Memoirs of the Union's Three Great Civil War Generals eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,934 pages of information about Memoirs of the Union's Three Great Civil War Generals.

Memoirs of the Union's Three Great Civil War Generals eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,934 pages of information about Memoirs of the Union's Three Great Civil War Generals.
of the occurrence with such exactness, as to prove the truthfulness of his statement.  The fact that the murder had been committed inside our lines was evidence that the perpetrators of the crime, having their homes in the vicinity, had been clandestinely visiting them, and been secretly harbored by some of the neighboring residents.  Determining to teach a lesson to these abettors of the foul deed—­a lesson they would never forget—­I ordered all the houses within an area of five miles to be burned.  General Custer, who had succeeded to the command of the Third Cavalry division (General Wilson having been detailed as chief of cavalry to Sherman’s army), was charged with this duty, and the next morning proceeded to put the order into execution.  The prescribed area included the little village of Dayton, but when a few houses in the immediate neighborhood of the scene of the murder had been burned, Custer was directed to cease his desolating work, but to fetch away all the able-bodied males as prisoners.

CHAPTER III.

REASONS FOR NOT PURSUING EARLY THROUGH THE BLUE RIDGE—­GENERAL
TORBERT DETAILED TO GIVE GENERAL ROSSER A “DRUBBING”—­GENERAL ROSSER
ROUTED—­TELEGRAPHED TO MEET STANTON—­LONGSTREET’S MESSAGE—­RETURN TO
WINCHESTER—­THE RIDE TO CEDAR CREEK—­THE RETREATING ARMY—­RALLYING
THE TROOPS—­REFORMING THE LINE—­COMMENCING THE ATTACK—­DEFEAT OF THE
CONFEDERATES—­APPOINTED A MAJOR-GENERAL IN THE REGULAR ARMY—­RESULTS
OF THE BATTLE.

While we lay in camp at Harrisonburg it became necessary to decide whether or not I would advance to Brown’s Gap, and, after driving the enemy from there, follow him through the Blue Ridge into eastern Virginia.  Indeed, this question began to cause me solicitude as soon as I knew Early had escaped me at New Market, for I felt certain that I should be urged to pursue the Confederates toward Charlottesville and Gordonsville, and be expected to operate on that line against Richmond.  For many reasons I was much opposed to such a plan, but mainly because its execution would involve the opening of the Orange and Alexandria railroad.  To protect this road against the raids of the numerous guerrilla bands that infested the region through which it passed, and to keep it in operation, would require a large force of infantry, and would also greatly reduce my cavalry; besides, I should be obliged to leave a force in the valley strong enough to give security to the line of the upper Potomac and the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and this alone would probably take the whole of Crook’s command, leaving me a wholly inadequate number of fighting men to prosecute a campaign against the city of Richmond.  Then, too, I was in doubt whether the besiegers could hold the entire army at Petersburg; and in case they could not, a number of troops sufficient to crush me might be detached by Lee, moved rapidly by rail, and, after overwhelming me, be quickly returned to confront General Meade.  I was satisfied, moreover, that my transportation could not supply me further than Harrisonburg, and if in penetrating the Blue Ridge I met with protracted resistance, a lack of supplies might compel me to abandon the attempt at a most inopportune time.

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Memoirs of the Union's Three Great Civil War Generals from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.