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SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGNS
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See also:SHENANDOAH VALLEY See also:CAMPAIGNS . During the See also:American See also:Civil See also:War the Shenandoah Valley was frequently the See also:scene of military operations, and at two points in the war these operations See also:rose to the height of See also:separate campaigns possessing See also:great significance in the See also:general development of the war. From a military point of view the Shenandoah Valley was valuable to the See also:army which controlled it as a requisitioning See also:area, for in this fertile region crops and See also:cattle were plentiful. There were, moreover, numerous See also:mills and factories. For the Confederates the Valley was also a recruiting area. A macadamized road from See also:Lexington via See also:Staunton and See also:Winchester to Martinsburg gave them easy See also:access to See also:Maryland and enabled them to See also:cover See also:Lynchburg from the See also:north. By a See also:system of See also:railways which See also:united at Gordonsville and See also:Charlottesville troops from See also:Richmond and Lynchburg were detrained within easy distance of five See also:good passes over See also:Blue See also:Ridge, and as Strasburg in the valley lies almost due See also:west of See also:Washington it was believed in the North that a Confederate army thereabouts menaced a See also:city the See also:protection of which was a See also:constant See also:factor in the Federal See also:plan of See also:campaign. The Valley was 6o m. wide at Martinsburg and had been cleared of See also:timber, so that the movements of troops were not restricted to the roads: the creeks and See also:rivers were fordable at most places in summer by levelling the approaches: the terrain was specially suitable for mounted troops. The existence of the parallel obstacle between Strasburg and See also:Newmarket, the two forks of the Shenandoah See also:river enclosing the Massanutton range, afforded opportunities for strategic manoeuvres. In the See also:spring of 1862 the immense army organized by General McClellan advanced and threatened to sweep all before it. The Confederates, based on Richmond, were compelled to show a front westward to the Alleghanies, northward to the See also:Potomac and eastwards to the See also:Atlantic. The See also:main armies were engaged on the See also:Yorktown See also:peninsula and the other operations were secondary. Yet in one instance a Confederate detachment that varied in strength between 5000 and 17,000 contrived to make some stir in the See also:world and won renown for its See also:commander. General See also: Meanwhile Jackson had taken See also:refuge in the passes of Blue Ridge, where he too was reinforced. See also:Ewell's division joined him at See also:Swift Run See also:Gap, and at the beginning of May he decided to See also:watch Banks with Ewell's division and to proceed himself with the See also:remainder of his command to join See also:Edward See also: Jackson's opportunity had come to destroy Banks's force completely. The Confederates numbered 16,000, the Federals only 6000 men. Jackson availed himself of the Luray Valley route to intercept Banks after capturing the See also:post at Front Royal. He captured the post, but failed to intercept Banks, who escaped northwards by the See also:turnpike road and covered his See also:retreat across the Potomac by a rear-guard See also:action at Winchester on the 25th of May. Jackson followed and reached Halltown a few days later. But his stay McDowell had sent Shields up the Valley by, the Luray route. But Jackson gained Newmarket in safety and destroyed the See also:bridge by which Shields could emerge from the Luray Valley to join Fremont, who was See also:left to See also:cope with Jackson single-handed. Jackson's rearguard destroyed the bridges and otherwise See also:cross impeded Fremont's advance, but a week later (June Keys and 7th) Fremont at Harrisonburg located his enemy at See also:Port Cross Keys and next See also:day he attacked with 10,500 men. See also:Republic. Shields was still at Luray. Jackson held Fremont with Ewell's division (8000) and with the remainder proceeded to the left See also:bank of the Shenandoah near Port Republic to await developments, for Shields had pushed forward a strong advanced guard under General See also:Tyler, whose vanguard (two squadrons) crossed the river while Fremont was engaged with Ewell. Tyler's See also:cavalry was driven back with heavy loss. Jackson retained possession of the bridge by which Tyler and Fremont could unite, and next day he crossed the river to attack Tyler's two brigades. The engagement of the 9th of June is called the battle of Port Republic. Jackson with 13,000 men attacked Tyler with 3000 men, and Tyler, after stoutly resisting in the vain See also:hope that the main body under Shields would come up from See also:Conrad's See also:Store or that Fremont would cross the river and fall upon Jackson, retired with a loss of some 800 men, leaving as many Confederates hors de combat. Tyler's brave efforts were in vain, for Shields had once more received orders from Washington which appeared to him to justify leaving his detachment to its See also:fate, and Fremont could not reach the river in See also:time to See also:save the bridge, which Ewell's rear-guard burnt after Jackson had concentrated his forces against Tyler on the right bank. A few days later Jackson received orders to quit the Valley and join the main army before Richmond, and President Lincoln simultaneously discovered that he could not afford to keep the divisions of Fremont, Banks and McDowell engaged in operations against Jackson: so the Valley was at See also:peace for a time.
