October 19, 1864 Wednesday
Working their way carefully around the base of Three-top Mountain by a concealed pathway, and hidden by early morning fog, the three main forces of Gen Jubal Early struck the Federal encampment at Cedar Creek or Belle Grove. The Northern positions crumpled and some still-sleeping soldiers were rudely awakened. As the sun rose and the fog lifted, the Confederates of Joseph B. Kershaw and John Brown Gordon had full possession of the camps and earthworks of the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps of Sheridan’s army and had taken many prisoners, considerable artillery, camp equipment, and trains. Next Early attacked the Federal Sixth Corps, which had just returned to the army. Sixth Corps commander Horatio Wright was in charge of the entire army due to Sheridan’s absence. Sheridan had been in Washington part of Oct 17 and hurried back toward the Valley by special train the same night. On Oct 18 he went from Martinsburg, West Virginia to Winchester, arriving in midafternoon. Instead of leaving directly for Cedar Creek, Sheridan paused to survey the defenses of the town.
The Sixth Corps did manage to make brief stands against Early’s thrusts, withdrawing to a post north and west of Middletown, supported by the other slowly rallying Federals. Some of the Confederates looted the Cedar Creek camps as Early halted the drive. About ten-thirty in the morning Sheridan arrived from Winchester, helped inspire the Federals, strengthened the lines, and about 4PM attacked. He drove Early back to Fisher’s Hill with heavy losses in men and materiel. The Confederates were badly beaten but they had made a gallant showing. Sheridan’s return became the theme of the famous poem of T. Buchanan Read, “Sheridan’s Ride,” which perhaps exaggerated the Federal commander’s role. Out of more than 30,000 engaged, the North lost 644 killed, 3430 wounded, and 1591 missing for 5665 casualties. Confederate figures are disputed, with estimates of numbers engaged ranging from 8800 infantry to 18,000. Losses were possibly 320 killed, 1540 wounded, and 1050 missing for 2910. Confederate Maj Gen Stephen D. Ramseur (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Dodson_Ramseur ); Brigadier General Daniel Davidson Bidwell (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_D._Bidwell ), USA; and Brigadier General Charles Russell Lowell (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Russell_Lowell ), USA; were mortally wounded. Cedar Creek marked the last major battle of the war in the Shenandoah Valley. Early’s remnant continued to be a nuisance, but Federals controlled the Valley until the end (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cedar_Creek and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cedar_Creek ).
War came to Vermont. Confederate Lieut Bennett H. Young and about 25 Confederate soldiers descended upon St Albans, Vermont some 15 miles from the Canadian border. Young, operating from Canada, planned to burn and loot several towns. The Southerners robbed three banks of over $200,000 at St Albans. The citizens began to resist; one was mortally wounded and others hurt. In half an hour the Confederates were gone, pursued over the border, where Young and 12 others were arrested. About $75,000 was recovered (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Albans_Raid ).
Gen Forrest led his cavalry force out of Corinth, Mississippi toward Jackson, Tennessee on a new raid designed to cooperate with Hood’s move toward Alabama and Tennessee. Meanwhile, the skirmishing continued in Georgia at Turner’s and Howell’s ferries and Ruff’s Station. Action in Missouri increased as Price’s men pushed James G. Blunt’s Federals at Lexington back to the Little Blue River. There also were skirmishes near Montevallo, Missouri; and in Crawford County, Arkansas; and a five-day Federal reconnaissance from Little Rock to Princeton, Arkansas with skirmishing at Hurricane Creek on Oct 23. C.S.S. Shenandoah was officially received into the Confederate Navy after fitting out in the Madeira Islands. Alfred Gibbs, USA; Rutherford Birchard Hayes, USA; Charles Russell Lowell, USA; and William Henry Powell, USA; are appointed to Brigadier General.
U.S.S. Mobile, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Giraud, captured schooner Emily off San Luis Pass, Texas, with cargo of 150 bales of cotton.
Marylanders in Washington serenaded the President, who responded, “I am struggling to maintain government, not to overthrow it. I am struggling especially to prevent others fro overthrowing it.” He was referring to charges and rumors that the Democrats reportedly would seize the government immediately if their nominee were elected.