Cedar Creek, Oct. 16, 1864.
We started all right last evening and marched till 1 A. M., camped
at Front Royal till 5.30 A. M. and were then ready for a fresh start, — waited
till nearly 7 A. M. and then started back on our winding way to near our old
camp, — some new information received, or some wise second thought, having
changed plans. I am not very sorry, and suppose you will not be, for I cannot
see any great military benefit to result from it. The destruction of a few
stores or of a few miles of railroad would not have been worth the injury to
horseflesh. I am glad to be back here, and I hope to get letters to-night or
tomorrow, — better to-morrow, for I'm too sleepy this afternoon to enjoy them.1
_______________
1 The explanation of the sudden march to Front
Royal and the recall was this. Sheridan had reached that point on his way to
Washington, when General Wright sent in haste to tell him that he had read the
enemy's signal-flag on their mountain station, thus: —
To
Lieut.-gen. Early: — Be ready to move as soon as my forces join you, and
we will crush Sheridan.
Longstreet,
Lieut. - General.
Sheridan hesitated whether to return; but his presence in
Washington was urgently desired by Secretary Stanton, and there had been many
false rumours about Longstreet's coming [this proved to be one, probably a
trick to keep Sheridan from detaching forces to help Grant], so he wrote back
to Wright: —
general,
— The cavalry is all ordered back to you. Make your position strong. If
Longstreet's despatch is true, he is under the impression that we have largely
detached. I will go over to Augur, and may get additional news. . . . If the enemy make an advance, I know you
will defeat him. Look well to your ground, and be well prepared. Get up
everything that can be spared. I will bring up all I can, and will be up on
Tuesday, if not sooner.
This message was sent Sunday, October 16.
It may seem strange that Early should advance so soon after
utter defeat; but Lee had sent five thousand good troops to him and all the
local reserves, and called on him for great efforts. Early was a brave man, and
matters were getting desperate. Also the forage of the country had been
destroyed, so he must either leave it or supply himself from the enemy.
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 361, 474-5