In stricter connexion with the operations of the main armies in See also:Virginia, the Confederates brought off two great coups in the Valley—Jackson's See also:capture of Harper's See also:Ferry and Martinsburg in the autumn of 1862 and Ewell's See also:expulsion of Milroy from Martinsburg and Winchester in June 1863. The concentration of the Federal forces in N. Virginia in May 1864 for the campaign which ultimately took See also: Grant then detached See also:Sheridan to join Hunter at Charlottesville, but Lee sent See also:Hampton's cavalry by a shorter route to intercept Sheridan, and a battle at Trevillian Station compelled Sheridan to return and leave Hunter to his fate. The losses in this cavalry combat exceeded See also:i000, for the dense See also:woods, the use of barricades and the armament of the mounted troops caused both sides to fight on See also:foot until lack of See also:ammunition brought the action to an end. Sheridan during his three months' command of the Federal cavalry had steadfastly adhered to the principle of always fighting the enemy's cavalry, and, though now compelled to return to the Pamunkey, he contrived to draw Hampton's force after him in that direction. Mean-while on the 13th of June General See also:Early had moved from See also:Cold Harbor to add his command to the Confederate forces in the Valley. Early succeeded in interposing between Hunter and Lynchburg, and within a week drove Hunter out of Virginia by the Kanawha river route. Early then moved down the Valley turnpike unmolested. Expelling Sigel from Martinsburg on the 4th of See also:July and See also:crossing the Potomac opposite See also:Sharpsburg, he soon appeared before Washington, after defeating an improvised force undef Lew See also:Wallace on the Monocacy. Grant then detached See also:Wright's See also:corps (VI.) from See also:Petersburg and called Emory's corps (XIX.) from the West to oppose Early, who after creating serious alarm retired, on the 13th of July, by Leesburg and Snicker's Gap into the Valley at Winchester. Hunter had meanwhile gained Harper's Ferry via the See also:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and, when Early withdrew towards Strasburg, General Crook collected the forces of Hunter and Sigel to followthe Confederates, but Early turned upon Crook and drove him back to the Potomac. Early then sent a detachment into Maryland to See also:burn the See also:town of See also:Chambersburg. The alarm in the North for the safety of Washington was only quieted by the See also:appointment of General Sheridan to command in the Valley. He arrived on the scene early in See also:August. His See also:mission was to, drive Early up the Valley or, if the Confederates crossed into Maryland, to intercept their return, and in any See also:case sherimn's he was to destroy all supplies in the See also:country which campaign. could not be consumed by his own army. Sheridan
made Harper's Ferry his headquarters and concentrated at Halltown. Early retained his position about Bunker's Hill, destroyed the Ohio railroad, and held the main road up the Valley until Sheridan moved out in force on the loth of August. Early then retreated up the Valley to See also:Fisher's Hill (Strasburg), where he expected to be joined by See also: Each commander, however, hesitated to bring on a battle, Sheridan because the result of the Presidential See also:election would be seriously affected by his defeat at this moment, and Early because with his inferior forces he was content to know that his position on Sheridan's flank effectively covered the Valley. But Sheridan was now at the head of the most formidable army that had ever invaded this region. It consisted of three small army corps under Wright (VI.), Emory (XIX.) and Crook (VIII.) and Torbert's cavalry (6000) in three divisions under Averel_, See also:Merritt and See also: The Federal victory, however, cost Sheridan 4500 casualties and he had hoped for greater success, since Early had divided his forces. Sheridan's plan was to overwhelm Ramseur before he could be supported by Rodes and Gordon, but Early contrived to bring these divisions up and See also:counter-attack while Sheridan was engaged with Ramseur. Early had confided his left to Fitz Lee's cavalry and taken Breckinridge to strengthen his right. But Merritt's horsemen rode through the Confederate cavalry, who fled, communicating their panic to the infantry of the left wing, and the day was lost. Early retreated through See also:Newtown and Strasburg, but at Fisher's Hill behind Tumbling Run, where the Valley was entrenched on a front of 3 M. between the Shenandoah river and Little North See also:Mountain, Early rallied his forces and again detailed his