〃A。　LINCOLN
  This　he　supplemented　by　promoting　me　to　the　grade　of　brigadier…
  general　in　the　regular　army；　and　assigning　me　to　the　permanent
  command　of　the　Middle　Military　Department；　and　following　that　came
  warm　congratulations　from　Mr。　Stanton　and　from　Generals　Grant；
  Sherman；　and　Meade。
  The　battle　was　not　fought　out　on　the　plan　in　accordance　with　which
  marching　orders　were　issued　to　my　troops；　for　I　then　hoped　to　take
  Early　in　detail；　and　with　Crook's　force　cut　off　his　retreat。　　I
  adhered　to　this　purpose　during　the　early　part　of　the　contest；　but　was
  obliged　to　abandon　the　idea　because　of　unavoidable　delays　by　which　I
  was　prevented　from　getting　the　Sixth　and　Nineteenth　corps　through　the
  narrow　defile　and　into　position　early　enough　to　destroy　Ramseur　while
  still　isolated。　　So　much　delay　had　not　been　anticipated；　and　this
  loss　of　time　was　taken　advantage　of　by　the　enemy　to　recall　the　troops
  diverted　to　Bunker　Hill　and　Martinsburg　on　the　17th；　thus　enabling
  him　to　bring　them　all　to　the　support　of　Ramseur　before　I　could　strike
  with　effect。　　My　idea　was　to　attack　Ramseur　and　Wharton；
  successively；　at　a　very　early　hour　and　before　they　could　get　succor；
  but　I　was　not　in　condition　to　do　it　till　nearly　noon；　by　which　time
  Gordon　and　Rodes　had　been　enabled　to　get　upon　the　ground　at　a　point
  from　which；　as　I　advanced；　they　enfiladed　my　right　flank；　and　gave　it
  such　a　repulse　that　to　re…form　this　part　of　my　line　I　was　obliged　to
  recall　the　left　from　some　of　the　ground　it　had　gained。　　It　was　during
  this　reorganization　of　my　lines　that　I　changed　my　plan　as　to　Crook；
  and　moved　him　from　my　left　to　my　right。　　This　I　did　with　great
  reluctance；　for　I　hoped　to　destroy　Early's　army　entirely　if　Crook
  continued　on　his　original　line　of　march　toward　the　Valley　pike；　south
  of　Winchester；　and　although　the　ultimate　results　did；　in　a　measure
  vindicate　the　change；　yet　I　have　always　thought　that　by　adhering　to
  the　original　plan　we　might　have　captured　the　bulk　of　Early's　army。
  CHAPTER　11。
  PURSUING　EARLYA　SECRET　MARCHFISHER'S　HILLA　GREAT　SUCCESS
  REMOVAL　OF　AVERELLTHE　RETREATCAPTURING　AN　OLD　COMRADETHE　MURDER
  OF　LIEUTENANT　MEIGS。
  The　night　of　the　19th　of　September　I　gave　orders　for　following　Early
  up　the　valley　next　morningthe　pursuit　to　begin　at　daybreakand　in
  obedience　to　these　directions　Torbert　moved　Averell　out　on　the　Back
  road　leading　to　Cedar　Creek；　and　Merritt　up　the　Valley　pike　toward
  Strasburg；　while　Wilson　was　directed　on　Front　Royal　by　way　of
  Stevensburg。　　Merritt's　division　was　followed　by　the　infantry；
  Emory's　and　Wright's　columns　marching　abreast　in　the　open　country　to
  the　right　and　left　of　the　pike；　and　Crook's　immediately　behind　them。
  The　enemy　having　kept　up　his　retreat　at　night；　presented　no
  opposition　whatever　until　the　cavalry　discovered　him　posted　at
  Fisher's　Hill；　on　the　first　defensive　line　where　he　could　hope　to
  make　any　serious　resistance。　　No　effort　was　made　to　dislodge　him；　and
  later　in　the　day；　after　Wright　and　Emory　came　up；　Torbert　shifted
  Merritt　over　toward　the　Back　road　till　he　rejoined　Averell。　　As
  Merritt　moved　to　the　right；　the　Sixth　and　Nineteenth　corps　crossed
  Cedar　Creek　and　took　up　the　ground　the　cavalry　was　vacating；　Wright
  posting　his　own　corps　to　the　west　of　the　Valley　pike　overlooking
  Strasburg；　and　Emory's　on　his　left　so　as　to　extend　almost　to　the　road
  leading　from　Strasburg　to　Front　Royal。　　Crook；　as　he　came　up　the　same
  evening；　went　into　position　in　some　heavy　timber　on　the　north　bank　of
  Cedar　Creek。
  A　reconnoissance　made　pending　these　movements　convinced　me　that　the
  enemy's　position　at　Fisher's　Hill　was　so　strong　that　a　direct　assault
  would　entail　unnecessary　destruction　of　life；　and；　besides；　be　of
  doubtful　result。　　At　the　point　where　Early's　troops　were　in　position；
  between　the　Massanutten　range　and　Little　North　Mountain；　the　valley
  is　only　about　three　and　a　half　miles　wide。　　All　along　the　precipitous
  bluff　which　overhangs　Tumbling　Run　on　the　south　side；　a　heavy　line　of
  earthworks　had　been　constructed　when　Early　retreated　to　this　point　in
  August；　and　these　were　now　being　strengthened　so　as　to　make　them
  almost　impregnable；　in　fact；　so　secure　did　Early　consider　himself
  that；　for　convenience；　his　ammunition　chests　were　taken　from　the
  caissons　and　placed　behind　the　breastworks。　　Wharton；　now　in　command
  of　Breckenridge's　divisionits　late　commander　having　gone　to
  southwest　Virginiaheld　the　right　of　this　line；　with　Gordon　next
