32 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I
Page 32 | OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV. |
CEDAR CREEK, October 11, 1864 - 7 p. m.
(Received 12th.)
I have seen no signs of the enemy since the brilliant engagement of the 9th instant. It was a square cavalry fight, in which the enemy was routed beyond my power to describe. He lost everything carried on wheels except one piece of artillery, and when last seen it was passing over Rude's Hill, near New Market, on the keen run, twenty-six miles from the battle-field, to which point the pursuit was kept up. The battery men and horses, &c., were captured. The horses were all in good condition, but were all exchanged by our own cavalrymen for their broken-down animals. I have given you but a faint idea of the cleaning out of the stock, forage, wheat, provisions, &c., were captured. The horses were all in good condition, but were all exchanged by our own cavalrymen for their broken-down animals. I have given you but a faint idea of the cleaning out of the stock, forage, wheat, provisions, &c., in the Valley. The casualties of the 9th will not exceed sixty men. The 100 men of the Eighth Ohio, dispersed while guarding the bridge over the North Shenandoah, have come in, except the officers. Lieutenant-Colonel Tolles, my chief quartermasters, and Asst. Surg. Emil Ohlenschlager, medical inspector on my staff, were both mortally wounded by guerrillas to-day, on their way to join me from Winchester; they were ambuscaded. Three men were killed and five wounded out of an escort of twenty-four. The refugees from Early's army, cavalry and infantry, are organizing guerrilla parties and are becoming very formidable them except to burn out the whole country and let the people go North or South. If I attempt to capture them by sending out parties, they escape to the mountains on fleet horses.
P. H. SHERIDAN,
Major-General.
Colonel Powell, commanding cavalry division, on the 5th instant, cut down the railroad bridge over the Rapidan and threw it into the river.
Lieutenant-General GRANT.
CEDAR CREEK, October 19, 1864 - 10 p. m.
(Received 3 p. m. 20th.)
I have the honor to report that my army at Cedar Creek was attacked this morning before daylight and my left was turned and driven in confusion; in fact, most of the line was driven in confusion, with the loss of twenty pieces or artillery. I hastened from Winchester, where I was on my return from Washington, and joined the army between Middletown and Newtown, having been driven back about four miles. I here took the affair in hand and quickly united the corps, formed a compact line of battle just in time to repulse an attack of the enemy's, which was handsomely done at about 1 p. m. At 3 p. m., after some changes of the cavalry from the left to the right flank, I attacked with great vigor, driving and routing the enemy, capturing, according to last reports, forty-three pieces of artillery and very many prisoners. I do not yet know the number of my casualties or the losses of the enemy. Wagon trains, ambulances, and caissons in large numbers, are in our possession. They also burned some of their trains. General Ramseur is a prisoner in our hands, severely, and perhaps mortally, wounded. I have to regret the loss of General Bidwell, killed, and Generals Wright, Grover, and Ricketts wounded - Wright slightly wounded. Affairs at times looked badly, but by the gallantry of our
Page 32 | OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV. |