark, and pursued them to the Waynesboro and Staunton road and toward Fishersville, the Confederate cavalry having previously gone, by a byroad, to near the tunnel of the Virginia Central railroad through the Blue ridge, which the Federal cavalry was seeking to destroy, and driven it back across South river and through Waynesboro to where Pegram struck its camp. The army encamped, after dark, in the vicinity of Waynesboro, where it remained on the 29th and 30th, while the engineer troops and pioneers were rebuilding the Central railroad bridges across South river and Christian's creek, which the enemy had destroyed. The Federal cavalry, which had been routed near Waynesboro, retreated through Staunton, Spring Hill and Mossy creek near Mt. Crawford, wantonly burning barns, mills, factories, grain and hay ricks, and driving all the live stock they could find before them, as they went, in obedience to Sheridan's orders to destroy the Valley "so that even a crow traversing it would have to carry a haversack." Early's cavalry, on the 30th, followed the enemy as far as Middle river.
On the 1st of October the Confederate forces moved to the vicinity of Mt. Sidney: Gordon, Kershaw and Pegram marching by the direct old Winchester road, to the Willow Spout, and then down the Valley turnpike to three miles beyond Mt. Sidney; while Ramseur and Wharton moved by the Mt. Meridian road and across by Piedmont to within three miles of Mt. Sidney. The cavalry took position along North river. On the 2d, Sheridan's cavalry drove in the Confederate pickets near Mt. Crawford, but the Stonewall brigade, of Gordon's division, drove them back and held the turnpike bridge over North river at that point. The cavalry had an engagement with the enemy at Bridgewater, forcing Custer's Federal division of cavalry to retire, by a well-planned attack on his front and flanks. Quiet reigned on the 3d and 4th, with the exception of some skirmishing along the line of North river. On the 5th, Gordon advanced to near Naked creek and Brig.-Gen. Thomas L. Rosser joined the army with his cavalry brigade of some 600 service and toil-worn men and horses, which had come up from Richmond by way of Lynchburg. This brigade was attached to Fitz Lee's division, to the command of which Rosser was assigned, Wickham having resigned.
On the morning of the 6th the enemy left the camps near Harrisonburg, Mt. Crawford and Bridgewater, after destroying crops, burning buildings in every direction, before and during their march, and driving before them all the live stock, both old and young, they could find. The Confederate cavalry was soon in pursuit, and the infantry, Gordon in front, followed at 11 a. m., and marched to the vicinity of Harrisonburg; three of the divisions encamping beyond that town. Lomax's cavalry went by the Keezletown road to Peale's, while Rosser, with Fitz Lee's division, took the back road and fell on the enemy's rear at Brock's gap, with vigor, capturing a portion of its train and pursuing it to Timberville. Kershaw had reinforced Early, at Brown's gap, with 2,700 muskets for duty and Cutshaw's artillery, about making up for his losses at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, and he had determined to attack Sheridan on the 6th if he had not retreated down the Valley.
On the 7th the march was continued to New Market, Pegram and Wharton encamped on the Timberville road; Gordon and Ramseur on the Forestville, and Kershaw on the Luray roads. The cavalry pursued the enemy to the line of Stony creek, the strong position that Jackson had held against Banks' advance in the spring of 1862. Early's infantry remained in camp in the vicinity of New Market on the 8th, while Rosser on the back road drove the enemy to Round hill, having an engagement with them near Tom's brook, while Lomax drove them to the same stream on the Valley turnpike.
Custer's cavalry turned on Early's on the 9th, and drove it back, with a loss of artillery; Lomax to Mt. Jackson, on the Valley turnpike, and Rosser to Stony creek, on the back road, where the latter rallied and turned upon the pursuing foe and routed them, capturing their train and eight pieces of artillery. Ramseur and Kershaw were advanced to Rude's hill to meet the enemy, coming up the Valley turnpike; but they retired to Edenburg, and at night Early's advance again held the line of Stony creek. On the 10th and 11th, the infantry remained in camp while the pioneers were repairing the telegraph line from Staunton to New Market. On the 11th, Lomax's division of cavalry crossed over from New Market to the Page valley. On the 12th the march was resumed, Ramseur in front, and the army advanced to the vicinity of Woodstock, preceded by Payne's cavalry from Timberville to Stony creek.
