personal memoirs-2-第3章

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Averell　on　the　west　side　of　the　Valley　pike　and　Merritt　on　the　east；

Torbert　began　to　drive　this　opposing　force　toward　Winchester　the

moment　he　struck　it　near　Stephenson's　depot；　keeping　it　on　the　go

till　it　reached　the　position　held　by　Breckenridge；　where　it

endeavored　to　make　a　stand。



The　ground　which　Breckenridge　was　holding　was　open；　and　offered　an

opportunity　such　as　seldom　had　been　presented　during　the　war　for　a；

mounted　attack；　and　Torbert　was　not　slow　to　take　advantage　of　it。

The　instant　Merritt's　division　could　be　formed　for　the　charge；　it

went　at　Breckenridge's　infantry　and　Fitzhugh　Lee's　cavalry　with　such

momentum　as　to　break　the　Confederate　left；　just　as　Averell　was

passing　around　it。　　Merritt's　brigades；　led　by　Custer；　Lowell；　and

Devin；　met　from　the　start　with　pronounced　success；　and　with　sabre　or

pistol　in　hand　literally　rode　down　a　battery　of　five　guns　and　took

about　1；200　prisoners。　　Almost　simultaneously　with　this　cavalry

charge；　Crook　struck　Breckenridge's　right　and　Gordon's　left；　forcing

these　divisions　to　give　way；　and　as　they　retired；　Wright；　in　a

vigorous　attack；　quickly　broke　Rodes　up　and　pressed　Ramseur　so　hard

that　the　whole　Confederate　army　fell　back；　contracting　its　lines

within　some　breastworks　which　had　been　thrown　up　at　a　former　period

of　the　war；　immediately　in　front　of　Winchester。



Here　Early　tried　hard　to　stem　the　tide；　but　soon　Torbert's　cavalry

began　passing　around　his　left　flank；　and　as　Crook；　Emory；　and　Wright

attacked　in　front；　panic　took　possession　of　the　enemy；　his　troops；

now　fugitives　and　stragglers；　seeking　escape　into　and　through

Winchester。



When　this　second　break　occurred；　the　Sixth　and　Nineteenth　corps　were

moved　over　toward　the　Millwood　pike　to　help　Wilson　on　the　left；　but

the　day　was　so　far　spent　that　they　could　render　him　no　assistance；

and　Ramseur's　division；　which　had　maintained　some　organization；　was

in　such　tolerable　shape　as　to　check　him。　　Meanwhile　Torbert　passed

around　to　the　west　of　Winchester　to　join　Wilson；　but　was　unable　to　do

so　till　after　dark。　　Crook's　command　pursued　the　enemy　through　the

town　to　Mill　Greek；　I　going　along。



Just　after　entering　the　town；　Crook　and　I　met；　in　the　main　street；

three　young　girls；　who　gave　us　the　most　hearty　reception。　　One　of

these　young　women　was　a　Miss　Griffith；　the　other　two　Miss　Jennie　and

Miss　Susie　Meredith。　　During　the　day　they　had　been　watching　the

battle　from　the　roof　of　the　Meredith　residence；　with　tears　and

lamentations；　they　said；　in　the　morning　when　misfortune　appeared　to

have　overtaken　the　Union　troops；　but　with　unbounded　exultation　when；

later；　the；　tide　set　in　against　the　Confederates。　　Our　presence　was；

to　them；　an　assurance　of　victory；　and　their　delight　being

irrepressible；　they　indulged　in　the　most　unguarded　manifestations　and

expressions。　　When　cautioned　by　Crook；　who　knew　them　well；　and

reminded　that　the　valley　had　hitherto　been　a　race…courseone　day　in

the'possession　of　friends；　and　the　next　of　enemiesand　warned　of　the

dangers　they　were　incurring　by　such　demonstrations；　they　assured　him

that　they　had　no　further　fears　of　that　kind　now；　adding　that　Early's

army　was　so　demoralized　by　the　defeat　it　had　just　sustained　that　it

would　never　be　in　condition　to　enter　Winchester　again。　　As　soon　as　we

had　succeeded　in　calming　the　excited　girls　a　little　I　expressed　a

desire　to　find　some　place　where　I　could　write　a　telegram　to　General

Grant　informing　him　of　the　result　of　the　battle；　and　General　Crook

conducted　me　to　the　home　of　Miss　Wright；　where　I　met　for　the　first

