personal memoirs-2-第10章

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in　my　despatch　from　Front　Royal；　yet　the　enemy's　desperation　might

have　prompted　some　other　clever　and　ingenious　scheme　for　relieving

his　fallen　fortunes　in　the　Shenandoah　Valley。









CHAPTER　IV。



GENERAL　EARLY　REORGANIZES　HIS　FORCESMOSBY　THE　GUERRILLAGENERAL

MERRITT　SENT　TO　OPERATE　AGAINST　MOSBYROSSER　AGAIN　ACTIVEGENERAL

CUSTER　SURPRISEDCOLONEL　YOUNG　SENT　TO　CAPTURE　GILMORE　THE

GUERRILLACOLONEL　YOUNG'S　SUCCESSCAPTURE　OF　GENERAL　KELLY　AND

GENERAL　CROOKSPIESWAS　WILKES　BOOTH　A　SPY？DRIVING　THE

CONFEDERATES　OUT　OF　THE　VALLEYTHE　BATTLE　OF　WAYNESBORO'MARCHING

TO　JOIN　THE　ARMY　OF　THE　POTOMAC。



Early's　broken　army　practically　made　no　halt　in　its　retreat　after　the

battle　of　Cedar…Creek　until　it　reached　New　Market；　though　at　Fisher's

Hill　was　left　a　small　rear…guard　of　cavalry；　which　hastily　decamped；

however；　when　charged　by　Gibbs's　brigade　on　the　morning　of　the　20th。

Between　the　date　of　his　signal　defeat　and　the　11th　of　November；　the

enemy's　scattered　forces　had　sufficiently　reorganized　to　permit　his

again　making　a　reconnoissance　in　the　valley　as　far　north　as　Cedar

Creek；　my　army　having　meanwhile　withdrawn　to　Kernstown；　where　it　had

been　finally　decided　that　a　defensive　line　should　be　held　to　enable

me　to　detach　troops　to　General　Grant；　and　where；　by　reconstructing

the　Winchester　and　Potomac　railroad　from　Stephenson's　depot　to

Harper's　Ferry；　my　command　might　be　more　readily；　supplied。　　Early's

reconnoissance　north　of　Cedar　Creek　ended　in　a　rapid　withdrawal　of

his　infantry　after　feeling　my　front；　and　with　the　usual　ill…fortune

to　his　cavalry；　Merritt　and　Custer　driving　Rosser　and　Lomax　with　ease

across　Cedar　Creek　on　the　Middle　and　Back　roads；　while　Powell's

cavalry　struck　McCausland　near　Stony　Point；　and　after　capturing　two

pieces　of　artillery　and　about　three　hundred　officers　and　men　chased

him　into　the　Luray　Valley。



Early　got　back　to　New　Market　on　the　14th　of　November；　and；　from　lack

of　subsistence；　being　unable　to　continue　demonstrations　to　prevent　my

reinforcement　of　General　Grant；　began　himself　to　detach　to　General

Lee　by　returning　Kershaw's　division　to　Petersburg；　as　was　definitely

ascertained　by　Torbert　in　a　reconnoissance　to　Mount　Jackson。　　At　this

time　General　Grant　wished　me　to　send　him　the　Sixth　Corps；　and　it　was

got　ready　for　the　purpose；　but　when　I　informed　him　that　Torbert's

reconnoissance　had　developed　the　fact　that　Early　still　retained　four

divisions　of　infantry　and　one　of　cavalry；　it　was　decided；　on　my

suggestion；　to　let　the　Sixth　Corps　remain　till　the　season　should　be　a

little　further　advanced；　when　the　inclemency　of　the　weather　would

preclude　infantry　campaigning。　　These　conditions　came　about　early　in

December；　and　by　the　middle　of　the　month　the　whole　of　the　Sixth　Corps

was　at　Petersburg；　simultaneously　with　its　transfer　to　that　line

Early　sending　his　Second　Corps　to　Lee。



During　the　entire　campaign　I　had　been　annoyed　by　guerrilla　bands

under　such　partisan　chiefs　as　Mosby；　White；　Gilmore；　McNeil；　and

others；　and　this　had　considerably　depleted　my　line…of…battle

strength；　necessitating　as　it　did　large；　escorts　for　my　supply…

trains。　　The　most　redoubtable　of　these　leaders　was　Mosby；　whose　force

was　made　up　from　the　country　around　Upperville；　east　of　the　Blue

Ridge；　to　which　section　he　always　fled　for　a　hiding…place　when　he

scented　danger。　　I　had　not　directed　any　special　operations　against

these　partisans　while　the　campaign　was　active；　but　as　Mosby's　men　had

lately　killed；　within　my　lines；　my　chief　quartermaster；　Colonel

Tolles；　and　Medical　Inspector　Ohlenchlager；　I　concluded　to　devote

particular　attention　to　these　〃irregulars〃　during　the　lull　that　now

occurred；　so　on　the　28th　of　November；　I　directed　General　Merritt　to

march　to　the　Loudoun　Valley　and　operate　against　Mosby；　taking　care　to

clear　the　country　of　forage　and　subsistence；　so　as　to　prevent　the

guerrillas　from　being　harbored　there　in　the　future　their　destruction

or　capture　being　well…nigh　impossible；　on　account　of　their　intimate

knowledge　of　the　mountain　region。　　Merritt　carried　out　his

instructions　with　his　usual　sagacity　and　thoroughness；　sweeping

widely　over　each　side　of　his　general　line　of　march　with　flankers；　who

burned　the　grain　and　brought　in　large　herds　of　cattle；　hogs　and

sheep；　which　were　issued　to　the　troops。



While　Merritt　was　engaged　in　this　service　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio

