Personal　Memoirs　of　P。H。Sheridan　V2　of　2
  by　Philip　Henry　Sheridan
  VOLUME　II。
  CHAPTER　I。
  ORGANIZING　SCOUTSMISS　REBECCA　WRIGHTIMPORTANT　INFORMATIONDECIDE
  TO　MOVE　ON　NEWTOWNMEETING　GENERAL　GRANTORGANIZATION　OF　THE　UNION
  ARMYOPENING　OF　THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　OPEQUONDEATH　OF　GENERAL　RUSSELL…
  …A　TURNING　MOVEMENTA　SUCCESSFUL　CAVALRY　CHARGEVICTORYTHREE
  LOYAL　GIRLSAPPOINTED　A　BRIGADIER…GENERAL　IN　THE　REGULAR　ARMY
  REMARKS　ON　THE　BATTLE。
  While　occupying　the　ground　between　Clifton　and　Berryville；　referred
  to　in　the　last　chapter　of　the　preceding　volume；　I　felt　the　need　of　an
  efficient　body　of　scouts　to　collect　information　regarding　the　enemy；
  for　the　defective　intelligence…establishment　with　which　I　started　out
  from　Harper's　Ferry　early　in　August　had　not　proved　satisfactory。　　I
  therefore　began　to　organize　my　scouts　on　a　system　which　I　hoped　would
  give　better　results　than　bad　the　method　hitherto　pursued　in　the
  department；　which　was　to　employ　on　this　service　doubtful　citizens　and
  Confederate　deserters。　　If　these　should　turn　out　untrustworthy；　the
  mischief　they　might　do　us　gave　me　grave　apprehension；　and　I　finally
  concluded　that　those　of　our　own　soldiers　who　should　volunteer　for　the
  delicate　and　hazardous　duty　would　be　the　most　valuable　material；　and
  decided　that　they　should　have　a　battalion　organization　and　be
  commanded　by　an　officer；　Major　H。　K。　Young；　of　the　First　Rhode　Island
  Infantry。　　These　men　were　disguised　in　Confederate　uniforms　whenever
  necessary；　were　paid　from　the　Secret…Service　Fund　in　proportion　to
  the　value　of　the　intelligence　they　furnished；　which　often　stood　us　in
  good　stead　in　checking　the　forays　of　Gilmore；　Mosby；　and　other
  irregulars。　　Beneficial　results　came　from　the　plan　in　many　other　ways
  too；　and　particularly　so　when　in　a　few　days　two　of　my　scouts　put　me
  in　the　way　of　getting　news　conveyed　from　Winchester。　　They　had
  learned　that　just　outside　of　my　lines；　near　Millwood；　there　was
  living　an　old　colored　man；　who　had　a　permit　from　the　Confederate
  commander　to　go　into　Winchester　and　return　three　times　a　week；　for
  the　purpose　of　selling　vegetables　to　the　inhabitants。　　The　scouts　had
  sounded　this　man；　and；　finding　him　both　loyal　and　shrewd；　suggested
  that　he　might　be　made　useful　to　us　within　the　enemy's　lines；　and　the
  proposal　struck　me　as　feasible；　provided　there　could　be　found　in
  Winchester　some　reliable　person　who　would　be　willing　to　co…operate
  and　correspond　with　me。　　I　asked　General　Crook；　who　was　acquainted
  with　many　of　the　Union　people　of　Winchester；　if　he　knew　of　such　a
  person；　and　he　recommended　a　Miss　Rebecca　Wright；　a　young　lady　whom
  he　had　met　there　before　the　battle　of　Kernstown；　who；　he　said；　was　a
  member　of　the　Society　of　Friends　and　the　teacher　of　a　small　private
  school。　　He　knew　she　was　faithful　and　loyal　to　the　Government；　and
  thought　she　might　be　willing　to　render　us　assistance；　but　he　could
  not　be　certain　of　this；　for　on　account　of　her　well　known　loyalty　she
  was　under　constant　surveillance。　　I　hesitated　at　first；　but　finally
  deciding　to　try　it；　despatched　the　two　scouts　to　the　old　negro's
  cabin；　and　they　brought　him　to　my　headquarters　late　that　night。　　I
  was　soon　convinced　of　the　negro's　fidelity；　and　asking　him　if　he　was
  acquainted　with　Miss　Rebecca　Wright；　of　Winchester；　he　replied　that
  he　knew　her　well。　　There　upon　I　told　him　what　I　wished　to　do；　and
  after　a　little　persuasion　he　agreed　to　carry　a　letter　to　her　on　his
  next　marketing　trip。　　My　message　was　prepared　by　writing　it　on　tissue
  paper；　which　was　then　compressed　into　a　small　pellet；　and　protected
  by　wrapping　it　in　tin…foil　so　that　it　could　be　safely　carried　in　the
  man's　mouth。　　The　probability；　of　his　being　searched　when　he　came　to
  the　Confederate　picket…line　was　not　remote；　and　in　such　event　he　was
  to　swallow　the　pellet。　　The　letter　appealed　to　Miss　Wright's　loyalty
  and　patriotism；　and　requested　her　to　furnish　me　with　information
  regarding　the　strength　and　condition　of　Early's　army。　　The　night
  before　the　negro　started　one　of　the　scouts　placed　the　odd…looking
  communication　in　his　hands；　with　renewed　injunctions　as　to　secrecy
  and　promptitude。　　Early　the　next　morning　it　was　delivered　to　Miss
  Wright；　with　an　intimation　that　a　letter　of　importance　was　enclosed
  in　the　tin…foil；　the　negro　telling　her　at　the　same　time　that　she
  might　expect　him　to　call　for　a　message　in　reply　before　his　return
  home。　　At　first　Miss　Wright　began　to　open　the　pellet　nervously；　but
