Part of a series of articles titled Drive the Enemy South.
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Article
Battle of Cedar Creek
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 »
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 »
Two Confederate divisions crossed the North Fork of the Shenandoah and marched along the road, passing Long Meadow. Read more »
After fording Cedar Creek, approximately 3,000 Confederates marched with a rising fog obscuring their movements. Read more »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
General Philip Sheridan arrived on the battlefield following his famous and dramatic ride from his headquarters in Winchester. Read more »
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.
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
4th New Jersey
10th New Jersey
15th New Jersey
2nd Brigade
Col. Joseph E. Hamblin
2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery
65th New York
121st New York
95th Pennsylvania
96th Pennsylvania
2nd Division
Brig. Gen. George W. Getty
1st Brigade
Col. James M. Warner
62nd New York
93rd Pennsylvania
98th Pennsylvania
102nd Pennsylvania
139th Pennsylvania
2nd Brigade
Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Grant
2nd Vermont
3rd Vermont
4th Vermont
5th Vermont
6th Vermont
11th Vermont
3rd Brigade
Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Bidwell
1st Maine
43rd New York
49th New York
77th New York
122nd New York
61st Pennsylvania
3rd Division
Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts
1st Brigade
Col. William Emerson
14th New Jersey
106th New York
151st New York
184th New York
87th Pennsylvania
10th Vermont
2d Brigade
Col. Joseph W. Keifer
6th Maryland
9th New York Heavy Artillery
110th Ohio
122nd Ohio
126th Ohio
67th Pennsylvania
138th Pennsylvania
Artillery Brigade, Sixth Corps
Col. Charles Thompkins
Battery E, 5th Maine Artillery
1st 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
34th Massachusetts
5th New York Heavy Artillery
116th Ohio
123rd Ohio
3rd Brigade
Col. Thomas M. Harris
54th Pennsylvania
10th West Virginia
11th West Virginia
15th West Virginia
2nd Division
Col. Rutherford B. Hayes
1st Brigade
Col. Hiram F. Duval
23rd Ohio
36th Ohio
5th West Virginia
13th West Virginia
2nd Brigade
Lt. Col. Benjamin F. Coates
31th Ohio
91st Ohio
9th West Virginia
14th 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
6th New York Heavy Artillery
Nineteenth Corps
Maj. Gen. William H. Emory
1st Division
Brig. Gen. William Dwight
1st Brigade
Col. Edwin P. Davis
29th Maine
30th Massachusetts
90th New York
114th New York
116th New York
153rd New York
2d Brigade
Brig. Gen. James W. McMillan, Col. Stephen Thomas
12th Connecticut
160th New York
47th Pennsylvania
8th Vermont
Division Artillery
5th Battery New York Artillery
2d Division
Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover
5th Battery New York Artillery
1st Brigade
Brig. Gen. Henry W. Birge
9th Connecticut
12th Maine
14th Maine
26th Massachusetts
14th New Hampshire
75th New York
2nd Brigade
Col. Edward L. Molineux
13th Connecticut
3rd Massachusetts Cav. (d'mtd)
11th Indiana
22nd Iowa
131st New York
159th New York
3rd Brigade
Col. Daniel Macauley
38th Massachusetts
128th New York
156th New York
175th New York
176th New York
4th Brigade
Col. David Shunk
8th Indiana
18th Indiana
24th Iowa
28th Iowa
Division Artillery
Maj. Albert W. Bradbury
1st Battery, ME Light Artillery
Battery D, 1st RI Light Artillery
17th 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
1st Michigan Cavalry
5th Michigan Cavalry
6th Michigan Cavalry
7th Michigan Cavalry
25th New York Cavalry
2nd Brigade
Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Devin
4th New York Cavalry (Headquarters Guard)
6th New York Cavalry
1st New York Dragoons
17th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Reserve Brigade
Col. Charles R. Lowell, Jr.
2nd Massachusetts Cavalry
6th Pennsylvania Cavalry (Army Headquarters)
1st U.S. Cavalry
2nd U.S. Cavalry
5th U.S. Cavalry
Division Artillery
Batteries K & L, 1st US
2d Division
Col. William H. Powell
1st Brigade
Col. Alpheus S. Moore
14th Pennsylvania Cavalry
22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry
8th Ohio Cavalry
2nd Brigade
Col. Henry Capehart
1st New York Cavalry
1st West Virginia Cavalry
2nd West Virginia Cavalry
3rd West Virginia Cavalry
Division Artillery
Battery L, 5th U.S. Artillery
3rd Division
Brig. Gen. George A. Custer
1st Brigade
Col. Alexander Pennington, Jr.
1st Connecticut Cavalry
3rd New Jersey Cavalry
2nd New York Cavalry
5th New York Cavalry
2nd Ohio Cavalry
18th Pennsylvania Cavalry
2nd Brigade
Col. William Wells
3rd Indiana Cavalry
1st New Hampshire Cavalry
8th New York Cavalry
22nd New York Cavalry
1st Vermont Cavalry
Horse Artillery
Batteries B & L, 2nd U.S. Artillery
Batteries C, F, & K, 3rd U.S. Artillery
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
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Last updated: February 1, 2023