railroad　once　more　received　the　attention　of　the　enemy；　Rosser；　with

two　brigades　of　cavalry；　crossing　the　Great　North　Mountain；　capturing

the　post　of　New　Creek；　with　about　five　hundred　prisoners　and　seven

guns；　destroying　all　the　supplies　of　the　garrison；　and　breaking　up

the　railroad　track。　　This　slight　success　of　the　Confederates　in　West

Virginia；　and　the　intelligence　that　they　were　contemplating　further

raids　in　that　section；　led　me　to　send；　Crook　there　with　one　division；

his　other　troops　going　to　City　Point；　and；　I　hoped　that　all　the

threatened　places　would　thus　be　sufficiently　protected；　but

negligence　at　Beverly　resulted　in　the　capture　of　that　station　by

Rosser　on　the　11th　of　January。



In　the　meanwhile；　Early　established　himself　with　Wharton's　division

at　Staunton　in　winter　quarters；　posting　his　cavalry　in　that

neighborhood　also；　except　a　detachment　at　New　Market；　and　another

small　one　at　the　signalstation　on　Three　Top　Mountain。　　The　winter　was

a　most　severe　one；　snow　falling　frequently　to　the　depth　of　several

inches；　and　the　mercury　often　sinking　below　zero。　　The　rigor　of　the

season　was　very　much　against　the　success　of　any　mounted　operations；

but　General　Grant　being　very　desirous　to　have　the　railroads　broken　up

about　Gordonsville　and　Charlottesville；　on　the　19th　of　December　I

started　the　cavalry　out　for　that　purpose；　Torbert；　with　Merritt　and

Powell；　marching　through　Chester　Gap；　while　Custer　moved　toward

Staunton　to　make　a　demonstration　in　Torbert's　favor；　hoping　to　hold

the　enemy's　troops　in　the　valley。　　Unfortunately；　Custer　did　not

accomplish　all　that　was　expected　of　him；　and　being　surprised　by

Rosser　and　Payne　near　Lacy's　Springs　before　reveille；　had　to　abandon

his　bivouac　and　retreat　down　the　valley；　with　the　loss　of　a　number　of

prisoners；　a　few　horses；　and　a　good　many　horse　equipments；　for；

because　of　the　suddenness　of　Rosser's　attack；　many　of　the　men　had　no

time　to　saddle　up。　　As　soon　as　Custer's　retreat　was　assured；

Wharton's　division　of　infantry　was　sent　to　Charlottesville　to　check

Torbert；　but　this　had　already　been　done　by　Lomax；　with　the　assistance

of　infantry　sent　up　from　Richmond。　　Indeed；　from　the　very　beginning

of　the　movement　the　Confederates　had　been　closely　observing　the

columns　of　Torbert　and　Custer；　and　in　consequence　of　the　knowledge

thus　derived；　Early　had　marched　Lomax　to　Gordonsville　in　anticipation

of　an　attack　there；　at　the　same　time　sending　Rosser　down　the　valley

to　meet　Custer。　　Torbert　in　the　performance　of　his　task　captured　two

pieces　of　artillery　from　Johnson's　and　McCausland's　brigades；　at

Liberty　Mills　on　the　Rapidan　River；　but　in　the　main　the　purpose　of

the　raid　utterly　failed；　so　by　the　27th　of　December　he　returned；

many；　of　his　men　badly　frost…bitten　from　the　extreme　cold　which　had

prevailed。



This　expedition　practically　closed　all　operations　for　the　season；　and

the　cavalry　was　put　into　winter　cantonment　near　Winchester。　　The

distribution　of　my　infantry　to　Petersburg　and　West　Virginia　left　with

me　in　the　beginning　of　the　new　year；　as　already　stated；　but　the　one

small　division　of　the　Nineteenth　Corps。　　On　account　of　this

diminution　of　force；　it　became　necessary　for　me　to　keep　thoroughly

posted　in　regard　to　the　enemy；　and　I　now　realized　more　than　I　had

