Summary:
General Phil Sheridan reports to Grant on September, 1864, actions in the
Shenandoah Valley. Sheridan announces his intent to send cavalry to
Staunton.
Lieut.-Gen. GRANT.
HARRISONBURG,
September 25, 1864--11.30 p. m.
(Received 27th.)
I pressed the enemy hard yesterday; at the same time pushed forward Col. Powell's cavalry through Timbervile, and struck the Valley pike in his rear. This latter movement stampeded him so badly that late last evening he gave up the Valley pike and struck off toward Keexletown and Port Republic, leaving the entire valley way free. All my infantry arrived at Harrisonburg at 4 p. m. to-day. Col. Powell's cavalry reached Mount Crawford to-night. Torbert's cavalry overtook me this evening. Its operations in the Luray Valley, on which I calculated so much, were an entire failure. They were held at Milford by two small brigades of Fitz Lee's cavalry, and then fell back toward Front royal until after they had learned of our success at Fisher's Hill. They then proceeded up the valley again, encountering the enemy's cavalry at Luray, capturing some 75 or 80 men and horses; then joined me, via New Market. Powell's cavalry whipped a portion of the enemy's cavalry near Harrisonburg yesterday; captured and burned 9 wagons. I find at this place 104 miles from Harper's Ferry. I will send a column of cavalry to Staunton to-morrow morning, and will probably follow the enemy in the direction of Port Republic with the infantry. Every hour brings me additional information of the demoralization of Early's army. Reports late this evening say that he is moving toward Charlottesville; other reports are that he is going to Waynesborough. The part that I expected the cavalry to accomplish at Fisher's Hill was a complete failure. I have relieved Averell from his command. Instead of following the enemy when he was broken he went into camp, and let me pursue the enemy for a distance of fifteen miles with infantry during the night. Early burned quite a number of wagons on his way up the Valley. He also abandoned two caissons on the Keezletown road not far from this place.
P. H. SHERIDAN,
Maj.-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 43, Serial No. 90, Pages 28-29, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
