Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/247

 Major-General Stephen D. Ramseur. 247

of and around Sheridan's army without bringing him to a test of strength, he began to think him no better than Hunter, and enter- tained more contempt for than fear of him. He separated his divis- ions at will, and scattered them from Winchester to Martinsburg twenty-two miles with no better motive than that of interrupting railroad traffic, producing a little diversion in Washington, and secur- ing a few commissaries in Martinsburg. His last movement in this direction was on the eve of the

BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.

Of this movement Early says that, " having been informed that a force was at work on the railroad near Martinsburg, I moved on the afternoon of the ijth of September with Rodes' and Gordon's divis- ions, and Braxton's artillery to Bunker Hill ; and on the morning of the 1 8th, with Gordon's division and a part of the artillery, to Mar- tinsburg, preceded by a part of Lomax's cavalry." It will thus be seen that in the presence of a largely superior force, and a new and untried commander, Early had his troops stretched out and" sepa- rated like a string of glass beads with a knot between each one. In a previous move of a similar nature on Martinsburg, at Bunker Hill, I had been reliably informed that the next time Early should make the mistake of separating his command, Sheridan intended to attack and endeavor to crush his troops in detail. This fact I communicated to General Rodes, who replied : "I know it. I have told Early as much"; and with much irritation of manner, said: "I can't get him to believe it."

On the morning of the igth, the booming of canon was heard in the direction of Winchester. As skirmishing at this time was frequent, we could not positively decide as to what it portended. Rodes was now at Stephenson's Depot, Breckinridge and Gordon at Bunker Hill, and Ramseur at Winchester. Rodes received orders to "move out," but was not directed where to go. We moved out, took posi- tion behind a rock wall north of the road intersecting the Winchester road, where we anxiously awaited further orders lor the space of two hours. All this time Ramseur, with his seventeen hundred men, was actively engaged with Sheridan's advance corps. Had we have been properly directed, we could have moved forward and crushed this corps before the remainder of Sheridan's troops arrived, and secured a complete victory. In speaking of the time when the firing com- menced, Early, who was with Gordon, says : " I immediately ordered