  him；　Pegram；　commanding　Ramseur's　old　division；　joined　Gordon。
  Ramseur　with　Rodes's　division；　was　on　Pegram's　left；　while　Lomax's
  cavalry；　now　serving　as　foot…troops；　extended　the　line　to　the　Back
  road。　　Fitzhugh　Lee　being　wounded；　his　cavalry；　under　General
  Wickham；　was　sent　to　Milford　to　prevent　Fisher's　Hill　from　being
  turned　through　the　Luray　Valley。
  In　consequence　of　the　enemy's　being　so　well　protected　from　a　direct
  assault；　I　resolved　on　the　night　of　the　20th　to　use　again　a　turning…
  column　against　his　left；　as　had　been　done　on　the　19th　at　the　Opequon。
  To　this　end　I　resolved　to　move　Crook；　unperceived　if　possible；　over
  to　the　eastern　face　of　Little　North　Mountain；　whence　he　could　strike
  the　left　and　rear　of　the　Confederate　line；　and　as　he　broke　it　up；　I
  could　support　him　by　a　left　half…wheel　of　my　whole　line　of　battle。
  The　execution　of　this　plan　would　require　perfect　secrecy；　however；
  for　the　enemy　from　his　signal…station　on　Three　Top　could　plainly　see
  every　movement　of　our　troops　in　daylight。　　Hence；　to　escape　such
  observation；　I　marched　Crook　during　the　night　of　the　20th　into　some
  heavy　timber　north　of　Cedar　Creek；　where　he　lay　concealed　all　day　the
  21st。　　This　same　day　Wright　and　Emory　were　moved　up　closer　to　the
  Confederate　works；　and　the　Sixth　Corps；　after　a　severe　fight；　in
  which　Ricketts's　and　Getty　were　engaged；　took　up　some　high　ground　on
  the　right　of　the　Manassas　Gap　railroad　in　plain　view　of　the
  Confederate　works；　and　confronting　a　commanding　point　where　much　of
  Early's　artillery　was　massed。　　Soon　after　General　Wright　had
  established　this　line　I　rode　with　him　along　it　to　the　westward；　and
  finding　that　the　enemy　was　still　holding　an　elevated　position　further
  to　our　right；　on　the　north　side　of　Tumbling　Run；　I　directed　this　also
  to　be　occupied。　　Wright　soon　carried　the　point；　which　gave　us　an
  unobstructed　view　of　the　enemy's　works　and　offered　good　ground　for
  our　artillery。　　It　also　enabled　me　to　move　the　whole　of　the　Sixth
  Corps　to　the　front　till　its　line　was　within　about　seven　hundred　yards
  of　the　enemy's　works；　the　Nineteenth　Corps；　on　the　morning　of　the
  22d；　covering　the　ground　vacated　by　the　Sixth　by　moving　to　the　front
  and　extending　to　the　right；　but　still　keeping　its　reserves　on　the
  railroad。
  In　the　darkness　of　the　night　of　the　gist；　Crook　was　brought　across
  Cedar　Creek　and　hidden　in　a　clump　of　timber　behind　Hupp's　Hill　till
  daylight　of　the　22d；　when；　under　cover　of　the　intervening　woods　and
  ravines；　he　was　marched　beyond　the　right　of　the　Sixth　Corps　and　again
  concealed　not　far　from　the　Back　road。　　After　Crook　had　got　into　this
  last　position；　Ricketts's　division　was　pushed　out　until　it　confronted
  the　left　of　the　enemy's　infantry；　the　rest　of　the　Sixth　Corps
  extending　from　Ricketts's　left　to　the　Manassas　Gap　railroad；　while
  the　Nineteenth　Corps　filled　in　the　space　between　the　left　of　the
  Sixth　and　the　North　Fork　of　the　Shenandoah。
  When　Ricketts　moved　out　on　this　new　line；　in　conjunction　with
  Averell's　cavalry　on　his　right；　the　enemy　surmising；　from　information
  secured　from　his　signal…station；　no　doubt；　that　my　attack　was　to　be
  made　from　Ricketts's　front；　prepared　for　it　there；　but　no　such
  intention　ever　existed。　　Ricketts　was　pushed　forward　only　that　he
  might　readily　join　Crook's　turning…column　as　it　swung　into　the
  enemy's　rear。　　To　ensure　success；　all　that　I　needed　now　was　enough
  daylight　to　complete　my　arrangements；　the　secrecy　of　movement　imposed
  by　the　situation　consuming　many　valuable　hours。
  While　Ricketts　was　occupying　the　enemy's　attention；　Crook；　again
  moving　unobserved　into　the　dense　timber　on　the　eastern　face　of　Little
  North　Mountain；　conducted　his　command　south　in　two　parallel　columns
  until　he　gained　the　rear　of　the　enemy's　works；　when；　marching　his
  divisions　by　the　left　flank；　he　led　them　in　an　easterly　direction
  down　the　mountain…side。　　As　he　emerged　from　the　timber　near　the　base
  of　the　mountain；　the　Confederates　discovered　him；　of　course；　and
  opened　with　their　batteries；　but　it　was　too　latethey　having　few
  troops　at　hand　to　confront　the　turning…column。　　Loudly　cheering；
  Crook's　men　quickly　crossed　the　broken　stretch　in　rear　of　the　enemy's
  left；　producing　confusion　and　consternation　at　every　step。
  About　a　mile　from　the　mountain's　base　Crook's　left　was　joined　by
  Ricketts；　who　in　proper　time　had　begun　to　swing　his　division　into　the
  action；　and　the　two　commands　moved　along　in　rear　of　the　works　so
  rapidly　that；