cavalry to protect his left from a turning movement. But Sheridan repeated his manceuvre, and again on the 22nd of September Early was attacked and routed, General Crook's See also:column having outflanked him by a detour on the western or Back road. Early now retreated to Mount Jackson, checked the pursuit at Rode's Hill, and, evading all Sheridan's efforts to bring him again to battle, reached Port Republic on the 25th of September. On learning of this disaster, and the See also:distress of his troops, General Lee promised to send him boots, arms and ammunition, but under pressure of Grant's army, he could not spare any troops. Lee had estimated Sheridan's force at 12,000 effective infantry, and Early's report as to his being outnumbered by three or four to one was not credited. Yet Early had much to do to avoid destruction, for Sheridan had planned to cut off Early by moving his cavalry up the Luray Valley to Newmarket while the infantry held him at Fisher's Hill; but Torbert with the cavalry blundered. Sheridan made Harrisonburg his headquarters on the 25th of September, where he relieved Averell of his command for having failed to pursue after the battle of Fisher's Hill. In the first week of See also:October Sheridan held a line, across the Valley from Port Republic along North river to the Back road, and his cavalry had advanced to See also:Waynesboro to destroy the railroad bridge there, to drive off cattle, and burn the mills and all See also:forage and breadstuffs. Early had taken refuge in Blue Ridge at Rockfish Gap, where he awaited Rosser's cavalry and Kershaw's division (See also:Longstreet's corps), for Lee had resolved upon again reinforcing the Valley command, and upon their arrival Early advanced to Mount Crawford and thence to Newmarket. The Federals retired before him, but his cavalry was soon to suffer another repulse,- for Rosser and Lomax having followed up Sheridan closely on the 9th of October with five brigades, the Federal cavalry under Torbert turned upon this body when it reached Tom's See also:Brook (Fisher's Hill) and routed it. Sheridan burnt the bridges behind him as he retired on Winchester, and apparently trusted that Early would trouble him no more and then he would rejoin Grant at Petersburg. But Early determined to go north again, though he had to rely upon See also:Augusta See also:county, south of Harrisonburg, for supplies, for Sheridan had wasted See also:Rockingham and Shenandoah counties in accordance with Grant's See also:order. The Union commander-in-See also:chief, contemplating a longer struggle between the main armies than he had at first reckoned on, had deter-See also:mined that the devastation of the Valley should be thorough and lasting in its effect. Sheridan at Winchester was now See also:free to detach troops to aid Grant, or remain quiescent covering the Ohio railroad, or move east of Blue Ridge. He had resisted the demand of the See also:government, which Grant had endorsed, that Early should be driven through the Blue Ridge back on Richmond. Sheridan pointed out that See also:guerrilla forces were always in his rear, that he would needto reopen the See also:Alexandria railroad as a line of See also:supply, that he must detach forces to hold the Valley and protect the railroads, and that on nearing Richmond he might be attacked by a column sent out by Lee to aid Early. Yet in fact Sheridan carried out the government See also:programme at the beginning of 1865, and therefore we may assume that his objections in October were not well-founded. Then he was expected to drive Early out of the Valley, but halted at Harrisonburg and, although in superior force, afterwards retired to Winchester, and his boast of having wasted the Valley seemed See also:ill-timed, since Early was able to follow him down to Strasburg. There was evidently some factor in the case which is not disclosed by Sheridan in his See also:Memoirs. Early at Newmarket on the 9th of October said that he could depend on only 6000 muskets if he detached Kershaw, and he had discovered that all positions in the Valley Cedar could be turned, that the open country favoured the Creek. See also:shock See also:tactics of the Federal cavalry, and so placed his own cavalry at a disadvantage, who, he declared, could not by dismounted action withstand attacks by superior numbers with the arme See also:blanche. In these circumstances it would appear that Early showed great enterprise in following Sheridan down to Strasburg on the 13th of October " to thwart his purposes if he should contemplate moving across the Ridge or sending troops to Grant." But as his forward position at Fisher's Hill could not be See also:long maintained for want of forage, he resolved to attack