fall　to　him　when　in　a　few　weeks　he　should　succeed　Wilson。　　But　to　go
  on　down　the　scale　of　rank；　describing　the　officers　who　commanded　in
  the　Army　of　the　Shenandoah；　would　carry　me　beyond　all　limit；　so　I
  refrain　from　the　digression　with　regret　that　I　cannot　pay　to　each　his
  well…earned　tribute。
  The　force　that　I　could　take　with　me　into　the　field　at　this　time
  numbered　about　26；000　men。　　Within　the　limits　of　the　geographical
  division　there　was　a　much　greater　number　of　troops　than　this。
  Baltimore；　Washington；　Harper's　Ferry；　Hagerstown；　Frederick；
  Cumberland；　and　a　score　of　other　points；　besides　the　strong
  detachments　that　it　took　to　keep　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio　railroad　open
  through　the　mountains　of　West　Virginia；　and　escorts　for　my　trains；
  absorbed　so　many　men　that　the　column　which　could　be　made　available
  for　field　operations　was　small　when　compared　with　the　showing　on
  paper。　　Indeed；　it　was　much　less　than　it　ought　to　have　been；　but　for
  me；　in　the　face　of　the　opposition　made　by　different　interests
  involved；　to　detach　troops　from　any　of　the　points　to　which　they　had
  been　distributed　before　I　took　charge　was　next　to　impossible。
  In　a　few　days　after　my　arrival　preparations　were　completed；　and　I　was
  ready　to　make　the　first　move　for　the　possession　of　the　Shenandoah
  Valley。　　For　the　next　five　weeks　the　operations　on　my　part　consisted
  almost　wholly　of　offensive　and　defensive　manoeuvring　for　certain
  advantages；　the　enemy　confining　himself　meanwhile　to　measures
  intended　to　counteract　my　designs。　　Upon　the　advent　of　Torbert；　Early
  immediately　grew　suspicious；　and　fell　back　twelve　miles　south　of
  Martinsburg；　to　Bunker　Hill　and　vicinity；　where　his　right　flank　would
  be　less　exposed；　but　from　which　position　he　could　continue　to
  maintain　the　break　in　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio　railroad；　and　push
  reconnoitring　parties　through　Smithfield　to　Charlestown。　　These
  reconnoitring　parties　exhibited　considerable　boldness　at　times；　but
  since　they　had　no　purpose　in　view　save　to　discover　whether　or　not　we
  were　moving；　I　did　not　contest　any　ground　with　them　except　about　our
  outposts。　　Indeed；　I　desired　that　Early　might　remain　at　some　point
  well　to　the　north　till　I　was　fully　prepared　to　throw　my　army　on　his
  right　and　rear　and　force　a　battle；　and　hence　I　abstained　from
  disturbing　him　by　premature　activity；　for　I　thought　that　if　I　could
  beat　him　at　Winchester；　or　north　of　it；　there　would　be　far　greater
  chances　of　weighty　results。　　I　therefore　determined　to　bring　my
  troops；　if　it　were　at　all　possible　to　do　so；　into　such　a　position
  near　that　town　as　to　oblige　Early　to　fight。　　The　sequel　proved；
  however；　that　he　was　accurately　informed　of　all　my　movements。　　To
  anticipate　them；　therefore；　he　began　his　retreat　up　the　valley　the
  day　that　I　moved　out　from　Halltown；　and　（consequently　was　able　to
  place　himself　south　of　Winchester　before　I　could　get　there。
  CHAPTER　XXIV。
  MOVING　ON　GENERAL　EARLYGENERAL　GRANT'S　LETTER　OF　INSTRUCTIONS
  DESTROYING　THE　RESOURCES　OF　THE　VALLEYREASON　FOR　THE　DESTRUCTION
  WITHDRAWAL　TO　HALLTOWNALARM　IN　THE　NORTH　OVER　THE　RETROGRADE
  MOVEMENTRENEWING　THE　ADVANCE　UP　THE　VALLEYGENERAL　ANDERSON'S
  ATTEMPT　TO　RETURN　TO　PETERSBURGSTRENGTH　OF　THE　ARMIES。
  For　a　clear　understanding　of　the　operations　which　preceded　the
  victories　that　resulted　in　almost　annihilating　General　Early's　army
  in　the　Shenandoah　Valley；　it　is　necessary　to　describe　in　considerable
  detail　the　events　that　took　place　prior　to　the　19th　of　September。　　My
  army　marched　from　Harper's　Ferry　on　the　l0th　of　August；　1864；　General
  Torbert　with　Merritt's　division　of　cavalry　moving　in　advance　through
  Berryville；　going　into　position　near　White　Post。　　The　Sixth　Corps；
  under　General　Wright；　moved　by　way　of　Charlestown　and　Summit　Point　to
  Clifton；　General　Emory；　with　Dwight's　division　of　the　Nineteenth
  Corps；　marched　along　the　Berryville　pike　through　Berryville　to　the
  left　of　the　position　of　the　Sixth　Corps　at　Clifton；　General　Crook's
  command；　moving　on　the　Kabletown　road；　passed　through　Kabletown　to
  the　vicinity　of　Berryville；　and　went　into　position　on　the　left　of
  Dwight's　division；　while　Colonel　Lowell；　with　a　detached　force　of　two
  small　regiments　of　cavalry；　marched　to　Summit　Point；　so　that　on　the
  night　of　August　10　my　infantry　occupied　a　line　stretching　from
  Clifton　to　Berryville；　with　Merritt's　cavalry　at　White　Post　and
  Lowell's　at　Summit　Point。　　The　enemy；　as　stated　before；　moved　at　the