time　the　woman　who　had　contributed　so　much　to　our　success；　and　on　a

desk　in　her　school…room　wrote　the　despatch　announcing　that　we　had

sent　Early's　army　whirling　up　the　valley。



My　losses　in　the　battle　of　the　Opequon　were　heavy；　amounting　to　about

4；500　killed；　wounded；　and　missing。　　Among　the　killed　was　General

Russell；　commanding　a　division；　and　the　wounded　included　Generals

Upton；　McIntosh　and　Chapman；　and　Colonels　Duval　and　Sharpe。　　The

Confederate　loss　in　killed；　wounded；　and　prisoners　about　equaled

mine；　General　Rodes　being　of　the　killed；　while　Generals　Fitzhugh　Lee

and　York　were　severely　wounded。



We　captured　five　pieces　of　artillery　and　nine　battle…flags。　　The

restoration　of　the　lower　valleyfrom　the　Potomac　to　Strasburgto

the　control　of　the　Union　forces　caused　great　rejoicing　in　the　North；

and　relieved　the　Administration　from　further　solicitude　for　the

safety　of　the　Maryland　and　Pennsylvania　borders。　　The　President's

appreciation　of　the　victory　was　expressed　in　a　despatch　so　like　Mr。

Lincoln　that　I　give　a　facsimile　of　it　to　the　reader：



＇In　the　handwriting　of　President　Lincoln＇

〃EXECUTIVE　DEPARTMENT

〃WASHINGTON；　Sep。　　20；　1864



〃MAJOR…GENERAL　SHERMAN

〃WINCHESTER；　VA。



〃Have　just　heard　of　your　geat　victory。　　God　bless　you　all；　officers

and　men。　　Strongly　inclined　to　come　up　and　see　you。



〃A。　LINCOLN





This　he　supplemented　by　promoting　me　to　the　grade　of　brigadier…

general　in　the　regular　army；　and　assigning　me　to　the　permanent

command　of　the　Middle　Military　Department；　and　following　that　came

warm　congratulations　from　Mr。　Stanton　and　from　Generals　Grant；

Sherman；　and　Meade。



The　battle　was　not　fought　out　on　the　plan　in　accordance　with　which

marching　orders　were　issued　to　my　troops；　for　I　then　hoped　to　take

Early　in　detail；　and　with　Crook's　force　cut　off　his　retreat。　　I

adhered　to　this　purpose　during　the　early　part　of　the　contest；　but　was

obliged　to　abandon　the　idea　because　of　unavoidable　delays　by　which　I

was　prevented　from　getting　the　Sixth　and　Nineteenth　corps　through　the

narrow　defile　and　into　position　early　enough　to　destroy　Ramseur　while

still　isolated。　　So　much　delay　had　not　been　anticipated；　and　this

loss　of　time　was　taken　advantage　of　by　the　enemy　to　recall　the　troops

diverted　to　Bunker　Hill　and　Martinsburg　on　the　17th；　thus　enabling

him　to　bring　them　all　to　the　support　of　Ramseur　before　I　could　strike

with　effect。　　My　idea　was　to　attack　Ramseur　and　Wharton；

successively；　at　a　very　early　hour　and　before　they　could　get　succor；

but　I　was　not　in　condition　to　do　it　till　nearly　noon；　by　which　time

Gordon　and　Rodes　had　been　enabled　to　get　upon　the　ground　at　a　point

from　which；　as　I　advanced；　they　enfiladed　my　right　flank；　and　gave　it

such　a　repulse　that　to　re…form　this　part　of　my　line　I　was　obliged　to

recall　the　left　from　some　of　the　ground　it　had　gained。　　It　was　during

this　reorganization　of　my　lines　that　I　changed　my　plan　as　to　Crook；

and　moved　him　from　my　left　to　my　right。　　This　I　did　with　great

reluctance；　for　I　hoped　to　destroy　Early's　army　entirely　if　Crook

continued　on　his　original　line　of　march　toward　the　Valley　pike；　south

of　Winchester；　and　although　the　ultimate　results　did；　in　a　measure

vindicate　the　change；　yet　I　have　always　thought　that　by　adhering　to

the　original　plan　we　might　have　captured　the　bulk　of　Early's　army。









CHAPTER　11。



PURSUING　EARLYA　SECRET　MARCHFISHER'S　HILLA　GREAT　SUCCESS

REMOVAL　OF　AVERELLTHE　RETREATCAPTURING　AN　OLD　COMRADETHE　MURDER

OF　LIEUTENANT　MEIGS。



The　night　of　the　19th　of　September　I　gave　orders　for　following　Early

up　the　valley　next　morningthe　pursuit　to　begin　at　daybreakand　in

