Battle of Cedar Creek

October 19, 1864

The last major battle of Sheridan's Valley Campaign of August through October of 1864, the Battle of Cedar Creek saw 47,210 total forces engaged and an estimated 7,682 total casualties. It is also known as the Battle of Belle Grove. NPS Soldiers & Sailors Database »

"The Battle of Cedar Creek" painting by Julian Scott, 1872

Courtesy of the Vermont State Curator’s Office

“There burst upon our view the appalling spectacle of a panic-stricken army— hundreds of slightly wounded men, throngs of others… utterly demoralized, …all pressing to the rear in hopeless confusion, telling only too plainly that a disaster had occered at the front.”

U.S. Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan

“The concentration was stopped; the blow was not delivered… We halted, we hesitated, we dallied.”

Confederate Maj. Gen. John Gordon

The Federal victory at Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864 ended Confederate resistance in the Shenandoah Valley. Coming just three weeks before the presidential election, news of the victory boosted morale in the Northern states and helped carry Abraham Lincoln to a landslide reelection.

A Victory Turned From Disaster

On October 19, 1864 Maj. Gen. Jubal Early’s Confederates launched a predawn attack at Cedar Creek. They drove Federal soldiers out of their camps around Belle Grove Plantation and through Middletown in disarray. US Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, however, rallied his troops and turned the Confederate victory into a total defeat. Read more »

Eve of Battle

On the night of October 18, 1864, tents sheltering part of General Philip Sheridan’s 32,000 strong Union Army of the Shenandoah blanketed the fields of Belle Grove. Read more »

Long Meadow Crossing

Two Confederate divisions crossed the North Fork of the Shenandoah and marched along the road, passing Long Meadow. Read more »

Silent March

After fording Cedar Creek, approximately 3,000 Confederates marched with a rising fog obscuring their movements. Read more »

Surprise Attack

After a silent all-night march along the base of the Massanutten, the Confederates forded the creek and river and, aided by a dense fog, stormed this hill, catching many of the Union soldiers unaware, some still sleeping in their tents. Read more »

Bearing the Brunt

The 128th New York Regiment bore the brunt of the Confederate attack against their position. In the fog and smoke they could see little-- only the flash of rifles and sounds of battle told them where the enemy was. Read more »

Stand of the Eighth Vermont

In a desperate attempt to stem the onward rush of Confederates, Col. Stephen Thomas was ordered to sacrifice his 1,000 soldiers from Vermont, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The fight that followed was a “vortex of hell,” one veteran later claimed. Read more »

A Rich Prize

Belle Grove was Union headquarters, and thus was surrounded by hundreds of supply wagons, ambulances, and tents. As the Confederate advance neared the plantation manor house there was a scramble to evacuate them to safety. Read more »

Defense in the Cemetery

The Middletown Cemetery, on a knoll west of the village, was the only point where Union officers believed they could establish a strong position and attempt to slow the Confederate advance. Read more »

The Fatal Halt

General John Gordon and his commanding officer, General Jubal Early, met to assess the situation. Gordon urged continuing the pursuit. Early believed that the battle had been won. Read more »

Sheridan Arrives

General Philip Sheridan arrived on the battlefield following his famous and dramatic ride from his headquarters in Winchester. Read more »

Union Counterattack

Sheridan’s reformed battle lines stretched for almost two miles from east to west. Their counterattack took them back over the fields that they had earlier fled. Read more »

Order of Battle

The order of battle shows the hierarchy of army units in the field at the Battle of Cedar Creek.

Army of the Shenandoah (USA)

Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan

Sixth Corps

Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright, Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts

1st Division

Brig. Gen. Frank Wheaton

1st Brigade

Col. William H. Penrose
4^th New Jersey
10^th New Jersey
15^th New Jersey

2nd Brigade

Col. Joseph E. Hamblin
2^nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery
65^th New York
121^st New York
95^th Pennsylvania
96^th Pennsylvania

2nd Division

Brig. Gen. George W. Getty

1st Brigade

Col. James M. Warner
62^nd New York
93^rd Pennsylvania
98^th Pennsylvania
102^nd Pennsylvania
139^th Pennsylvania

2nd Brigade

Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Grant
2^nd Vermont
3^rd Vermont
4^th Vermont
5^th Vermont
6^th Vermont
11^th Vermont

3rd Brigade

Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Bidwell
1^st Maine
43^rd New York
49^th New York
77^th New York
122^nd New York
61^st Pennsylvania

3rd Division

Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts

1st Brigade

Col. William Emerson
14^th New Jersey
106^th New York
151^st New York
184^th New York
87^th Pennsylvania
10^th Vermont

2d Brigade

Col. Joseph W. Keifer
6^th Maryland
9^th New York Heavy Artillery
110^th Ohio
122^nd Ohio
126^th Ohio
67^th Pennsylvania
138^th Pennsylvania

Artillery Brigade, Sixth Corps

Col. Charles Thompkins
Battery E, 5th Maine Artillery
1^st Battery NY Light Artillery
Batteries C & G, 1st RI Art'y
Battery M, 5th U.S. Artillery

