Here is a chronology of events in the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign leading up to the Battle of Cedar Creek:
May 14: Union Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel, commander of the Department of West Virginia, moved south in the Shenandoah Valley with 6,500 men, facing cavalry opposition by Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden. Maj. Gen. John C. Breckenridge brought in about 5,000 Confederate troops to support Imboden, and a skirmish at Rude's Hill signaled Confederate resolve to defend the valley.
Battle of New Market
May 15: Battle of New Market, Va. Breckenridge gathered the Confederate forces, including 247 cadets from Virginia Military Institute, and met Sigel at New Market. Sigel retreated to Strasburg, Va., suffering 93 dead, 482 wounded and 256 missing from a force of about 5,500 men. Confederate losses were 42 killed, 522 wounded and 13 missing. Of the VMI cadets, 10 were killed and 47 wounded.
May 21: A new federal commander, Maj. Gen. David Hunter, took over the Department of West Virginia after Sigel's defeat at New Market, and on May 26 marched from Strasburg toward Staunton, Va., with a force of 16,000 men. He was opposed by Brig. Gen. William E. Jones with a force of about 8,500 men.
June 2: Hunter engaged Jones at Covington, Va., pushing him back to his position at the start of the campaign at Lynchburg, Va.
June 3: Brig. Gen. William W. Averell's cavalry set out from Bunger's Mills, W.Va., to aid Hunter.
June 4: Hunter's advance continued with fighting at Port Republic and Harrisonburg, Va., and Panther Gap, W.Va.
Battle of Piedmont
June 5: Jones, with about 5,600 men, met Hunter at Piedmont, Va. Southern troops were routed and Jones was killed. Hunter lost about 780 men, and the Confederates lost about 1,600, 1,000 of whom were captured. Hunter moved toward Staunton, destroying civilian property in the valley.
June 6: Hunter occupied Staunton.
June 7: Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan and two divisions of cavalry were ordered to join Hunter at Charlottesville, Va., and operate again the railroads.
June 8: Brig. Gen. George Crook and Averell joined Hunter for the drive against Lynchburg, bringing his force to 18,000.
June 9: Hunter moved toward Lexington, Va., and Lynchburg. Breckenridge again gathered his forces to oppose the advance.
Battle of Trevilian Station
June 11: Sheridan's effort to join Hunter was blocked at Trevilian Station by Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton and Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. Hunter's men skirmished in Lexington, where they burned Virginia Military Institute. Gen. Robert E. Lee then detached Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early's corps from the siege at Petersburg, Va., to deal with Hunter.
June 12: Sheridan withdrew from Trevilian Station. He had about 8,000 men, and his losses in the fighting were 102 killed, 470 wounded and 435 missing. The Confederate force of about 5,000 men reported 612 casualties, but the report was not complete.
June 13: Early's corps moved toward the Shenandoah Valley.
June 16: Hunter moved toward the rail center at Lynchburg, which was defended by the Confederates under Breckenridge, but Early's corps was arriving rapidly. Skirmishes flared near Lynchburg.
4 June 17: Early joined Breckenridge at Lynchburg.
June 18: Hunter attacked Confederate forces at Lynchburg, then withdrew northward.
June 19: Early pursued Hunter's withdrawing troops. Hunter retreated into the Kanawha Valley, leaving the Shenandoah open for a Confederate advance.
June 20-23: Early's troops encountered Hunter's force in a series of skirmishes at Buford's Gap, Salem, Catawba Mountain, New Castle, Sweet Sulfur Springs and Cove Gap. Hunter continued his withdrawal into the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.
June 28: Early left Staunton for the Shenandoah Valley.
July 2: Early reached Winchester with little opposition. He
headed for the Potomac River, driving in federal pickets at Bolivar Heights near Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
July 3: Confederates moved into the Harpers Ferry area. A small Union force crossed the river at Shepherdstown, W.Va., and escaped into Maryland.
