Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/564

 632 Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. [i864 Having failed to surprise Washington, Early retreated to the Shenandoah Valley, pursued by Wright. During the next two or three weeks, the somewhat confused orders of Grant at Richmond, Halleck at Washington, and Wright in the field, led to little result; but the Confederates made another raid into Pennsylvania, where, in default of a ransom of $500,000, McCausland, under Early's orders, burned the town of Chambersburg. Order came out of chaos when on August 7, General Sheridan was placed in command of the newly-formed Middle Military Division, an army of between 30,000 and 40,000 men, with instructions to drive the enemy south, and to consume or destroy all the provisions, forage and stock everything except buildings in the Shenandoah Valley, so that " nothing should be left to invite the enemy to return," and the Valley should become " a barren waste." For a month longer Sheridan was occupied in bringing his detach- ments together, meeting Early's somewhat eccentric manoeuvres, and watching for the opportune moment when Lee, pressed by Grant's operations should recall part of the Valley force to Richmond. The chance came about the middle of the month; and on September 19, 1864, Sheridan, advancing to the attack, fought the battle of Opequon, capturing 2000 prisoners and five guns, and driving Early's army from Winchester to Fisher's Hill. Here on the afternoon of September 22 he achieved a second victory, routing the whole Confederate line, and again capturing 60 guns and 1000 prisoners. Early retreated rapidly to Port Republic, where he met reinforcements coming to his assistance ; Sheridan pursued as far as Harrisonburg ; and for two weeks the opposing armies thus faced each other. Sheridan employed this interlude to devastate thoroughly the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley, reporting that he had consumed or destroyed four herds of stock, 3000 sheep, 70 mills filled with flour and wheat, and over 2000 barns filled with grain and forage, making the whole country from the Blue Ridge to the North Mountain entirely untenable for the enemy. Finding, as all previous commanders, both Federal and Confederate, had found, that, while the Valley offered great advantages for marching and fighting, so long as supplies were abundant, it was nevertheless a most difficult region to hold and defend, Sheridan retired northward during the first week of October, taking position behind Cedar Creek, a short distance north of Fisher's Hill and Strasburg. Early, having been reinforced, immediately followed, and again took position at Fisher's Hill. Here he devised an ingenious plan for a secret march past the left flank of the Federal army on the night of October 18. Effecting a complete surprise, and attacking the Federal left and rear at dawn of October 19, the Confederates had the battle nearly their own way until noon, forcing back the Federal lines a distance of four miles. Sheridan had been absent at Washington, and was returning, when, at about nine o'clock, shortly after leaving Winchester, he heard the