File:Civil War stories (1905) (14762493732).jpg

Identifier: civilwarstories00newy (find matches)
Title: Civil War stories
Year: 1905 (1900s)
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Publisher: New York, The Century co.
Contributing Library: Information and Library Science Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Digitizing Sponsor: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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em, andmade them love him and follow him. No soldieron either side in the war had more of this personalmagnetism than Sheridan. In battle, he stood inhis stirrups, waving his hat and brandishing hissword, and shouting to his men. His eyesflashed, his face shone, and wounded men wenton after they had been shot, because he com-manded them. He ordered the bands to play, andled the front line himself with the colors in hishand, and the example was contagious. Such aman was almost sure to lead his troops to victory. For six weeks the new commander moved cau-tiously about at the entrance to the Valley; forSheridan was wary as well as active. His forcewas little, if any, larger than Earlys, and greatthings hung on his success. It was importantto give the enemy no chance, yet a single mis-move might leave open the road to Washington.Besides this, he was hampered by the fact thathis own movements depended on those of otherarmies a hundred miles away. Finally, the country and the government be-
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(P-fcz/lu^^^s^ SHERIDAN IN THE VALLEY 143 came impatient, as those often are who look atwar from afar, not knowing the plans or pros-pects of commanders or, sometimes, the real situ-ation. Grant therefore went to see Sheridan,and talked with him of the position of affairs.He took a plan of battle with him, in his pocket,but he found Sheridan understood so well whathe had to do, that he told him to fight as he hadintended, and never showed him the plan. The two armies were facing each other, a lit-tle east of the town of Winchester, and Sheridanmoved forward the greater part of his command,holding one division in reserve, to be used at thecrisis. Early learned that Grant had been withSheridan, and judging from this that a battle wasprobable, recalled the detachment he had sentaway. It returned in the midst of the battle, andproved an important re-enforcement, drivingSheridan back from the ground he at first hadgained. Then, however, Sheridan brought uphis reserves on his own right, and

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