Started By
Message
re: 150 years ago this day...
Posted on 9/19/14 at 9:33 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Posted on 9/19/14 at 9:33 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Tuesday, 20 September 1864
General Phillip Sheridan finally had General Jubal Early’s Cavalry force on the run in the Shenandoah Valley. Following the Battle of Third Winchester, or Opequon Creek, yesterday, Early was moving “up” the valley, which due to the direction the river flows, meant moving South. The pursuit lasted through Middleton, Virginia, passing through Strasburg until they reached a spot called Fisher’s Hill. There Early’s men stopped. In response, Sheridan ordered his men, who were still north of the town, to halt and begin to entrench. In the early days of the War, it would have been unheard of for proud cavaliers of the Cavalry to dig ditches to fight in, but there had been some changes to tactics made in the past three and one half years.
Another report: In the Shenandoah, Philip Sheridan pursued Jubal Early, with fighting at Middletown, Strasburg, and Cedarville. By evening, Federals were fortifying on high ground north of Strasburg. Early was south of Strasburg on Fisher’s Hill, having narrowly escaped disaster.
In Missouri, Sterling Price’s Confederates captured Keytesville and then advanced on Fayette.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis left Richmond for Georgia to consult with officials on how best to regain Southern momentum. Davis also sought to assure Southerners that they were down, but not yet defeated.
Skirmishing in Georgia threatened General William T. Sherman’s tenuous supply lines.
Federals raided from Kentucky and eastern Tennessee into southwestern Virginia.
General Phillip Sheridan finally had General Jubal Early’s Cavalry force on the run in the Shenandoah Valley. Following the Battle of Third Winchester, or Opequon Creek, yesterday, Early was moving “up” the valley, which due to the direction the river flows, meant moving South. The pursuit lasted through Middleton, Virginia, passing through Strasburg until they reached a spot called Fisher’s Hill. There Early’s men stopped. In response, Sheridan ordered his men, who were still north of the town, to halt and begin to entrench. In the early days of the War, it would have been unheard of for proud cavaliers of the Cavalry to dig ditches to fight in, but there had been some changes to tactics made in the past three and one half years.
Another report: In the Shenandoah, Philip Sheridan pursued Jubal Early, with fighting at Middletown, Strasburg, and Cedarville. By evening, Federals were fortifying on high ground north of Strasburg. Early was south of Strasburg on Fisher’s Hill, having narrowly escaped disaster.
In Missouri, Sterling Price’s Confederates captured Keytesville and then advanced on Fayette.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis left Richmond for Georgia to consult with officials on how best to regain Southern momentum. Davis also sought to assure Southerners that they were down, but not yet defeated.
Skirmishing in Georgia threatened General William T. Sherman’s tenuous supply lines.
Federals raided from Kentucky and eastern Tennessee into southwestern Virginia.
1
Posted on 9/20/14 at 9:12 pm to BadLeroyDawg
Wednesday, 21 September 1864
The pursuit of General Jubal Early “up” the Shenandoah Valley continued today. Having resisted the move back to General Robert E. Lee in Petersburg for as long as he could, Early now was in a desperate race to do exactly that. The impediment was General Phillip Sheridan, who accomplished two things today. First, there was the fighting: Early had fortified Fisher’s Hill, and Sheridan had to advance slowly there. Additional actions took place at Strasburg, and at Front Royal, where the Confederates managed to keep Sheridan’s men out of the Luray Valley for one more day.
Union probes against Early's lines at Fisher's Hill show the position would be very costly to attack frontally. General George R. Crook proposes a flank march by his two divisions through the steep mountain terrain on the Confederate left flank. The plan is violently opposed by Sixth Corps Commander Horatio Wright but Sheridan, who was Crook's roommate at West Point, approves. After nightfall, Sheridan detached Crook and one corps to move around the left flank of Early.
Early's second in command, John Breckinridge, is ordered to leave the Valley to resume command of the Department of East Tennessee and Western Virginia.
Philip Sheridan became permanent commander of the Federal Middle Military District, including the Shenandoah Valley.
With Early damaged and pinned down, the Valley lay open to the Union. And because of Sherman's capture of Atlanta, President Abraham Lincoln's re-election now seemed assured. Sheridan would pull back slowly down the Valley and conducted a scorched earth campaign that would presage Sherman's March to the Sea in November. The goal was to deny the Confederacy the means of feeding its armies in Virginia, and Sheridan's army did so ruthlessly, burning crops, barns, mills, and factories.
Lincoln spoke with various political leaders and administration officials to gather support and gauge public opinion on the upcoming election.
The pursuit of General Jubal Early “up” the Shenandoah Valley continued today. Having resisted the move back to General Robert E. Lee in Petersburg for as long as he could, Early now was in a desperate race to do exactly that. The impediment was General Phillip Sheridan, who accomplished two things today. First, there was the fighting: Early had fortified Fisher’s Hill, and Sheridan had to advance slowly there. Additional actions took place at Strasburg, and at Front Royal, where the Confederates managed to keep Sheridan’s men out of the Luray Valley for one more day.
Union probes against Early's lines at Fisher's Hill show the position would be very costly to attack frontally. General George R. Crook proposes a flank march by his two divisions through the steep mountain terrain on the Confederate left flank. The plan is violently opposed by Sixth Corps Commander Horatio Wright but Sheridan, who was Crook's roommate at West Point, approves. After nightfall, Sheridan detached Crook and one corps to move around the left flank of Early.
Early's second in command, John Breckinridge, is ordered to leave the Valley to resume command of the Department of East Tennessee and Western Virginia.
Philip Sheridan became permanent commander of the Federal Middle Military District, including the Shenandoah Valley.
With Early damaged and pinned down, the Valley lay open to the Union. And because of Sherman's capture of Atlanta, President Abraham Lincoln's re-election now seemed assured. Sheridan would pull back slowly down the Valley and conducted a scorched earth campaign that would presage Sherman's March to the Sea in November. The goal was to deny the Confederacy the means of feeding its armies in Virginia, and Sheridan's army did so ruthlessly, burning crops, barns, mills, and factories.
Lincoln spoke with various political leaders and administration officials to gather support and gauge public opinion on the upcoming election.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News