July 4: Early prepared to cross the Potomac near Harpers Ferry.
July 5: Early began crossing the Potomac at Shepherdstown after finding the federal position at Harpers Ferry too strong to take. Fighting broke out along the river at Keedysville, Point of Rocks and other places.
July 6: Early's troops captured Hagerstown. Early completed his crossing of the Potomac; Brig. Gen. John McCausland imposed a $20,000 ransom of Hagerstown in retribution for the damage caused by Hunter in the Shenandoah Valley.
July 7: Federal troops were hurried toward Washington; the 3rd Division of the 6th Corps arrived in Baltimore from Petersburg. Fighting was reported in Middletown, Brownsville and Catoctin Mountain.
July 8: Fighting spread to Antietam bridge, Frederick and Sandy Hook. Federal troops gathered at Frederick under Maj. Gen. Lewis Wallace.
Battle of Monocacy
July 9: Early's 10,000-man force moved toward the Monocacy River, southeast of Frederick. Wallace's force of 6,000 men was routed. Confederate losses at Monocacy were about 700; federal losses were about 2,000. Confederates imposed a levy of $200,000 on Frederick. Two divisions of the 6th Corps left the Petersburg area for Washington.
L July 10: Early approached Washington, fighting at Rockville.
July 11: Confederates entered the Washington suburbs. Units of the 19th Corps from New Orleans and two divisions of the 6th Corps from Petersburg prepared to defend the city.
July 12: Early skirmished extensively on the northern outskirts of Washington but found the garrison too strong. He retreated toward the Potomac at Leesburg, Va. The home of the Blair family in Silver Spring was burned during the retreat.
July 13: Early crossed the Potomac; Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright to pursue Early with the 6th and 19th Corps. By evening, 15,000 federal troops were in pursuit.
July 14: Early crossed the Potomac at White's Ford. Rear guard skirmishes were fought at Poolesville, but Wright was reluctant to pursue the Confederates into Virginia.
July 16: Early left Leesburg and headed back to the Shenandoah Valley.
July 17: Early gathered his forces near Berryville, Va., and engaged the federal troops of Hunter and Crook at Snicker's Ferry.
July 19: Federal scouts found Early at Berryville. His soldiers fought a series of skirmishes and withdrew toward Winchester.
July 20: Federal troops pressed Early near Winchester, and 250 Confederates were captured in a skirmish at Stephenson's Depot. Early continued to withdraw toward Strasburg.
July 22: 6th Corps was returned to Washington, leaving operations in the Shenandoah Valley to Hunter.
July 23: Early moved north toward Kernstown, Va.
Battle of Kernstown
July 24: Early attacked Crook at Kernstown. Crook was defeated and retreated to Bunker Hill, W.Va., on the way to Harpers Ferry. Early followed. Federal losses were 1,185, including 479 prisoners; Confederate casualties were light.
July 25: Early attacked Union troops at Bunker Hill and Martinsburg, W.Va., and Williamsport.
July 26: Crook crossed the Potomac, fighting a rear guard action at Falling Waters and Muddy Branch. Early destroyed Baltimore & Ohio railroad facilities at Martinsburg.
July 27: Early continued wrecking rail facilities in the northern Shenandoah and prepared to cross the Potomac.
July 29: Early's cavalry under McCausland crossed the Potomac west of Williamsport. Other Confederate cavalry units appeared at Harpers Ferry, Hagerstown, Clear Spring and Mercersburg, Pa.
July 30: McCausland entered Chambersburg, Pa. He threatened burn the town unless it paid reparations of $500,000 in currency or $100,000 in gold for damage caused by Hunter in the Shenandoah Valley. When the ransom couldn't be raised, McCausland burned the town and moved west to McConnellsburg, Pa. Averell's federal cavalry pursued him. Skirmishing also was reported at Emmitsburg, Monocacy Junction and Shepherdstown.
July 31: Averell attacked McCausland at Hancock. McCausland retreated to Cumberland.