Eighth Corps

Brig. Gen. George Crook

1st Division

Col. Joseph Thoburn

1st Brigade

Lt. Col. Thomas F. Wildes
34^th Massachusetts
5^th New York Heavy Artillery
116^th Ohio
123^rd Ohio

3rd Brigade

Col. Thomas M. Harris
54^th Pennsylvania
10^th West Virginia
11^th West Virginia
15^th West Virginia

2nd Division

Col. Rutherford B. Hayes

1st Brigade

Col. Hiram F. Duval
23^rd Ohio
36^th Ohio
5^th West Virginia
13^th West Virginia

2nd Brigade

Lt. Col. Benjamin F. Coates
31^th Ohio
91^st Ohio
9^th West Virginia
14^th West Virginia

Artillery Brigade, Eighth Corps

Capt. Henry A. DuPont
Battery L, 1st Ohio Artillery
Battery D, 1st Penn. Artillery
Battery B, 5th U.S. Artillery

Provisional Division

Col. J. Howard Kitching
6^th New York Heavy Artillery

Nineteenth Corps

Maj. Gen. William H. Emory

1st Division

Brig. Gen. William Dwight

1st Brigade

Col. Edwin P. Davis
29^th Maine
30^th Massachusetts
90^th New York
114^th New York
116^th New York
153^rd New York

2d Brigade 

Brig. Gen. James W. McMillan, Col. Stephen Thomas
12^th Connecticut
160^th New York
47^th Pennsylvania
8^th Vermont

Division Artillery 

5^th Battery New York Artillery

2d Division

Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover
5^th Battery New York Artillery

1st Brigade

Brig. Gen. Henry W. Birge
9^th Connecticut
12^th Maine
14^th Maine
26^th Massachusetts
14^th New Hampshire
75^th New York

2nd Brigade

Col. Edward L. Molineux
13^th Connecticut
3^rd Massachusetts Cav. (d'mtd)
11^th Indiana
22^nd Iowa
131^st New York
159^th New York

3rd Brigade

Col. Daniel Macauley
38^th Massachusetts
128^th New York
156^th New York
175^th New York
176^th New York

4th Brigade

Col. David Shunk
8^th Indiana
18^th Indiana
24^th Iowa
28^th Iowa

Division Artillery

Maj. Albert W. Bradbury
1^st Battery, ME Light Artillery
Battery D, 1st RI Light Artillery
17^th Battery, IN Light Artillery

Cavalry Corps

Maj. Gen. Alfred T. A. Torbert
Escort: 1st Rhode Island Cavalry

1st Division

Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt

1st Brigade

Col. James H. Kidd
1^st Michigan Cavalry
5^th Michigan Cavalry
6^th Michigan Cavalry
7^th Michigan Cavalry
25^th New York Cavalry

2nd Brigade

Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Devin
4^th New York Cavalry (Headquarters Guard)
6^th New York Cavalry
1^st New York Dragoons
17^th Pennsylvania Cavalry

Reserve Brigade

Col. Charles R. Lowell, Jr.
2^nd Massachusetts Cavalry
6^th Pennsylvania Cavalry (Army Headquarters)
1^st U.S. Cavalry
2^nd U.S. Cavalry
5^th U.S. Cavalry

Division Artillery

Batteries K & L, 1^st US

2d Division 

Col. William H. Powell

1st Brigade

Col. Alpheus S. Moore
14^th Pennsylvania Cavalry
22^nd Pennsylvania Cavalry
8^th Ohio Cavalry

2nd Brigade

Col. Henry Capehart
1^st New York Cavalry
1^st West Virginia Cavalry
2^nd West Virginia Cavalry
3^rd West Virginia Cavalry

Division Artillery

Battery L, 5th U.S. Artillery

3rd Division

Brig. Gen. George A. Custer

1st Brigade

Col. Alexander Pennington, Jr.
1^st Connecticut Cavalry
3^rd New Jersey Cavalry
2^nd New York Cavalry
5^th New York Cavalry
2^nd Ohio Cavalry
18^th Pennsylvania Cavalry

2nd Brigade

Col. William Wells
3^rd Indiana Cavalry
1^st New Hampshire Cavalry
8^th New York Cavalry
22^nd New York Cavalry
1^st Vermont Cavalry

Horse Artillery

Batteries B & L, 2^nd U.S. Artillery
Batteries C, F, & K, 3^rd U.S. Artillery

Army of the Valley (Confederate)

Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early 

Ramseur's Division

Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Ramseur

Battle's Brigade

Brig. Gen. Cullen A. Battle
3nd Alabama
5th Alabama
6th Alabama
12th Alabama
61st Alabama

Grimes' Brigade

Brig. Gen. Bryan Grimes
2nd North Carolina Battalion
32nd North Carolina
43nd North Carolina
45th North Carolina
53rd North Carolina

Cook's Brigade

Brig. Gen. Philip Cook
4th Georgia
12th Georgia
21st Georgia
44th Georgia

Cox's Brigade

Brig. Gen. William R. Cox
1st North Carolina
2nd North Carolina
3rd North Carolina
4th North Carolina
14th North Carolina
30th North Carolina 