Early continued his advance on the 13th, with Gordon, preceded by Payne's cavalry, in the lead, and reached Hupp's hill, beyond Strasburg, by 10 a. m. Concealing his infantry behind the hill and a screen of woods. Early put his artillery in position and surprised Sheridan's camp, on the opposite side of Cedar creek, by opening on it with several batteries, and driving the Federals from their posts and camps, on the left of their position, in great disorder. Sheridan promptly advanced a brigade across Cedar creek, from his center, and opened from the batteries on his right, on the Belle Grove ridge. Early's artillery shelled the advancing column, while his infantry, still concealed, slowly withdrew. The enemy, supposing Early was retreating, advanced rapidly, when Conner's brigade of Kershaw's division and the skirmishers of Gordon and Wharton, suddenly charged on them from their ambush and handsomely routed them, with severe loss. Rosser advanced, on the back road, to Cedar creek, and engaged the cavalry guarding that approach to Sheridan's rear. Lomax continued down the Page valley, through Luray and Front Royal, and drove the Federal pickets from Guard hill, above the forks of the Shenandoah, on the Front Royal and Winchester turnpike. After this bold, well-planned and successful attack on Sheridan's camp (one that should have shown him its vulnerable location), Early's first Cedar creek battle, he fell back to Fisher's Hill and went into camp. The Federal cavalry continued the burning of crops, barns, etc., in the vicinity of Front Royal, until driven away by Lomax.
Early remained at Fisher's hill during the 15th, having some skirmishing with the enemy on Hupp's hill, as he reconnoitered, and found them busily fortifying the north bank of Cedar creek and the camp which they had reoccupied, with so little judgment and in apparent ignorance of the weakness of that position, as they learned to their cost a little later, when the famous battle of Cedar Creek was joined.
All was quiet during the day of the i6th, but at night Rosser's brigade of cavalry, each cavalryman taking an infantryman of Grimes' brigade of Ramseur's division, mounted behind him, marched to surprise the cavalry camp of the enemy on the back road, near Cedar creek; but he found only a picket, which he captured, the camp having been moved. On the 17th of October, Early's troops were advanced a mile or more, to between Tumbling run and Strasburg, to cover Rosser's movement, and reconnoissances were made in front of Strasburg, while General Gordon and Captain Hotchkiss of the engineers went to the signal station, on the end of Three-top mountain, to reconnoiter the enemy's position with reference to an attack; Captain Hotchkiss, from this lofty point of observation, which overlooked all of Sheridan's camps, making a map showing the position of Sheridan's army and its defensive works, and locating all its guards and pickets. Pegram advanced to Cedar creek, on the back road, to ascertain the feasibility of an attack from that direction.
From the reports of General Gordon and Captain Hotchkiss, and the remarkable location of Sheridan's camps, as shown by the map that was exhibited, General Early became convinced that, notwithstanding the great disparity of the opposing forces (knowing that his own numbered but about 10,000 of all arms, while those of the enemy numbered 50,000 effective men), an unexpected and successful attack could be made on Sheridan's camps. Accordingly he summoned his division commanders to headquarters, and after the situation had been explained by General Gordon and Captain Hotchkiss, it was decided, with but one dissenting voice, that the attack should be made, and the plan proposed by General Early should be carried into effect that night and the following day.