Aug. 1: McCausland attacked Cumberland. Sheridan was named commander of the Army of the Shenandoah with the mission of clearing the valley of Confederate forces.
Aug. 2: McCausland again fought at Hancock as he sought to recross the Potomac.
Aug. 3: Sheridan reached Washington on his way to take over the Shenandoah command.
Aug. 4-5: Early continued skirmishing near the Potomac at Antietam Ford, Keedysville, Williamsport and Hagerstown and at Huttonsville and New Creek, W.Va.
Aug. 6: Early retreated south of the Potomac.
Aug. 7: Sheridan was assigned to command the new Middle Military Division, which included the original Middle Department, Washington, the Susquehanna and West Virginia commands.
Aug. 9: Sheridan prepared to move against Winchester.
Aug. 10: Early moved south from Bunker Hill to near Winchester as Sheridan marched south from Harpers Ferry.
Aug. 11: Early withdrew from Winchester to Cedar Creek. Fighting broke out at Winchester, Newtown and White Post.
Aug. 12: Early entrenched at Cedar Creek and fended off Union skirmishers.
Aug. 13: Skirmishing opened at Berryville and Strasburg.
Aug. 14: Skirmishing continued at Strasburg; Sheridan withdrew toward Berryville.
Aug. 15: Skirmishing continued at Cedar Creek, Strasburg and Charles Town, W.Va. Sheridan withdrew toward Winchester.
Aug. 16: As Sheridan pulled back to Winchester, fighting broke out at Front Royal.
Aug. 17: Early moved north, attacking the federal cavalry rear guard at Winchester. Sheridan moved to Berryville.
Aug. 18: Sheridan retreated from Berryville and headed for Charles Town. Early followed; skirmishing occurred along Opequon Creek.
Aug. 19: Early pushed toward Bunker Hill. Skirmishing continued along Opequon Creek and at Franklin, W.Va.
Aug. 21: Early and Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson planned a two-pronged attack on Sheridan near Berryville, but the drive failed for lack of coordination. Sheridan retreated to a strong position at Halltown near Harpers Ferry, leaving the valley largely free of federal troops.
Aug. 22: Early moved toward Harpers Ferry and skirmished at Charles Town.
Aug. 23: Early probed Sheridan's position at Halltown.
Aug. 24: Early continued maneuvers against Sheridan's troops along the Potomac
Aug. 25: Early threatened a new invasion of Maryland by moving his troops toward the Potomac. Fighting took place at Kearneysville, W.Va., Shepherdstown and Halltown, but the Potomac crossings were guarded.
Aug. 26: Deciding that Sheridan's position was too strong, Early moved back toward Bunker Hill.
Aug. 28: Sheridan advanced to Charles Town.
Aug. 29: Sheridan continued to advance, pushing the Confederates back from Smithfield Crossing of the Opequon.
Aug. 30: Sheridan shifted troops toward Berryville. Crook replaced Hunter as commander of the Department of West Virginia.
Sept. 1: Sheridan threatened Winchester; skirmishes flared along Opequon Creek.
Sept. 2: Lee pressed Early to return Anderson's corps to Petersburg.
Sept. 3: Anderson's troops left Winchester for Petersburg. On their way, they encountered Sheridan's army at Berryville and fought a sharp engagement.
Sept. 4: Early pulled back to Opequon Creek.
Sept. 5: Skirmishing continued along Opequon Creek.
Sept. 12: President Abraham Lincoln expressed unhappiness with "a dead lock" in the Shenandoah Valley.
Sept. 13: Skirmishing increased at Bunker Hill and along Opequon Creek.
Sept. 14: Anderson's corps again started from the Shenandoah to join Lee at Petersburg.
Sept. 15: Grant headed north to discuss the Shenandoah Valley situation with Sheridan.