Kershaw's Division

Maj. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw

Conner's Brigade

Maj. James N. Goggin
2nd South Carolina
3nd South Carolina
3rd South Carolina Batt'n
7th South Carolina
8th South Carolina
15th South Carolina
20th South Carolina

Wofford's Brigade

BG. William T. Wofford
3rd Georgia Battalion
16th Georgia
18th Georgia
24th Georgia
Cobb's (Georgia) Legion
Phillip's (Georgia) Legion

Humphrey's Brigade 

Col. Daniel N. Moody
13th Mississippi
17th Mississippi
18th Mississippi
21st Mississippi  

Bryan's Brigade

Col. James P. Simms
10th Georgia
50th Georgia
51st Georgia
53rd Georgia

Pegram's Division

Brig. Gen. John Pegram

Pegram's Brigade

Col. John S. Hoffman
13th Virginia
31st Virginia
49th Virginia
52nd Virginia
58th Virginia

Johnston's Brigade

BG. Robert D. Johnston
1st North Carolina Batt'l S.S.
5th North Carolina
12th North Carolina
20th North Carolina
23rd North Carolina

Godwin's Brigade

Lt. Col. William S. Davis
6th North Carolina
21st North Carolina
54th North Carolina
57th North Carolina 

Gordon's Division

Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon

Evans' Brigade

BG Clement A. Evans
13th Georgia
26th Georgia
31st Georgia
38th Georgia
60th Georgia
61st Georgia
12th Georgia Battalion

York's Brigade

Col. William R. Peck
1st Louisiana
2nd Louisiana
5th Louisiana
6th Louisiana
7th Louisiana
8th Louisiana
9th Louisiana
10th Louisiana
14th Louisiana
15th Louisiana  

Terry's Brigade 

Brig. Gen. William Terry
2nd Virginia
4th Virginia
5th Virginia
10th Virginia
21st Virginia
23rd Virginia
25th Virginia
27th Virginia
33nd Virginia
37th Virginia
42nd Virginia
44th Virginia
48th Virginia
50th Virginia

Wharton's Division 

BG. Gabriel C. Wharton 

Wharton's Brigade

Maj. Peter J. Otey
30th Virginia Batt'l S.S.
45th Virginia
50th Virginia
51st Virginia

Patton's Brigade

LC John C. McDonald
22nd Virginia
23rd Virginia Batt'l
26th Virginia Batt'l

Smith's Brigade

Col. Thomas Smith
36th Virginia
45th Virginia Batt'l
60th Virginia Thomas's Legion  

Lomax's Division

MG. Lunsford L. Lomax

Imboden's Brigade

Col. George H. Smith
18th Virginia Cav.
23rd Virginia Cav.
62nd Virginia Mounted Inf.

Johnson's Brigade

BG. Bradley T. Johnson
8th Virginia Cav.
21st Virginia Cav.
22nd Virginia Cav.
34th Virginia Batt'n Cav.
36th Virginia Batt'n Cav.

McCausland's Brigade

BG. John McCausland
14th Virginia Cav.
16th Virginia Cav.
17th Virginia Cav.
25th Virginia Cav.
37th Virginia Batt'n Cav

Jackson's Brigade

BD. Henry B. Davidson
2nd Maryland Cav.
19th Virginia Cav.
20th Virginia Cav.
46th Virginia Batt'n Cav.
47th Virginia Batt'n Cav.

Horse Artillery

Lurty's Battery(VA)
McClanahan's Battery (VA)

Rosser's Division 

MG. Thomas L. Rosser

Wickham's Brigade

Col. Thomas H. Owen
1st Virginia Cav.
2nd Virginia Cav.
3rd Virginia Cav.
4th Virginia Cav.

Payne's Brigade

Col. William H. Payne
5th Virginia Cav.
6th Virginia Cav.
15th Virginia Cav.

Rosser's "Laurel" Brigade

Col. Oliver R. Funsten
7th Virginia Cav.
11th Virginia Cav.
12th Virginia Cav.
35th Virginia Batt'n Cav.  

Stuart Horse Artillery

Maj. James Breathed
Johnston's Battery (VA)
Thomson's Battery (VA)
Shoemaker's Battery (VA) 

Artillery

Col. Thomas H. Carter

Braxton's Battalion

Maj Marcellus Moorman
Carpenter's Alleghany Batt. VA
Cooper's Stafford Batt. VA
Hardwicke's Lee Batt. VA

Cutshaw's Battalion

Maj. Wilfred Cutshaw
Fry's Orange Batt. VA
Garbers's Staunton Batt. VA
Jones Richmond "Howitzer"  Batt. VA

King's Battalion

Maj. William McLaughlin
Brian's Lewisburg Batt. VA
Chapman's Monroe Batt. VA
Lowry's Wise Batt. VA

Nelson's Battalion

LC William Nelson
Kirkpatrick's Amhurst Batt. VA
Milledge's Regular Batt. GA
Snead's Fluvanna Batt. VA