Early's plan assigned to each division its place and time of attack, almost precisely as it was subsequently carried into execution. Gordon, with the Second corps, composed of Gordon's, Ramseur's and Pegram's divisions, was to march, after dark, from the Fisher's hill encampment to a crossing of the North Fork of the Shenandoah, near its right, which the pioneer corps was to bridge for it, then along and around the base of the Three-top mountain, by a blind and concealed pathway, to its northeastern end, and then, by fording the North Fork of the Shenandoah at Bowman's ford, with a squadron of Payne's cavalry in advance, to capture the enemy's picket and turn his left flank. Kershaw was to march to Strasburg at a later hour, then by a country road to Bowman's mill, on Cedar creek, and attack the enemy; Wharton, at a still later hour, was to move along the Valley turnpike, followed by the artillery of the army, past Strasburg to Hupp's hill, and remain there and be ready to second the other attacks. Rosser's cavalry was to advance by the back road and engage the enemy's cavalry, which had its extensive camp on its right and not far from the back road. The marches were so arranged that each of the attacking forces should be in position and ready to begin the assault at precisely 5 o'clock, about daylight of the morning of the 19th; Rosser to attack first, on the left, then Gordon on the right, and lastly, Kershaw in the center. The precise time of Wharton's attack was to depend on circumstances. During the day the materials were secretly collected for the foot bridge across the North Fork of the Shenandoah, and about dark that stream, and other small ones on Gordon's route, were bridged, and the path along and around the mountain was cleared out by the pioneers under Captain Hart, and Gordon commenced his march, across the river and around to a place in the woods near the end of the mountain, at 8 in the evening.
At midnight following October 18th, Kershaw and Wharton marched from Fisher's hill along the turnpike to Strasburg, where Kershaw turned to the right along the byroad leading to Bowman's mill, while Wharton continued along the turnpike to near the crest of Hupp's hill. Before 5 a. m. of the 19th, Kershaw and Wharton were resting in their assigned positions, and Gordon had been waiting for some time, not far from Bowman's ford on the south bank of the North Fork of the Shenandoah, opposite the Federal cavalry picket guarding the road leading to the Belle Grove farm and around to the flank and rear of the Federal encampment, especially that of the Eighth corps, along which this byroad led, on to the east. Rosser, with his cavalry, was also in position on the Back road, and ready to attack.
As the hour appointed for the assault drew near. General Early, who had accompanied Kershaw's division, the head of which was resting on the bluff above the south bank of Cedar creek, was considerably disturbed by a movement in the Federal camp (the moving of a wagon train, as was afterward learned), which, unconscious of impending danger, lay before him, slightly concealed by the fog that was rising from Cedar creek and from the river. This stir in the camps led him to suspect that his movement had been discovered. Fortunately, the appointed hour came at about this time, when, practically without further orders and with remarkable precision, the three prearranged simultaneous attacks began. Payne's cavalry dashed across the river, in front of Gordon, and captured the outer pickets; Gordon followed with the bold rush characteristic of the famous Stonewall brigade, which was in his advance, and soon fell on the rear of the encampment of the Nineteenth corps, with a line of battle having Ramseur's division on the right and Gordon's division on the left, supported by Pegram's. At the same time Kershaw's division fairly sprang down the steep slope of the south bank of Cedar creek, rushed across that stream, and deploying, with Wofford on the right, Humphreys in the center and Bryan, with Conner in echelon, on the left, charged rapidly up the long slope north of the creek, captured the battery that crowned its summit, turned its guns upon the as yet profoundly sleeping Eighth corps, rushed upon its flank, then bore to the left, and crossing the Valley turnpike fell upon the flank of the Nineteenth corps, there encamped on the Belle Grove farm. By these rapid and nearly simultaneous advances Kershaw's command and that of Gordon were, practically, brought into line of battle, with Gordon on the right and Kershaw on the left, that swept like wildfire through the camps of the Eighth and Nineteenth corps, routed the sleeping soldiers from their tents, and drove them, some half-dressed and all dazed, to retreat in wild confusion or to promptly surrender, and giving little opportunity for any rally except by some of those in the more distant parts of the encampment, who were quickly aroused and formed by their officers, and who, with desperate courage, vainly strove to check the onrushing tide of the victorious Confederates.