Sept. 16: Grant and Sheridan conferred at Charles Town. Sheridan had learned that Confederate Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw's division had been sent to Petersburg. He proposed to cut Early's line of supply and retreat south of Winchester.
Sept. 17: Early advanced toward the B&O; rail facility at Martinsburg. His force consisted of about 12,000 men, compared with Sheridan's 40,000.
Sept. 18: Early spread his four divisions toward Martinsburg. Sheridan responded by moving directly on Winchester, hoping to attack Early's divisions separately.
Battle of Opequon
Sept. 19: Sheridan attacked Early's forces along Opequon Creek in the Third Battle of Winchester or Opequon. By late afternoon, Early was forced to retreat. Federal losses were 697 killed, 2,983 wounded and 338 missing. Confederate losses were 276 killed - including Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes - 1,827 wounded and 1,818 missing.
Sept. 20: Early retreated to Fishers Hill and Sheridan pursued
him. Fighting occurred at Middletown, Strasburg and Cedarville.
Sept. 21: Sheridan prepared to attack Fishers Hill.
Battle of Fishers Hill
Sept. 22: Sheridan attacked Fishers Hill, driving Early back four miles. Federal losses were 528; Confederate losses were 1,235.
Sept. 23: Early retreated to New Market. Sheridan did not pursue him.
Sept. 24: Early continued his retreat. Sheridan's troops began burning barns, crops and other property in the Shenandoah Valley.
Sept. 25: Sheridan moved toward Staunton, destroying railroads and other property; Early was forced back to Brown's Gap.
Sept. 26-28: Clashes continued around Port Republic, but the Union troops fell back toward Harrisonburg.
Oct. 1: Sheridan prepared to withdraw to Cedar Creek.
Oct. 3: Early probed Sheridan's positions in the Harrisonburg area.
Oct. 6: Confederate Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Rosser attacked two regiments of Brig. Gen. George A. Custer's cavalry at Brock's Gap near Fishers Hill. Custer repulsed the attack.
Battle of Tom's Brook
Oct. 8: Cavalry skirmishes at Tom's Brook and in the Luray Valley.
Oct. 9: Cavalry divisions of Custer and Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt attacked Rosser and Brig. Gen. Lunsford L. Lomax at Tom's Brook. The Confederates were heavily engaged and chased down the valley. Union cavalrymen took 300 prisoners. Nine Union soldiers were killed and 48 wounded.
Oct. 10: Sheridan moved to a strong position north of Cedar Creek.
Oct. 13: Early returned to his former line at Fishers Hill and probed along Cedar Creek.
Oct. 14: Skirmishing at Strasburg and Duffields Station, W.Va.
Oct. 18: Confederates examined the Union position from Massanutten Mountain.
Oct. 19: Early attacked the Union camp at Cedar Creek and after initial success was defeated with heavy losses. Out of more than 30,829 men engaged, the North had lost 644 killed, 3,430 wounded and 1,591 missing. Confederate strength and losses are not definitely known, but a good estimate is that Early carried out the attack with 18,410 men, and that his casualties were 2,910 men, including 1,591 missing. Among the dead was Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Ramseur, 27 years old.
An assessment
After the defeat at Cedar Creek, Early's name was linked with failure in the South, and the press clamored for his head. Lee didn't agree but gradually removed the command from Early.
In assessing Early's Shenandoah campaign in "The Guns of Cedar Creek," Thomas A. Lewis writes: "He had, after all, cleared one Federal army out of the Valley, defeated another in Maryland, rattled the gates of Washington, plunged the Union into a frenzied fear and dissension, drawn away from Lee's front five Federal divisions of infantry and two of cavalry, marched 1,670 miles ... fought 75 battles and skirmishes and inflicted on his enemies 14,500 casualties - or more men than his army usually contained during the period. It was not enough."
Douglas Southall Freeman in his seminal work, "Lee's Lieutenants," is also kind to Early: his record "from Cedar Mountain to Salem Church is second only to Jackson himself."
Pub Date: 10/15/98