  same　time　from　Bunker　Hill　and　vicinity；　and　stretched　his　line　from
  where　the　Winchester　and　Potomac　railroad　crosses　Opequon　Creek　to
  the　point　at　which　the　Berryville　and　Winchester　pike　crosses　the
  same　stream；　thus　occupying　the　west　bank　to　cover　Winchester。
  On　the　morning　of　the　11th　the　Sixth　Corps　was　ordered　to　move　across
  the　country　toward　the　junction　of　the　Berryville…Winchester　pike　and
  the　Opequon；　and　to　take　the　crossing　and　hold　it；　Dwight's　division
  being　directed　to　move　through　Berryville　on　the　White　Post　road　for
  a　mile；　then　file　to　the　right　by　heads　of　regiments　at　deploying
  distances；　and　carry　the　crossing　of　Opequon　Creek　at　a　ford　about
  three…fourths　of　a　mile　from　the　left　of　the　Sixth　Corps；　while　Crook
  was　instructed　to　move　out　on　the　White　Post　road；　a　mile　and　a　half
  beyond　Berryville；　then　head　to　the　right　and　secure　the　ford　about　a
  mile　to　the　left　of　Dwight；　Torbert's　orders　were　to　push　Merritt's
  division　up　the　Millwood　pike　toward　Winchester；　attack　any　force　he
  might　run　against；　and　ascertain　the　movements　of　the　Confederate
  army；　and　lastly；　Lowell　received　instructions　to　close　in　from
  Summit　Point　on　the　right　of　the　Sixth　Corps。
  My　object　in　securing　the　fords　was　to　further　my　march　on　Winchester
  from　the　southeast；　since；　from　all　the　information　gathered　during
  the　l0th；　I　still　thought　Early　could　be　brought　to　a　stand　at　that
  point；　but　in　this　I　was　mistaken；　as　Torbert's　reconnoissance
  proved；　for　on　the　morning　of　the　11th；　when　Merritt　had　driven　the
  Confederate　cavalry；　then　covering　the　Millwood　pike　west　of　the
  Opequon；　off　toward　Kernstown；　he　found　that　their　infantry　and
  artillery　were　retreating　south；　up　the　Valley　pike。
  As　soon　as　this　information　was　obtained　Torbert　moved　quickly
  through　the　toll…gate　on　the　Front　Royal　and　Winchester　road　to
  Newtown；　to　strike　the　enemy's　flank　and　harass　him　in　his　retreat；
  Lowell　following　up　through　Winchester；　on　the　Valley　pike；　Crook　was
  turned　to　the　left　and　ordered　to　Stony　Point；　while　Emory　and
  Wright；　marching　to　the　left　also；　were　directed　to　take　post　on　the
  night　of　the　11th　between　the　Millwood　and　Front　Royal　roads；　within
  supporting　distance　of　Crook。　　Merritt　meeting　some　of　the　enemy's
  cavalry　at　the　tollgate；　drove　it　in　the　direction　of　Newtown　till　it
  got　inside　the　line　of　Gordon's　division　of　infantry；　which　had　been
  thrown　out　and　posted　behind　barricades　to　cover　the　flank　of　the
  main　force　in　its　retreat。　　A　portion　of　Merritt's　cavalry　attacked
  this　infantry　and　drove　in　its　skirmish…line；　and　though　not　able　to
  dislodge　Gordon；　Merritt　held　the　ground　gained　till　night…fall；　when
  the　Confederate　infantry　moved　off　under　cover　of　darkness　to　Hupp's
  Hill；　between　Strasburg　and　Cedar　Creek
  The　next　morning　Crook　marched　from　Stony　Point　to　Cedar　Creek；　Emory
  followed　with　Dwight；　and　the　cavalry　moved　to　the　same　point　by　way
  of　Newtown　and　the　Valley　pike；　the　Sixth　Corps　following　the
  cavalry。　　That　night　Crook　was　in　position　at　Cedar　Creek；　on　the
  left　of　the　Valley　pike；　Emory　on　the　right　of　the　pike；　the　Sixth
  Corps　on　the　right　of　Emory；　and　the　cavalry　on　the　flanks。　　In　the
  afternoon　a　heavy　skirmish…line　had　been　thrown　forward　to　the
  heights　on　the　south　side　of　Cedar　Creek；　and　a　brisk　affair　with　the
  enemy's　pickets　took　place；　the　Confederates　occupying　with　their
  main　force　the　heights　north　of　Strasburg。　　On　the　morning　of　the
  13th　my　cavalry　went　out　to　reconnoitre　toward　Strasburg；　on　the
  middle　road；　about　two　and　a　half　miles　west　of　the　Valley　pike；　and
  discovered　that　Early's　infantry　was　at　Fisher's　Hill；　where　he　had
  thrown　up　behind　Tumbling　Run　earthworks　extending　clear　across　the
  narrow　valley　between　the　Massanutten　and　North　mountains。　　On　the
  left　of　these　works　he　had　Vaughan's；　McCausland's；　and　Johnson's
  brigades　of　cavalry　under　General　Lomax；　who　at　this　time　relieved
  General　Ramseur　from　the　command　of　the　Confederate　mounted　forces。
  Within　the　past　day　or　two　I　had　received　information　that　a　column
  of　the　enemy　was　moving　up　from　Culpeper　Court　House　and　approaching
  Front　Royal　through　Chester　Gap；　and　although　the　intelligence　was
  unconfirmed；　it　caused　me　much　solicitude；　for　there　was　strong
  probability　that　such　a　movement　would　be　made；　and　any　considerable
  force　advancing　through　Front　Royal　toward　Winchester　could　fall　upon
  my　rear　and　destroy　my　communication　with　Harper's　Ferry；　or；　moving
  along　the　base　of