Sheridan, and on the See also:night of the 18th of October he sent three divisions under Gordon to gain the enemy's rear, while Kershaw's division attacked his left and See also:Wharton's division and the See also:artillery engaged him in front. The attack was timed to commence at 5 A.M. on the 19th of October, when Rosser's cavalry was to engage Sheridan's cavalry and that of Lomax was to See also:close the Luray Valley. This somewhat complicated disposition of forces was entirely successful, and Early counted his gains as 1300 prisoners and 18 guns after routing the Federal corps VIII. and XIX. and causing Wright's corps (VI.) to retire. Yet before nightfall Early's force was in turn routed and he lost 23 guns. Early's report is that of a disheartened general. He complains that his troops took to plundering, that his regimental See also:officers were incapable; and it is always the Federal cavalry that cause panic by threatening to See also:charge; he has to confess that with a whole day before him he could neither See also:complete his victory nor take up a position for See also:defence, nor even retreat in good order with the spoils of battle. Sheridan had, it seems, actually put Wright's corps in march for Petersburg when See also:news of Early's advance down the Valley reached him; then he recalled Wright and on the 14th of October was holding a defensive line along the north bank of Cedar Creek west of the Valley See also:pike about See also:Middleton. Early had reconnoitred and withdrawn as far as Fisher's Hill near Strasburg. Sheridan at this juncture was called to Washington to consult See also:Halleck, the " chief of See also:staff," on the 16th of October in reference to his future movements: for Halleck claimed to See also:control Sheridan and often modified Grant's instructions to his subordinate. Before Sheridan could rejoin his army on the l9th of October Early had attacked and routed it, but Sheridan met the fugitives and rallied them with the cry: " We must See also:face the other way." He found Getty's division and the cavalry acting as rear-guard, and resolved to attack as soon as his troops could be reorganized. Sheridan was, however, disturbed by reports of Longstreet's coming by the Front Royal road to cut him off at Winchester, and hesitated for some hours; but at 4. p.m. he attacked and drove back the Confederates and so recovered all the ground lost in the See also:morning, and recaptured his abandoned guns and baggage. After the battle of Cedar Creek, Early again retreated south to Newmarket and Sheridan was in no See also:condition to pursue. The Federal government had agreed to Sheridan's proposal to fortify a defensive line at Kernstown and hold it with a detachment while Sheridan rejoined Grant with the main body. On the rrth of See also:November, Early again advanced to reconnoitre at Cedar Creek, but was driven back to Newmarket. At the beginning , Fisher's Hill. of See also:December the See also:weather threatened to interfere with movement, and both sides began to send back troops to Petersburg. During the winter there were only cavalry raids and guerrilla warfare, and in See also:February 1865 the infantry remaining on each See also:side was less than a strong division. Sheridan seized the opportunity to advance with io,000 cavalry. Early delayed this advance with his cavalry, while he evacuated Staunton; he called up a See also:brigade to defend Lynchburg and proceeded to Waynesboro to await developments. Sheridan feared to advance on See also:Lynch-See also:burg leaving Early on his flank and decided to attack Early at Waynesboro; and on the 2nd of March the Federal commander was rewarded by decisive victory, capturing 1600 Confederates and their baggage and artillery. Early himself escaped and Rosser's cavalry dispersed to their homes in the Valley, but with Early's third defeat all organized resistance in the Shenandoah Valley came to an end. Sheridan moved over Blue Ridge to Charlottesville and began his See also:work of destruction south and east. Lynchburg was too strongly held to be captured, but from See also:Amherst See also:Court See also:House the railway to Charlottesville and the canal to Richmond were destroyed, and thus Lee's army was deprived of these See also:arteries of supply. On the loth of March at See also:Columbia, on the James river south of Charlottesville, Sheridan sent couriers to advise Grant of his success, and on the 19th of March he rejoined the main army in Eastern Virginia, receiving Grant's warm See also:commendation for having " voluntarily deprived himself of See also:independence." (G. W. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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