obedience　to　these　directions　Torbert　moved　Averell　out　on　the　Back

road　leading　to　Cedar　Creek；　and　Merritt　up　the　Valley　pike　toward

Strasburg；　while　Wilson　was　directed　on　Front　Royal　by　way　of

Stevensburg。　　Merritt's　division　was　followed　by　the　infantry；

Emory's　and　Wright's　columns　marching　abreast　in　the　open　country　to

the　right　and　left　of　the　pike；　and　Crook's　immediately　behind　them。

The　enemy　having　kept　up　his　retreat　at　night；　presented　no

opposition　whatever　until　the　cavalry　discovered　him　posted　at

Fisher's　Hill；　on　the　first　defensive　line　where　he　could　hope　to

make　any　serious　resistance。　　No　effort　was　made　to　dislodge　him；　and

later　in　the　day；　after　Wright　and　Emory　came　up；　Torbert　shifted

Merritt　over　toward　the　Back　road　till　he　rejoined　Averell。　　As

Merritt　moved　to　the　right；　the　Sixth　and　Nineteenth　corps　crossed

Cedar　Creek　and　took　up　the　ground　the　cavalry　was　vacating；　Wright

posting　his　own　corps　to　the　west　of　the　Valley　pike　overlooking

Strasburg；　and　Emory's　on　his　left　so　as　to　extend　almost　to　the　road

leading　from　Strasburg　to　Front　Royal。　　Crook；　as　he　came　up　the　same

evening；　went　into　position　in　some　heavy　timber　on　the　north　bank　of

Cedar　Creek。



A　reconnoissance　made　pending　these　movements　convinced　me　that　the

enemy's　position　at　Fisher's　Hill　was　so　strong　that　a　direct　assault

would　entail　unnecessary　destruction　of　life；　and；　besides；　be　of

doubtful　result。　　At　the　point　where　Early's　troops　were　in　position；

between　the　Massanutten　range　and　Little　North　Mountain；　the　valley

is　only　about　three　and　a　half　miles　wide。　　All　along　the　precipitous

bluff　which　overhangs　Tumbling　Run　on　the　south　side；　a　heavy　line　of

earthworks　had　been　constructed　when　Early　retreated　to　this　point　in

August；　and　these　were　now　being　strengthened　so　as　to　make　them

almost　impregnable；　in　fact；　so　secure　did　Early　consider　himself

that；　for　convenience；　his　ammunition　chests　were　taken　from　the

caissons　and　placed　behind　the　breastworks。　　Wharton；　now　in　command

of　Breckenridge's　divisionits　late　commander　having　gone　to

southwest　Virginiaheld　the　right　of　this　line；　with　Gordon　next

him；　Pegram；　commanding　Ramseur's　old　division；　joined　Gordon。

Ramseur　with　Rodes's　division；　was　on　Pegram's　left；　while　Lomax's

cavalry；　now　serving　as　foot…troops；　extended　the　line　to　the　Back

road。　　Fitzhugh　Lee　being　wounded；　his　cavalry；　under　General

Wickham；　was　sent　to　Milford　to　prevent　Fisher's　Hill　from　being

turned　through　the　Luray　Valley。



In　consequence　of　the　enemy's　being　so　well　protected　from　a　direct

assault；　I　resolved　on　the　night　of　the　20th　to　use　again　a　turning…

column　against　his　left；　as　had　been　done　on　the　19th　at　the　Opequon。

To　this　end　I　resolved　to　move　Crook；　unperceived　if　possible；　over

to　the　eastern　face　of　Little　North　Mountain；　whence　he　could　strike

the　left　and　rear　of　the　Confederate　line；　and　as　he　broke　it　up；　I

could　support　him　by　a　left　half…wheel　of　my　whole　line　of　battle。

The　execution　of　this　plan　would　require　perfect　secrecy；　however；

for　the　enemy　from　his　signal…station　on　Three　Top　could　plainly　see

every　movement　of　our　troops　in　daylight。　　Hence；　to　escape　such

observation；　I　marched　Crook　during　the　night　of　the　20th　into　some

heavy　timber　north　of　Cedar　Creek；　where　he　lay　concealed　all　day　the

21st。　　This　same　day　Wright　and　Emory　were　moved　up　closer　to　the

Confederate　works；　and　the　Sixth　Corps；　after　a　severe　fight；　in

which　Ricketts's　and　Getty　were　engaged；　took　up　some　high　ground　on

the　right　of　the　Manassas　Gap　railroad　in　plain　view　of　the

Confederate　works；　and　confronting　a　commanding　point　where　much　of

Earl