  when　told　to　be　careful；　and　to　preserve　the　foil　as　a　wrapping　for
  her　answer；　she　proceeded　slowly　and　carefully；　and　when　the　note
  appeared　intact　the　messenger　retired；　remarking　again　that　in　the
  evening　he　would　come　for　an　answer。
  On　reading　my　communication　Miss　Wright　was　much　startled　by　the
  perils　it　involved；　and　hesitatingly　consulted　her　mother；　but　her
  devoted　loyalty　soon　silenced　every　other　consideration；　and　the
  brave　girl　resolved　to　comply　with　my　request；　notwithstanding　it
  might　jeopardize　her　life。　　The　evening　before　a　convalescent
  Confederate　officer　had　visited　her　mother's　house；　and　in
  conversation　about　the　war　had　disclosed　the　fact　that　Kershaw's
  division　of　infantry　and　Cutshaw's　battalion　of　artillery　had　started
  to　rejoin　General　Lee。　　At　the　time　Miss　Wright　heard　this　she
  attached　little　if　any　importance　to　it；　but　now　she　perceived　the
  value　of　the　intelligence；　and；　as　her　first　venture；　determined　to
  send　it　to　me　at　once；　which　she　did　with　a　promise　that　in　the
  future　she　would　with　great　pleasure　continue　to　transmit　information
  by　the　negro　messenger。
  〃SEPTEMBER　15；　1864。
  〃I　learn　from　Major…General　Crook　that　you　are　a　loyal　lady；　and
  still　love　the　old　flag。　　Can　you　inform　me　of　the　position　of
  Early's　forces；　the　number　of　divisions　in　his　army；　and　the　strength
  of　any　or　all　of　them；　and　his　probable　or　reported　intentions？　　Have
  any　more　troops　arrived　from　Richmond；　or　are　any　more　coming；　or
  reported　to　be　coming？
  〃You　can　trust　the　bearer。〃
  〃I　am；　very　respectfully；　your　most　obedient　servant；
  〃P。　H。　SHERIDAN；　Major…General　Commanding。
  〃SEPTEMBER　16；　1864。
  〃I　have　no　communication　whatever　with　the　rebels；　but　will　tell　you
  what　I　know。　　The　division　of　General　Kershaw；　and　Cutshaw's
  artillery；　twelve　guns　and　men；　General　Anderson　commanding；　have
  been　sent　away；　and　no　more　are　expected；　as　they　cannot　be　spared
  from　Richmond。　　I　do　not　know　how　the　troops　are　situated；　but　the
  force　is　much　smaller　than　represented。　　I　will　take　pleasure
  hereafter　in　learning　all　I　can　of　their　strength　and　position；　and
  the　bearer　may　call　again。
  〃Very　respectfully　yours；
  。。。。。。。。。。。。
  Miss　Wright's　answer　proved　of　more　value　to　me　than　she　anticipated；
  for　it　not　only　quieted　the　conflicting　reports　concerning　Anderson's
  corps；　but　was　most　important　in　showing　positively　that　Kershaw　was
  gone；　and　this　circumstance　led；　three　days　later；　to　the　battle　of
  the　Opequon；　or　Winchester　as　it　has　been　unofficially　called。　　Word
  to　the　effect　that　some　of　Early's　troops　were　under　orders　to　return
  to　Petersburg；　and　would　start　back　at　the　first　favorable
  opportunity；　had　been　communicated　to　me　already　from　many　sources；
  but　we　had　not　been　able　to　ascertain　the　date　for　their　departure。
  Now　that　they　had　actually　started；　I　decided　to　wait　before　offering
  battle　until　Kershaw　had　gone　so　far　as　to　preclude　his　return；
  feeling　confident　that　my　prudence　would　be　justified　by　the　improved
  chances　of　victory；　and　then；　besides；　Mr。　Stanton　kept　reminding　me
  that　positive　success　was　necessary　to　counteract　the　political
  dissatisfaction　existing　in　some　of　the　Northern　States。　　This　course
  was　advised　and　approved　by　General　Grant；　but　even　with　his　powerful
  backing　it　was　difficult　to　resist　the　persistent　pressure　of　those
  whose　judgment；　warped　by　their　interests　in　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio
  railroad；　was　often　confused　and　misled　by　stories　of　scouts　（sent
  out　from　Washington）；　averring　that　Kershaw　and　Fitzhugh　Lee　had
  returned　to　Petersburg；　Breckenridge　to　southwestern　Virginia；　and　at
  one　time　even　maintaining　that　Early's　whole　army　was　east　of　the
  Blue　Ridge；　and　its　commander　himself　at　Gordonsville。
  During　the　inactivity　prevailing　in　my　army　for　the　ten　days
  preceding　Miss　Wright's　communication　the　infantry　was　quiet；　with
  the　exception　of　Getty's　division；　which　made　a　reconnoissance　to　the
  Opequon；　and　developed　a　heavy　force　of　the　enemy　at　Edwards's
  Corners。　　The　cavalry；　however；　was　employed　a　good　deal　in　this
  interval　skirmishing　heavily　at　times　to　maintain　a　space　about　six
  miles　in　width　between　the　hostile　lines；　for　I　wished　to　control
  this　ground　so　that　when　I　was　released　from　the　instructions　of
  August　12；　I　could　move　my　men　into　position　for　attack　without　the
  knowledge　of　Early。　　The　most　noteworthy　of　these　mounted　encounters