done　hitherto　how　efficient　my　scouts　had　become　since　under　the

control　of　Colonel　Young；　for　not　only　did　they　bring　me　almost　every

day　intelligence　from　within　Early's　lines；　but　they　also　operated

efficiently　against　the　guerrillas　infesting　West　Virginia。



Harry　Gilmore；　of　Maryland；　was　the　most　noted　of　these　since　the

death　of　McNeil；　and　as　the　scouts　had　reported　him　in　Harrisonburg

the　latter　part　of　January；　I　directed　two　of　the　most　trustworthy　to

be　sent　to　watch　his　movements　and　ascertain　his　purposes。　　In　a　few

days　these　spies　returned　with　the　intelligence　that　Gilmore　was　on

his　way　to　Moorefield；　the　centre　of　a　very　disloyal　section　in　West

Virginia；　about　ninety　miles　southwest　of　Winchester；　where；　under

the　guise　of　a　camp…meeting；　a　gathering　was　to　take　place；　at　which

he　expected　to　enlist　a　number　of　men；　be　joined　by　a　party　of　about

twenty　recruits　coming　from　Maryland；　and　then　begin　depredations

along　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio　railroad。　　Believing　that　Gilmore　might

be　captured；　I　directed　Young　to　undertake　the　task；　and　as　a

preliminary　step　he　sent　to　Moorefield　two　of　his　men　who　early　in

the　war　had　〃refugeed〃　from　that　section　and　enlisted　in　one　of　the

Union　regiments　from　West　Virginia。　　In　about　a　week　these　men　came

back　and　reported　that　Gilmore　was　living　at　a　house　between　three

and　four　miles　from　Moorefield；　and　gave　full　particulars　as　to　his

coming　and　going；　the　number　of　men　he　had　about　there　and　where　they

rendezvoused。



With　this　knowledge　at　hand　I　directed　Young　to　take　twenty　of　his

best　men　and　leave　that　night　for　Moorefield；　dressed　in　Confederate

uniforms；　telling　him　that　I　would　have　about　three　hundred　cavalry

follow　in　his　wake　when　he　had　got　about　fifteen　miles　start；　and

instructing　him　to　pass　his　party　off　as　a　body　of　recruits　for

Gilmore　coming　from　Maryland　and　pursued　by　the　Yankee　cavalry。　　I

knew　this　would　allay　suspicion　and　provide　him　help　on　the　road；

and；　indeed；　as　Colonel　Whittaker；　who　alone　knew　the　secret；

followed　after　the　fleeing　〃Marylanders；〃　he　found　that　their　advent

had　caused　so　little　remark　that　the　trail　would　have　been　lost　had

he　not　already　known　their　destination。　　Young　met　with　a　hearty；

welcome　wherever　he　halted　on　the　way；　and　as　he　passed　through　the

town　of　Moorefield　learned　with　satisfaction　that　Gilmore　still　made

his　headquarters　at　the　house　where　the　report　of　the　two　scouts　had

located　him　a　few　days　before。　　Reaching　the　designated　place　about

12　o'clock　on　the　night　of　the　5th　of　February；　Young；　under　the

representation　that　he　had　come　directly　from　Maryland　and　was　being

pursued　by　the　Union　cavalry；　gained　immediate　access　to　Gilmore's

room。　　He　found　the　bold　guerrilla　snugly　tucked　in　bed；　with　two

pistols　lying　on　a　chair　near　by。　　He　was　sleeping　so　soundly　that　to

arouse　him　Young　had　to　give　him　a　violent　shake。　　As　he　awoke　and

asked　who　was　disturbing　his　slumbers；　Young；　pointing　at　him　a

cocked　six…shooter；　ordered　him　to　dress　without　delay；　and　in　answer

to　his　inquiry；　informed　him　that　he　was　a　prisoner　to　one　of

Sheridan's　staff。　　Meanwhile　Gilmore's　men　had　learned　of　his

trouble；　but　the　early　appearance　of　Colonel　Whittaker　caused　them　to

di