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Description:
At dawn on October 19, the Confederate Army of the Valley under
Gen. Jubal Early surprised the Federal army at Cedar Creek. Three
Confederate divisions under Gen. Gordon had made a difficult night
march along a mountain path to strike the Federal left flank before
sunrise. Crossing the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, Gordon’s
divisions and Early’s forces on the left soon routed the Federal
VIII and XIX Army Corps. The Federal army, under the command of
Gen. Horatio Wright during Sheridan’s absence in Washington,
retreated north some distance. The Federal line began to stabilize
as elements of the Federal VI Corps fought hard in and around the
cemetery on the west side of Middletown. Many hungry Confederates
temporarily abandoned the pursuit to plunder the Federal camps for
food. Several of Early’s commanders urged another assault
on the Federal lines but Early demurred. Gen. Sheridan had returned
from Washington the night before and had overnighted in Winchester.
Upon hearing news of the battle, he rode quickly from Winchester,
rallying his straggling troops, along the way. In the afternoon,
he launched a crushing counterattack, which recovered the camps
lost in the morning and routed Early’s forces.
Significance:
Sheridan's victory at Cedar Creek broke the back of the Confederate
army and ended effective Confederate resistance in the Shenandoah
Valley for the remainder of the war. President Abraham Lincoln rode
the momentum of Sheridan's victories in the Valley, along with Maj.
Gen. William T. Sherman's successes in Georgia, to re-election.
Cedar Creek was one of the two largest battles fought in the Shenandoah
Valley.
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