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Personal　Memoirs　of　P。H。Sheridan　V2　of　2


by　Philip　Henry　Sheridan









VOLUME　II。









CHAPTER　I。



ORGANIZING　SCOUTSMISS　REBECCA　WRIGHTIMPORTANT　INFORMATIONDECIDE

TO　MOVE　ON　NEWTOWNMEETING　GENERAL　GRANTORGANIZATION　OF　THE　UNION

ARMYOPENING　OF　THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　OPEQUONDEATH　OF　GENERAL　RUSSELL…

…A　TURNING　MOVEMENTA　SUCCESSFUL　CAVALRY　CHARGEVICTORYTHREE

LOYAL　GIRLSAPPOINTED　A　BRIGADIER…GENERAL　IN　THE　REGULAR　ARMY

REMARKS　ON　THE　BATTLE。



While　occupying　the　ground　between　Clifton　and　Berryville；　referred

to　in　the　last　chapter　of　the　preceding　volume；　I　felt　the　need　of　an

efficient　body　of　scouts　to　collect　information　regarding　the　enemy；

for　the　defective　intelligence…establishment　with　which　I　started　out

from　Harper's　Ferry　early　in　August　had　not　proved　satisfactory。　　I

therefore　began　to　organize　my　scouts　on　a　system　which　I　hoped　would

give　better　results　than　bad　the　method　hitherto　pursued　in　the

department；　which　was　to　employ　on　this　service　doubtful　citizens　and

Confederate　deserters。　　If　these　should　turn　out　untrustworthy；　the

mischief　they　might　do　us　gave　me　grave　apprehension；　and　I　finally

concluded　that　those　of　our　own　soldiers　who　should　volunteer　for　the

delicate　and　hazardous　duty　would　be　the　most　valuable　material；　and

decided　that　they　should　have　a　battalion　organization　and　be

commanded　by　an　officer；　Major　H。　K。　Young；　of　the　First　Rhode　Island

Infantry。　　These　men　were　disguised　in　Confederate　uniforms　whenever

necessary；　were　paid　from　the　Secret…Service　Fund　in　proportion　to

the　value　of　the　intelligence　they　furnished；　which　often　stood　us　in

good　stead　in　checking　the　forays　of　Gilmore；　Mosby；　and　other

irregulars。　　Beneficial　results　came　from　the　plan　in　many　other　ways

too；　and　particularly　so　when　in　a　few　days　two　of　my　scouts　put　me

in　the　way　of　getting　news　conveyed　from　Winchester。　　They　had

learned　that　just　outside　of　my　lines；　near　Millwood；　there　was

living　an　old　colored　man；　who　had　a　permit　from　the　Confederate

commander　to　go　into　Winchester　and　return　three　times　a　week；　for

the　purpose　of　selling　vegetables　to　the　inhabitants。　　The　scouts　had

sounded　this　man；　and；　finding　him　both　loyal　and　shrewd；　suggested

that　he　might　be　made　useful　to　us　within　the　enemy's　lines；　and　the

proposal　struck　me　as　feasible；　provided　there　could　be　found　in

Winchester　some　reliable　person　who　would　be　willing　to　co…operate

and　correspond　with　me。　　I　asked　General　Crook；　who　was　acquainted

with　many　of　the　Union　people　of　Winchester；　if　he　knew　of　such　a

person；　and　he　recommended　a　Miss　Rebecca　Wright；　a　young　lady　whom

he　had　met　there　before　the　battle　of　Kernstown；　who；　he　said；　was　a

member　of　the　Society　of　Friends　and　the　teacher　of　a　small　private

school。　　He　knew　she　was　faithful　and　loyal　to　the　Government；　and

thought　she　might　be　willing　to　render　us　assistance；　but　he　could

not　be　certain　of　this；　for　on　account　of　her　well　known　loyalty　she

was　under　constant　surveillance。　　I　hesitated　at　first；　but　finally

deciding　to　try　it；　despatched　the　two　scouts　to　the　old　negro's

cabin；　and　they　brought　him　to　my　headquarters　late　that　night。　　I

was　soon　convinced　of　the　negro's　fidelity；　and　asking　him　if　he　was