When the sun rose and tempered the sharp air of that frosty October morning, it beheld Kershaw and Gordon in full possession of the camps and earthworks of the Eighth and Nineteenth corps of Sheridan's army and the captors of a large number of prisoners, many pieces of artillery, most of the camp equipage and the trains belonging to these two large bodies of infantry, and preparing to attack the Sixth corps, which was encamped farthest to the enemy's right and on high ground beyond Meadow branch, a tributary of Cedar creek, that, running from the northeast and on the western side of the Valley turnpike, enters the former stream at Hottle's mill, where several roads converge to a ford across Cedar creek.
As soon as the Valley turnpike was uncovered by the movements of Kershaw and Gordon, and the way was clear, Wharton's division moved forward, and the artillery galloped rapidly across Cedar creek and along the turnpike, and was soon ready to join in, on the right, in the attack on the Sixth corps, which had already been begun by Kershaw, Ramseur and Pegram in that order from the left. The gallant and indomitable Col. Tom Carter soon had his own and some of the captured artillery playing on the Sixth corps and its batteries, that brave body of Federal soldiery having had time to rally and deploy before the Confederates had reached its position. The infantry attack on the Sixth corps, especially that by Wharton's division on the right, was but partially successful, as the swampy character of the ground along Meadow run prevented it from getting across, and the furious fire of the enemy drove it back; but the Confederate artillery, formidable in the number and character of its guns and in the magnificent handling of these by its officers and men, soon forced the Sixth corps from its position, so that before noon the entire infantry command of the Federal army had been routed and driven nearly two miles beyond Middletown, and Early had halted in the pursuit, apprehensive that the 10,000 Federal cavalry, which Rosser had merely routed from their camps on Sheridan's right, might cross over and fall upon his little army which he had drawn up in line of battle on a road having stone fences along it, leading northwestward from the Valley turnpike, from near the northeastern end of Middletown; with Gordon on the left extending into a body of woods along the Middle road, followed on the right by Kershaw, Ramseur and Pegram up to the turnpike, and with Wharton on the right of that great highway, in the very position that Stonewall Jackson had taken, but for a brief interval only, when preparing to advance against Banks' retreating army on the 24th of May, 1862.
As soon as the Federal cavalry was apprised of the disaster that had fallen upon Sheridan's infantry, it broke camp, started its trains for the rear, sent a portion of its force to meet Rosser's attack, and at once moved its main body to the eastward into deployment covering the retreating and demoralized infantry and artillery, bringing its numerous batteries into position, especially occupying the commanding ridge, or high rising ground to the north of Middletown, in front of the position that Early had taken, thus giving opportunity to the Federal officers to rally and reorganize their discomfited forces, which they speedily did; the panic that had taken possession of them having subsided when they found they were not being pursued, and that their well-mounted and well-trained cavalry force was on hand to protect them from further molestation.
