Page images
PDF
EPUB

Wharton's Brigade.-Captain R. H. Logan: Forty-fifth Virginia, Major Alexander M. Davis; Fifty-first Virginia, Colonel August Fosberg; Thirtieth Virginia Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel J. Lyle Clark.

Smith's Brigade.—Colonel Thomas Smith: Thirty-sixth Virginia, Lieutenant Jackson Vin; Sixtieth Virginia, Captain A. G. P. George; Forty-fifth Virginia Battalion, Captain W. B. Hensly; Thomas Legion, Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Lowe.

KERSHAW'S DIVISION.

MAJOR-GENERAL J. B. KERSHAW, Commanding.

Wofford's Brigade.- Colonel C. C. Sanders: Sixteenth Georgia, Major J. S. Cholston; Eighteenth Georgia, Colonel Joseph Armstrong; Twentyfourth Georgia, Colonel C. C. Sanders; Third Georgia Battalion, LieutenantColonel N. L. Hutchins; Cobb's Legion, Lieutenant-Colonel L. J. Glenn; Phillip's Legion, Lieutenant-Colonel J. Hamilton.

Kershaw's Brigade.- Brigadier-General Conner: Second South Carolina, Colonel J. D. Kennedy; Third South Carolina, Colonel W. D. Rutherford; Seventh South Carolina, Captain E. J. Goggans; Eighth South Carolina, Colonel J. W. Henagan; Fifteenth South Carolina, Colonel J. B. Davis; Twentieth South Carolina, Col. S. M. Boykin; Third South Carolina Battalion, Lieutenant [Colonel] W. G. Rice.

Humphreys' Brigade.— Brigadier-General B. G. Humphreys: Thirteenth Mississippi, Lieutenant-Colonel A. G. O'Brien; Seventeenth Mississippi, Captain J. C. Cockran; Eighteenth Mississippi, Colonel T. M. Griffin; Twenty-first Mississippi, Colonel D. N. Moody.

Bryan's Brigade.— Brigadier-General Goode Bryan: Tenth Georgia, Colonel W. C. Holt; Fiftieth Georgia, Colonel P. McGloshan; Fifty-first Georgia, Colonel E. Ball; Fifty-third Georgia, Colonel J. P. Simms.

ARTILLERY DIVISION.

COLONEL T. H. CARTER, Commanding.

Braxton's Battalion.-Lieutenant-Colonel C. M. Braxton: Alleghany Artillery, Virginia, Captain J. C. Carpenter; Stafford Artillery, Virginia, Captain W. P. Cooper; Lee Battery, Virginia, Lieutenant W. W. Hardwick.

Cutshaw's Battalion.-Major W. E. Cutshaw: Orange Artillery, Virginia, Captain C. W. Fry; Staunton Artillery, Virginia, Captain A. W. Garber; Courtney Battery, Virginia, L. F. Jones.

McLaughlin's Battalion.-Major William McLaughlin: Bryan's Virginia Battery; Chapman's Virginia Battery; Lowry's Virginia Battery.

Nelson's Battalion.—Lieutenant-Colonel William Nelson: Amherst Artillery, Virginia, Captain T. J. Kirkpatrick; Fluvanna Artillery, Virginia, Captain J. L. Massic; Milledge's Artillery, Georgia, Captain John Milledge.

CAVALRY FORCES.

LOMAX' DIVISION.

MAJOR-GENERAL J. J. LOMAX.

McCausland's Brigade.-Brigadier-General J. McCausland: Fourteenth Virginia; Sixteenth Virginia; Seventeenth Virginia; Twenty-Fifth Virginia; Thirtyseventh Virginia Battalion.

Johnson's Brigade.- Brigadier-General B. T. Johnson: Eighth Virginia; Twenty-first Virginia; Twenty-second Virginia; Thirty-fourth Virginia Battery; Thirty-sixth Virginia Battery.

Jackson's Brigade.- Brigadier-General H. B. Davidson: First Maryland; Nineteenth Virginia; Twentieth Virginia; Forty-sixth Virginia Battalion; Fortyseventh Virginia Battalion.

Imboden's Brigade.- Colonel George H. Smith: Eighteenth Virginia; Twenty-third Virginia; Sixty-second Mounted Infantry.

LEE'S DIVISION.

Wickham's Brigade.- Brigadier-General W. C. Wickham: First Virginia, Colonel Carter; Second Virginia, Colonel Mumford; Third Virginia, Colonel Owen; Fourth Virginia, Colonel Payne.