acquainted　with　Miss　Rebecca　Wright；　of　Winchester；　he　replied　that

he　knew　her　well。　　There　upon　I　told　him　what　I　wished　to　do；　and

after　a　little　persuasion　he　agreed　to　carry　a　letter　to　her　on　his

next　marketing　trip。　　My　message　was　prepared　by　writing　it　on　tissue

paper；　which　was　then　compressed　into　a　small　pellet；　and　protected

by　wrapping　it　in　tin…foil　so　that　it　could　be　safely　carried　in　the

man's　mouth。　　The　probability；　of　his　being　searched　when　he　came　to

the　Confederate　picket…line　was　not　remote；　and　in　such　event　he　was

to　swallow　the　pellet。　　The　letter　appealed　to　Miss　Wright's　loyalty

and　patriotism；　and　requested　her　to　furnish　me　with　information

regarding　the　strength　and　condition　of　Early's　army。　　The　night

before　the　negro　started　one　of　the　scouts　placed　the　odd…looking

communication　in　his　hands；　with　renewed　injunctions　as　to　secrecy

and　promptitude。　　Early　the　next　morning　it　was　delivered　to　Miss

Wright；　with　an　intimation　that　a　letter　of　importance　was　enclosed

in　the　tin…foil；　the　negro　telling　her　at　the　same　time　that　she

might　expect　him　to　call　for　a　message　in　reply　before　his　return

home。　　At　first　Miss　Wright　began　to　open　the　pellet　nervously；　but

when　told　to　be　careful；　and　to　preserve　the　foil　as　a　wrapping　for

her　answer；　she　proceeded　slowly　and　carefully；　and　when　the　note

appeared　intact　the　messenger　retired；　remarking　again　that　in　the

evening　he　would　come　for　an　answer。



On　reading　my　communication　Miss　Wright　was　much　startled　by　the

perils　it　involved；　and　hesitatingly　consulted　her　mother；　but　her

devoted　loyalty　soon　silenced　every　other　consideration；　and　the

brave　girl　resolved　to　comply　with　my　request；　notwithstanding　it

might　jeopardize　her　life。　　The　evening　before　a　convalescent

Confederate　officer　had　visited　her　mother's　house；　and　in

conversation　about　the　war　had　disclosed　the　fact　that　Kershaw's

division　of　infantry　and　Cutshaw's　battalion　of　artillery　had　started

to　rejoin　General　Lee。　　At　the　time　Miss　Wright　heard　this　she

attached　little　if　any　importance　to　it；　but　now　she　perceived　the

value　of　the　intelligence；　and；　as　her　first　venture；　determined　to

send　it　to　me　at　once；　which　she　did　with　a　promise　that　in　the

future　she　would　with　great　pleasure　continue　to　transmit　information

by　the　negro　messenger。







〃SEPTEMBER　15；　1864。



〃I　learn　from　Major…General　Crook　that　you　are　a　loyal　lady；　and

still　love　the　old　flag。　　Can　you　inform　me　of　the　position　of

Early's　forces；　the　number　of　divisions　in　his　army；　and　the　strength

of　any　or　all　of　them；　and　his　probable　or　reported　intentions？　　Have

any　more　troops　arrived　from　Richmond；　or　are　any　more　coming；　or

reported　to　be　coming？



〃You　can　trust　the　bearer。〃



〃I　am；　very　respectfully；　your　most　obedient　servant；



〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General　Commanding。







〃SEPTEMBER　16；　1864。



〃I　have　no　communication　whatever　with　the　rebels；　but　will　tell　you

what　I　know。　　The　division　of　General　Kershaw；　and　Cutshaw's

artillery；　twelve　guns　and　men；　General　Anderson　commanding；　have

been　sent　away；　and　no　more　are　expected；　as　they　cannot　be　spared

from　Richmond。　　I　do　not　know　how　the　troops　are　situated；　but　the

force　is　much　smaller　than　represented。　　I　will　take　pleasure

hereafter　in　learning　all　I　can　of　their　strength　and　position；　and