Unfortunately for the Confederate cause, General Early, though an able strategist, a most skillful commander, and one of the bravest of the brave, as all know, and as had been well attested—literally on scores of battlefields—did not possess the sublime confidence that characterized Stonewall Jackson in periods of emergency, and at this critical moment, intoxicated with success (but not with liquor, as some have falsely asserted), hesitated; unwilling to believe, although informed to the contrary lay some of his officers who had reconnoitered its new position, that the Sixth corps was still intact, concealed in the forest in front of his left. Therefore he did not advance, although repeatedly warned of the dangerous character of the position he had taken if the Federal forces should be concentrated, for a counter-stroke, on the commanding ground in his front. The handful of thinly-clad men who had cheerfully waited during the long chilly night for the hour of attack to come—part of whom had unhesitatingly waded through a cold and deep river, and won a magnificent victory over nearly five times their number—had been held in battle array, with only cold rations to warm them, in the biting north winds of a late October day, ready and eager to advance again upon the foe, and do again what they had done for Stonewall Jackson upon the same ground. This inexcusable delay, although abundant excuses have been offered for it, enabled the commanders of the Federal regiments, brigades and corps to rally and reform their men, so that when Sheridan, who had been absent, reached them from Winchester not long before noon, after a ride, not of 20 miles at a headlong speed, but of 10 miles in about two hours, he found his army reformed by Crook and ready to advance, with all arms of the service, overlapping, on either flank, the little band of Confederate heroes that, from his position, he could plainly see stretched out in a thin line not far in front. When all was ready, at about 4 p. m., with a great mass of cavalry upon his flanks, and especially upon his right, Sheridan ordered an advance and attacked Early's line, turning his left; and the mere weight of numbers, especially of cavalry, forced the whole line to give way and retreat just before dark, throwing most of it into confusion, although several bodies of its well-trained and tried soldiers, especially Ramseur's men, in whose front, bravely fighting, he fell mortally wounded, effectually held in check, in position after position, and seriously damaged, with well-directed volleys of both musketry and artillery, the overwhelming force that pressed upon them. Most of the Confederates made good their retreat, and the Federal infantry did not pursue them beyond Belle Grove house, near the middle of their old encampment, but was quite content to go into camp not far from where they had been so unceremoniously and badly routed in the early morning.
When the sun set, the Confederates, although discomfited and retreating, were still in possession of the fruits of victory, having sent to the rear the 1,500 prisoners they had taken, a long line of captured wagons and stores, and many pieces of artillery, with their caissons and other equipments, when a small body of Federal cavalry, crossing Cedar creek at Hottle's mill, came by a blind way to the top of Stickley's hill, on the Valley turnpike to the west of Cedar creek, and following along the crowding and retreating, but unguarded trains, drove off the drivers with their sabers and turned wagons and guns across the road. The trains had been checked after dark at Spangler's mill, just west of Strasburg, where a short bridge, not more than 20 feet long, across the high banks of a small creek, had broken down under the weight of a heavy gun, and so cut off further retreat for all of the train of wagons and artillery, including a large portion of the captured guns, that had not yet crossed the bridge. The Confederate infantry, in its retreat, had avoided the main road, giving that up to the trains, and was falling back on roads more to the west, so that none of them were in position, in the gathering darkness, to defend these trains, and even if they had been, nothing could have been done toward replacing the bridge.
These accidental captures enabled Sheridan to claim that he had turned the disgraceful rout of his great army, in the morning, into a grand victory in the evening; when, in truth, but for this easy and unpreventable capture, by an insignificant body of cavalry, Early could have made the substantial claim that he had not only won an almost unexampled victory in the morning, but that he had brought away the fruits of it, even though driven by superior numbers from an untenable position that he had unwisely and too long held, when he should have either promptly followed the retreating foe, when on the run in the morning, or quickly retired with the grand honors he had won.
Early's men retreated up the Valley, in and by ways that no man can describe, during the whole night, but they nearly all answered to roll calls the next day in their old camps at New Market. Rosser brought up the rear with his cavalry, which the enemy's cavalry slowly followed to Edenburg and the line of Stony creek, where Rosser had halted. Sheridan was quite content to rest, the next day, and reorganize his demoralized army, in his old Cedar creek camps. His pursuit of the retreating Confederates was without vigor or results.
Having learned, by sad experience, the weakness of his former position, Sheridan, on the 21st, brought his infantry across Cedar creek and took and fortified, with great care, a new position on Hupp's and the adjoining hills, between Strasburg and Cedar creek, so slowly had he learned the lesson of the important part that the topographical element plays in war, and which Early so well understood and had made such good use of in the two attacks he had made on Sheridan's Cedar creek camp. Lomax's division of cavalry, which came from Front Royal to the vicinity of Middletown on the 19th, but too late to be of any value in Early's attack on Sheridan, fell back by the way it advanced to Milford, in the Page valley, where it took and fortified a position which the Federal cavalry, following, attacked on the 26th, but was repulsed. All was quiet in the infantry camps up to that date, when Rosser's brigade marched from its camp near Timberville across, by New Market, to Luray.
