Augusta County: Diary of DeWitt Clinton Gallaher (1864-1865)

        We rest all day in camp but about 10:00 p. m. we saddle upand start towards the enemy, and about 3:00 a. m. we ride intotheir pickets capturing them and about daylight we gallop intotheir main body's camp. Many of them were up and getting theircoffee, etc. They scampered away leaving many prisoners. Wefollowed and found them massed in thousands ready for us.These were all cavalry and horse artillery on the right flankof Sheridan's army. Soon, we heard heavy firing on our rightwhere the infantry were. It proved to be Gordon's Divisionmainly who in the night had scaled the mountain side onSheridan's left flank and broken into the camp of the 8th armyCorps of Sheridan, before they were up out of bed, capturinggreat numbers, all their artillery, camp, etc. The Yankeeswere dumbfounded and panic stricken and fled with a "deviltake the hindmost" race. Sheridan's whole army began toretreat in great disorder towards Winchester -- about 16 milesaway. "The day was lost" as it seemed to them and to us. About3:00 p.m. General Rosser sent me along our front to obtainsome information and to my disgust and amazement I beheld ourinfantry scattered and plundering in the Yankee's recent Campsand the Yankees rallying and about to advance, which laterthey did and upon reporting this to General Rosser, he orderedour cavalry company to fall back to the South Side of theCreek where his horse artillery galloped and went intoposition on the hills. There we awaited their attack, but theydid not attack us, though we stayed there until after dark.From our position we could see our infantry retreating ingreat disorder just as the enemy had done in the earlymorning.

        Briefly, the facts were these: Our men were half starved.When they got into the Yankee's camp, and found great storesof supplies they stopped and went to looting and plunderingdespite the efforts of their officers to induce them to followthe retreating enemy, but they moved not, except only afew.

        Sheridan was in Washington that morning and hearing hisarmy had been surprised and was retreating, he came on aspecial train to Winchester (100) miles and about 4:30 p. m.reformed his retreating army at Middletown or New Town andforced them towards our army, scattered and demoralized withplundering. As he had three or four times as many as Early,the result was a terrible defeat for us. They capturedhundreds, recaptured all their artillery which we had capturedin the forenoon and nearly al1 of Early's artillery besides.There is a narrow roadway on the Pike along there and a bridgeand there being a jam and stoppage of wagons and artillerythere, the capture was easily made of all our artillery(nearly) and a big wagon train.

        Early fell back to Fisher's Hill that night about 4 milesfrom the early morning fighting.

        About 9:00 p. m. General Rosser sent me over to GeneralEarly's on the Pike to learn the situation and to ask fororders. It was some miles away and about midnight I found himand his staff asleep near the Pike on Fisher's Dill. He wasawakened and sent word to Rosser fully as to his plans.Meanwhile, I delivered Rosser's request to General Early tohave one of Rosser's Regiments called in which was picketingon our extreme right -- on detached duty, as our cavalry's mainbody was on Early's left flank. General Early said he had noone to send and that I would have to call the Regiment in ashe would fall back at daylight. So I had to go. It was arather ticklish business. The Regiment was some three or fourmiles away and the night very dark and I knew absolutelynothing of the roads. I was told they were along Cedar Creek.So off I started, riding with ears open and my pistol in myright hand ready for trouble. Finally passing through somevery dark woods, I was challenged by a picket. Not knowing ifI had run into a Yankee or riot, I wheeled my horse aroundready to escape, if I had struck the enemy. I inquired of thepicket "what Regiment is yours?" He replied and then, knowingwho was in command of it that day, I asked him who was incommand and he answering correctly; I advanced and told him tostart out of there at once. So about daylight we reached thePike where we found the army had left and only a rear guardjust moving off.

        Had we been a half hour later we would have been captured.By this time, I was about "all in," and so was my horse for Ihad ridden on him the night before and all day and all nightjust gone, and had nothing to eat for either man or beastexcept a few crackers and some oats and corn gathered from theYankee Camp.