Lomax' Brigade.- Brigadier-General L. L. Lomax: Fifth Virginia, Colonel H. Clay Pate; Sixth Virginia, Colonel Julien Harrison; Fifteenth Virginia, Colonel C. R. Collins.

Rosser's Brigade.-Brigadier-General Thomas L. Rosser: Seventh Virginia, Colonel R. H. Dulany; Eleventh Virginia, Colonel O. R. Funsten; Twelfth Virginia, Colonel A. W. Harman; Thirty-fifth Virginia Battalion, LieutenantColonel E. V. White.

[graphic]
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

CHAPTER XIX.

SHERIDAN'S RIDE.

THE DASH TO CEDAR CREEK

HORSE-A DESPERATE

-

HOW THE RIDE WAS MADE SHERIDAN'S WAR-
SITUATION-THE TIDE OF BATTLE RUNNING

AGAINST THE UNION TROOPS A FRESH INSPIRATION FOR THE ARMY-
HOW THE STORY OF IT CAME TO BE WRITTEN - HOW T. BUCHANAN READ
GOT HIS INSPIRATION.

BETWEEN Winchester and Cedar Creek sixteen to eighteen miles of turnpike stretched away up the beautiful valley that had been made desolate by the torch and tramp of armies. As that charming region, clad in the garb of summer, lay between the mountains, its bright colors reflected in the rays of a mellow sunshine, it was but a sad reminder of the once great granary that for more than three years of conflict had furnished untold supplies to the Confederate Army. Sheridan had laid it waste.

He had clinched with and beaten Early at Winchester, and now he was hurrying with all speed back to the scenes of strife, where the tide of battle was ebbing and flowing upon a new field, and the fate of the day hung trembling in the balance.

For several weary, doubtful hours the two armies had been in deadly conflict. When Sheridan arrived at Winchester, the roar of artillery and the roll of musketry could be distinctly heard from the field of carnage along Cedar Creek. Down the valley came the awful din, echoing louder and louder through the still summer air, as the battle grew fiercer. There was but short delay at Winchester, the chief town in the lower valley.

There Sheridan mounted his favorite war-horse,- a large, beautiful, sinewy, black charger, who had borne his master through the heat of many conflicts. He is dead now, and his body has been preserved, that men yet to come may see the animal whose endurance has been recorded in enduring verse. Through the town and out over the turnpike which leads up the Shenandoah, Sheridan rode.

Who, knowing the quality of the man, cannot picture the restless rider urging his horse to his utmost speed to reach the field where the fate of his army was still pending in the hazard of war. He had only covered a few miles, when the moving mass of débris which always surges at the rear of a battle-field when the conflict is severe and doubtful, met his trained eye, and told more plainly than words what was going on in front. It was a signal of distress, and none knew it better than he. The sight fired his heart anew, and only added fresh impetus to his foaming horse. He reached the field after a sleepless night and a terrific journey, and the battle of Cedar Creek was won. Both poet and painter took up the theme of the ride and made it famous.

"I was not with Sheridan at this time," said James E. Murdoch, "but was at the headquarters of the Army of the Cumberland. Soon after the battle of Cedar Creek, I came up to Cincinnati and was visiting Mr. Cyrus Garrett, whom we called 'Old Cyclops.' He was T. Buchanan Read's brother-in-law, and with him the poet made his home. The ladies of Cincinnati had arranged to give me a reception that finally turned into an ovation. I had given many readings to raise funds to assist their Soldiers' Aid Society, and they were going to present me with a silk flag. Pike's Opera House had been secured, the largest place of amusement in the city, and they had made every arrangement to have the reception a very dramatic event. The morning of the day it was to take place, Read and I were, as usual, taking our breakfast late. We had just finished, but were still sitting at the table chatting.

"Mr. Garrett, the brother-in-law, a business man and guided by business habits, came in while we were thus lounging. He wore an air of impatience, and carried a paper in his hand. He walked directly up to Read, unfolded a copy of Harper's Weekly and held it up before the man so singularly gifted as both poet and painter. The whole front of the paper was covered with a striking picture representing Sheridan, seated on his black horse, just emerging from a cloud of dust that rolled up from the highway as he dashed along, followed by a few troopers. "There,' said Mr. Garrett, addressing Read, see what you have missed. You ought to have drawn that picture yourself and gotten the credit of it; it is just in your line. The first thing you know somebody will write a poem on that event, and you will be beaten all round.'

"Read looked at the picture rather quizzically-a look which I interrupted by saying:

« PreviousContinue »