The army remained undisturbed in its camps in the vicinity of New Market, holding the line of Stony creek with its cavalry, as well as its position at Milford in the Page valley, and at points along the Rappahannock, east of the Blue ridge, until the 10th of November, on which day Early again marched down the valley, with Kershaw's division in front, and bivouacked in the vicinity of Woodstock, Rosser's cavalry advancing to Fairview on the back road, and Lomax's to Front Royal in the Page valley. Marching again at 6 a. m. of the 11th, Pegram in advance, preceded by Payne's brigade of cavalry. Early drove the enemy's pickets from Middletown and up to a line of fortifications that Sheridan was holding beyond Newtown. He then formed a line of battle between Middletown and Newtown and had some skirmishing with the enemy, Rosser coming in by the back and middle roads, to the north of Newtown, and joining in the skirmishing on the left, came up on the right and extended the line toward Cedarville. The 12th was spent in line of battle at the same place, "Rosser having an engagement with the enemy's cavalry, which drove part of his force back for some distance along the back road, but bringing up the rest of his division, he, in turn, drove Custer back and resumed his former position. The enemy also attacked McCausland's brigade, of Lomax's division, near Cedarville, and was several times repulsed, but finally made a successful attack and drove him back, toward Front Royal, with the loss of two pieces of artillery." While Early was holding this advance, Captain Hotchkiss, his topographical engineer, was enabled to go over and sketch the battlefield of Cedar Creek, or Belle Grove, and gather the data for the map that is published in the War Records Atlas. After dark, on the 12th, the army fell back to and encamped on Fisher's hill. On the 13th, Grimes' brigade in front, it marched to camps between Edenburg and Hawkinstown; and on the 14th, Gordon in front, it returned to its old camps in the vicinity of New Market, headquarters having been established the day before at that place.
Kershaw's division started up the Valley, en route for Richmond, on the 15th. Up to that date. General Early's command had marched, since the opening of the campaign, on the 13th of June, 1,670 miles, and had engaged in seventy-five battles and skirmishes.
On the 17th, Pegram's division marched up the Valley to Big Spring. On the 22d, two divisions of the enemy's cavalry came as far as Rude's hill. To meet these, Early marched three divisions of infantry, Gordon's, Wharton's and Grimes', from their camps near New Market, and took position on Rude's hill to meet them. The enemy came boldly across the broad expanse of Meem's bottoms to make attack, but there met with such a hot fire of infantry and artillery that they went back, in great disorder, considerably damaged by the reception they had met. They were followed, by Early's infantry skirmishers, to Hawkinstown, and by a brigade of cavalry to below Edenburg. The army returned to its New Market camps that night, after having marched 25 miles and had an engagement during the day.
On the 29th, Rosser, after a long march, surprised, by able strategy, the enemy's camp at New Creek, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, capturing 800 prisoners and eight pieces of artillery. The army remained in its New Market camps until December 6th, taking the cars at Staunton on the night of the 7th. Wickham's brigade retired that day from Mt. Jackson to Timberville. This movement of the Second corps from the Valley was brought about by a report that the Sixth corps of Sheridan's army had already gone to Richmond to join Grant, and that more of the same army were moving in that direction. Grimes' division of Early's army left for Richmond on the 14th of December.
