Cedar Creek

October 19, 1864

    The battles of Third Winchester and Fisher's Hill were both Confederate disasters, and Sheridan's Federals devastated the Shenandoah Valley up to Harrisonburg.  In fact, the Valley was so devastated during the war that afterward half the population left to go to the West.  After completing the destruction, Sheridan withdrew to Cedar Creek north of Strasburg.  Early's Confederates followed them down the valley, but could not subsist on the land.  Early's 21,000 men faced Sheridan's 31,000 men across Cedar Creek.  Early could either withdraw or attack, but he could not sit still for long.  The desperate state of the Confederacy, with Lee besieged at Petersburg and Sherman on the loose, demanded an attack; there was simply not alternative.

General Gordon and Stonewall's famed mapmaker Jed Hotchkiss climbed to the signal station on Three Top, or Signal Knob, to determine the Federal position.  A frontal assault against the fortified Union front would be foolish, but they saw that a narrow trail alongside Three Top led to unprotected fords and the vulnerable Union left flank.  Early approved Gordon's attack plan and placed him in command of the flanking column of Ramsuer's, Pegram's, and Gordon's divisions.      At dark October 18, 1864, the Gordon's men began their approach march.  Sheridan had been ordered to Washington for discussions, and VI Corps commander Horatio Wright was in command, but the Union army would likely have been surprised regardless.

McInturff's Ford and the Confluence      Gordon's three divisions began crossing the North Fork of the Shenandoah at about 4:30 A.M. October 19th here at McInturff's Ford near the confluence of Cedar Creek and the North Fork of the Shenandoah, as well as downstream at Bowman's Ford.  They then marched deep into the Federal rear and deployed for attack.

Thoburn's Position

     Meanwhile, Kershaw's division crossed Cedar Creek undetected in the thick morning fog here at Bowman's Mill Ford.  The division deployed in line of battle, but at 5 A.M. they were detected by the 5th NY Heavies, who were on the picket line part-way down the hill.  The Confederates now moved forward, capturing all but about 30 of the 309 pickets.  They continued up the hill, through a line of abatis, and over the entrenchments.  An artillery battery near the center of Thoburn's division was taken, and the Rebels quickly entered the Union camp.  The Federals were only now waking up, and many were not yet dressed.  Panic rapidly ensued, and the Union division fled.  The two brigades of Thoburn's division, part of Crook's VIII Corps, sustained 584 losses during the battle. 

Map - Does not include interstates and cavalry

8th Corps Attacked

       Emory's XIX Corps was holding a fortified line in the center of the Union position - facing Cedar Creek, off the picture to the left.  This photograph was taken from just beyond the left flank of Emory's line at the 128th NY Monument, which is on the other side of the Valley Pike somewhere behind the large evergreen on the left of the picture.  Crook's VIII Corps, minus Thoburn's division, was camped on the hills around and beyond the modern I-81 bridge on the right of the picture.

     Crook was the next victim of the Confederate onslaught.  Gordon's three divisions had deployed into line and advanced into Crook's camp shortly after Kershaw started his attack on Thoburn.  Although some Federals stood and fought, many fled in panic through this location to the Union center.  Some men hid in the ravine shown here until the Confederates advanced on Emory's flank.  Wilde's brigade of Thoburn's division rallied here and counterattacked unsuccessfully.  Those who did fight bought enough time for Emory to move some of his troops to face the Confederates.  McCauley's brigade on the far left of Emory's line refused its flank to face the advancing Rebels.  Kershaw's division crossed the ravine and slammed into the salient, forcing the Yankees back in hand to hand combat. The 128th NY lost 105 of its 310 men.  Elsewhere, Thomas' brigade took heavy losses briefly holding off Gordon's divisions.  The 8th Vermont lost nearly 110 of its 175 men.  With the Valley Pike secured, Wharton's Confederate division crossed Cedar Creek and advancing up the Valley Pike from off the picture to the left, joined the attack. 

From the VIII Corps Camps

    From near the I-81 bridge and the VIII Corps camps, you can see something of the terrain, with the Valley Pike on the far right and the end of Emory's line.  The high ground beyond are the easily defended hills above Cedar Creek.  The wooded hill in the center is higher ground on the south side of Cedar Creek.

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