the　bearer　may　call　again。



〃Very　respectfully　yours；

。。。。。。。。。。。。







Miss　Wright's　answer　proved　of　more　value　to　me　than　she　anticipated；

for　it　not　only　quieted　the　conflicting　reports　concerning　Anderson's

corps；　but　was　most　important　in　showing　positively　that　Kershaw　was

gone；　and　this　circumstance　led；　three　days　later；　to　the　battle　of

the　Opequon；　or　Winchester　as　it　has　been　unofficially　called。　　Word

to　the　effect　that　some　of　Early's　troops　were　under　orders　to　return

to　Petersburg；　and　would　start　back　at　the　first　favorable

opportunity；　had　been　communicated　to　me　already　from　many　sources；

but　we　had　not　been　able　to　ascertain　the　date　for　their　departure。

Now　that　they　had　actually　started；　I　decided　to　wait　before　offering

battle　until　Kershaw　had　gone　so　far　as　to　preclude　his　return；

feeling　confident　that　my　prudence　would　be　justified　by　the　improved

chances　of　victory；　and　then；　besides；　Mr。　Stanton　kept　reminding　me

that　positive　success　was　necessary　to　counteract　the　political

dissatisfaction　existing　in　some　of　the　Northern　States。　　This　course

was　advised　and　approved　by　General　Grant；　but　even　with　his　powerful

backing　it　was　difficult　to　resist　the　persistent　pressure　of　those

whose　judgment；　warped　by　their　interests　in　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio

railroad；　was　often　confused　and　misled　by　stories　of　scouts　（sent

out　from　Washington）；　averring　that　Kershaw　and　Fitzhugh　Lee　had

returned　to　Petersburg；　Breckenridge　to　southwestern　Virginia；　and　at

one　time　even　maintaining　that　Early's　whole　army　was　east　of　the

Blue　Ridge；　and　its　commander　himself　at　Gordonsville。



During　the　inactivity　prevailing　in　my　army　for　the　ten　days

preceding　Miss　Wright's　communication　the　infantry　was　quiet；　with

the　exception　of　Getty's　division；　which　made　a　reconnoissance　to　the

Opequon；　and　developed　a　heavy　force　of　the　enemy　at　Edwards's

Corners。　　The　cavalry；　however；　was　employed　a　good　deal　in　this

interval　skirmishing　heavily　at　times　to　maintain　a　space　about　six

miles　in　width　between　the　hostile　lines；　for　I　wished　to　control

this　ground　so　that　when　I　was　released　from　the　instructions　of

August　12；　I　could　move　my　men　into　position　for　attack　without　the

knowledge　of　Early。　　The　most　noteworthy　of　these　mounted　encounters

was　that　of　McIntosh's　brigade；　which　captured　the　Eighth　South

Carolina　at　Abraham's　Creek　September　13。



It　was　the　evening　of　the　16th　of　September　that　I　received　from　Miss

Wright　the　positive　information　that　Kershaw　was　in　march　toward

Front　Royal　on　his　way　by　Chester　Gap　to　Richmond。　　Concluding　that

this　was　my　opportunity；　I　at　once　resolved　to　throw　my　whole　force

into　Newtown　the　next　day；　but　a　despatch　from　General　Grant

directing　me　to　meet　him　at　Charlestown；　whither　he　was　coming　to

consult　with　me；　caused　me　to　defer　action　until　after　I　should　see

him。　　In　our　resulting　interview　at　Charlestown；　I　went　over　the

situation　very　thoroughly；　and　pointed　out　with　so　much　confidence

the　chances　of　a　complete　victory　should　I　throw　my　army　across　the

Valley　pike　near　Newtown　that　he　fell　in　with　the　plan　at　once；

authorized　me　to　resume　the　offensive；　and　to　attack　Early　as　soon　as

I　deemed　it　most　propitious　to　do　so；　and　although　before　leaving