Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 27.djvu/274

 266 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Henry, or some secure place as hostages for the good conduct of Mosby and his men. Where any of Mosby's men are caught, hang them without trial.

U. S. GRANT,

lieutenant- General.

As Harper's Ferry was the nearest telegraph station this dispatch must have been forwarded by a cavalry escort to Sheridan, who was 50 miles up the Valley at Cedar Creek. Early was three miles fur- ther south in line of battle at Fisher's Hill. Grant's instructions were " Bear in mind the object is to drive the enemy south; and to do this you want to keep him always in sight." The real objective point at which Grant aimed was Lee's lines of supply. Their de- struction meant the fall of Richmond. Of the same date (i6th) as Grant's dispatch above quoted is one from Sheridan to Halleck, at Washington, saying: " Nothing from General Grant later than i2th." At 7:30 A. M. on the i3th, Sheridan had written Grant " I was unable to get south of Early, but will push him up the Valley" and at 10 P. M. the same day he sent Grant another dispatch, saying: " Mosby attacked the rear of my train this morning en route here from Harper's Ferry and burned six wagons." This dispatch was not received until the i6th, and no doubt was the cause of the one sent by Grant of that date, which Sheridan did not receive until the 1 7th. He had been waiting at Cedar Creek for his supply trains. After hearing of the attack on the train at Berryville there is a sud- den change in the confident tone of his dispatches and he had evidently become demoralized. Although on the i2th he had de- clared his intention to push Early up the Valley, yet on the i4th he says to Halleck " I have taken up for the present the line of Cedar Run, but will at my leisure take position at Winchester. This line cannot be held fc nor can I supply my command beyond that point with the ten days' rations with which I started. I expected to get far enough up the Valley to accomplish my objects and then quickly return." But Grant's instructions did not contemplate his return. Although Grant had ordered him to drive the enemy south and to keep in sight of him, he quietly retreated on the night of the i6th, and did not stop until he got to Halltown near Harper's Ferry, where he had taken command two weeks before. The Times of January 27th, 1895, published a review by me of the Shenandoah campaign. The following is an extract:

"During the time that Sheridan was in the Shenandoah Valley,