WOODSTOCK, October 7, 1864—9 p.m.
(Received 9th.)
I have the honor to report my command at this point
to-night. I commenced moving back from Port Republic, Mount Crawford,
Bridgewater, and Harrisonburg yesterday morning. The grain and forage in
advance of these points up to Staunton had previously been destroyed. In moving
back to this point the whole country from the Blue Ridge to the North Mountains
has been made untenable for a rebel army. I have destroyed over 2,000 barns
filled with wheat, hay, and farming implements; over seventy mills filled with flour
and wheat; have driven in front of the army over 4[,000] head of stock, and
have killed and issued to the troops not less than 3,000 sheep. This
destruction embraces the Luray Valley and Little Fort Valley, as well as the
main valley. A large number of horses have been obtained, a proper estimate of
which I cannot now make. Lieut. John R. Meigs, my engineer officer, was
murdered beyond Harrisonburg, near Dayton. For this atrocious act all the
houses within an area of five miles were burned. Since I came into the Valley,
from Harper's Ferry up to Harrisonburg, every train, every small party, and
every straggler has been bushwhacked by people, many of whom have protection
papers from commanders who have been hitherto in this valley. From the vicinity
of Harrisonburg over 400 wagon-loads of refugees have been sent back to
Martinsburg; most of these people were Dunkers and had been conscripted. The
people here are getting sick of the war; heretofore they have had no reason to
complain, because they have been living in great abundance. I have not been
followed by the enemy up to this point, with the exception of a small force of
rebel cavalry that showed themselves some distance behind my rear guard to-day.
A party of 100 of the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, which I had stationed at the bridge
over the North Shenandoah, near Mount Jackson, was attacked by McNeill, with
seventeen men; report they were asleep, and the whole party dispersed or
captured. I think that they will all turn up; I learn that fifty-six of them have
reached Winchester. McNeill was mortally wounded and fell into our hands. This
was fortunate, as he was the most daring and dangerous of all the bushwhackers
in this section of the country. I would have preferred sending troops to you by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; it would have been the quickest and most
concealed way of sending them. The keeping open of the road to Front Royal will
require large guards to protect it against a very small number of partisan
troops. It also obliges me to have a pontoon train, if it is to be kept open,
to bridge the Shenandoah and keep up communication with Winchester. However, in
a day or two I can tell better. I sent a party of cavalry through Thornton's
Gap, and directed the balance of the division of cavalry which I have left in
the Valley to take position at Millwood, occupying Chester Gap and Front Royal.
Thornton's Gap I have given up, as of no value. With this disposition of
forces, I will move infantry round the mountains, via Strasburg, as soon as possible.
To-morrow I will continue the destruction of wheat, forage, &c., down to
Fisher's Hill. When this is completed the Valley, from Winchester up to
Staunton, ninety-two miles, will have but little in it for man or beast. In
previous dispatches I have used "lower Valley" when I should have
said "upper Valley," or, in other words, in my last dispatch I
intended to say that the grain and forage from Staunton up to Lexington had
been sent to Richmond, and that the grain and forage from Staunton to Strasburg
had been left for the wintering of Early's army. Yesterday Colonel Powell
captured a guerrilla camp on the mountains, with ten wagons and teams.
P. H. SHERIDAN,
Major-General.
Lieutenant-General
GRANT.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
43, Part 1 (Serial No. 91), p. 30-1
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