The famous Second corps of the army of Northern Virginia, Jackson's old command, embracing the remnants of his old division and his old brigade, now left the Shenandoah valley for the last time, under the command of Maj.-Gen. John B. Gordon, one of the ablest, bravest and boldest of the surviving brigade and division commanders of the immortal Stonewall Jackson, General Evans, of Georgia, succeeding to the command of Gordon's division. This remarkable body of veterans, a mere fragment of its former self when, in the meridian of its strength of numbers and efficiency, Jackson led it against Pope at Cedar run, had, in four successive campaigns, played a most important part in the great military operations in the Shenandoah valley, that have not only made that region famous in the annals of history, but have made its movements and conflicts with superior forces opposed to them, the subjects of admiration and study of the military men of all the civilized fighting nations of the world. Thenceforward the small remnant of the Second corps, the few surviving veterans who had passed through so many memorable conflicts, became a portion of the army of Northern Virginia at Petersburg, participating, with unflinching manliness, in the remarkable defense of that beleaguered city, until the fall of Richmond and General Lee's retreat to Appomattox Court House, where it was actually repulsing an attack of a portion of the Federal army, and successfully driving it back when the truce was called that led to the surrender, when, with the intrepid Gordon at its head, it laid down its arms and left its memory, without a stain, embalmed in the undying history of Virginia and of the Confederacy.
General Early remained at New Market until December 16th, when Wharton's division fell back to near Mt. Crawford, Rosser's cavalry toward Swoope's, near Buffalo gap, west of Staunton, and Lomax's cavalry to Swift Run gap. Wharton's division, a mere regiment in numbers, the only infantry now left with Early, went into winter quarters near Fishersville, between Staunton and Waynesboro, on the 19th; on which day two divisions of Federal cavalry crossed the Blue ridge, at Chester gap, near Front Royal, and made demonstrations toward Gordonsville. The same day the signal stations reported an advance of the enemy up the valley to Woodstock. On the 20th, Early again started down the valley, with Rosser in advance, followed by Wharton, the former marching to Harrisonburg, and the latter to Naked creek beyond Mt. Sidney. The Federal cavalry came to Lacey's Springs. On the 21st, through a blinding snowstorm. Early moved forward to attack the enemy. Rosser, marching at dawn, fell on Custer's division, consisting of Pennington's and Chapman's brigades, at Lacey's, or Big Spring, on the Valley turnpike, having, in crossing over from the middle road, struck the Federals in flank, with Payne's brigade in front, followed by Morgan's, just as they were saddling their horses to advance on Wharton. Rosser routed their First and Second brigades, capturing 35 prisoners and their wagons and ambulances; but they rallied on their Third brigade, compelled him to fall back, and recaptured their wagons, when they at once retreated down the valley. Rosser was unable to get his whole command together for this attack, and so had joined issue at a disadvantage. Wharton was halted at the Big Spring, some two miles southwest of Harrisonburg.
On the 22d, Wharton marched back to near Staunton, as did also Payne's and Wickham's brigades. On the 23d, two brigades of Wharton's division took cars at Staunton for Gordonsville, to assist in repulsing the movement of cavalry that had crossed the Blue ridge at Chester gap, on the 19th. One of Wharton's brigades went into its former camp at Fishersville.
On the 24th, the brigades of Jackson, Imboden and McCausland met the advance of the Federal cavalry on the Liberty Mills road, northwest of Gordonsville, destroying the stores there collected, and breaking General Lee's line of supply over the Virginia Central railroad. This engagement closed the contentions of General Early with the Federals for the year 1864. He then established his headquarters at Staunton, put Wharton's division in winter cantonment near Fishersville; Long's artillery battalion went into camps near Waynesboro, the rest of the artillery that had been with Early having gone to Richmond. Early located remnants of his war-worn cavalry in small camps in Piedmont, in the Valley, and in the Appalachia, far out to the front, to the east, northeast, north and northwest, where forage could be had for their horses, and where they could prevent incursions of the enemy and give Early intelligence of any forward movements. Signal stations were located and telegraphs put in order connecting these cavalry camps with headquarters at Staunton.