Author V * Title ^ * A s ci.ss.E-4-7-7- Book..f..5.2 ,T8 Imprint TEXT TO NUMBER ONE 05' PRANG'S WAR PICTURES, m m © m ^ B mmmmm®mmmmmm^Q it SHERIDAN'S FINAL CHARGE AT WINCHESTER/'^ mmmmm SEPTEMBER 19, 1864. BOSTON: L. PRANG & CO. SHERIDAN'S FiNAi, charge; at winch^stkr. jN the 19th of September, 1864, on the line of the Opequan Creek, near Winchester, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley, this fight between the Union forces under General Philip H. Sheridan and the Confed- erates under General Jubal Early took place. It resulted in the total defeat of Early, and was the first of a series of important contests between the same commanders for the control of the valley, which terminated in its ultimate evacuation by the Southern army. A peculiarity of this engagement was the boldness and versatility with which the Union cavalry were han- dled. In no other battle of the war was the field better adapted for the operations of cavalry, on foot or mounted, and in none other was there more use of the sabre made than on this occasion. " 3^t> :,- .33 Sheridan's Final Charge at Winchester. Sheridan's mounted force numbered about six thousand men under General Torbert, and was dis- tributed in three divisions, under Generals Merritt, Wilson, and Averill respectively. In Merritt's First Division there were three bri- gades, and it is an incident in the service of one of these — known as the Cavalry Reserve Brigade (also as the "Regular" Brigade) — that is the subject of the picture. The Regular Brigade was commanded by Colonel Charles R. Lowell (a nephew of the late Minister to England), who was killed at the head of his command October i8, 1864. It consisted of the First, Second, and Fifth United States regiments of cavalry. Second Massachusetts and First New York Dragoons. General Sheridan's line was fbrmed with his in- fantry (parts of the Sixth, Eighth, 'and Nineteenth Corps) in the centre, Wilson's cavalry division on the left, while Merritt and Averill on the right wheeled gradually to the left and south, pivoting on the in- fantry, and seeking to envelop the enemy's left and rear. The moment chosen by the artist was when the jSheridans Final Charge at Winchester. Union cavalry had nearly accomplished the last- named purpose, near the close of the day and of the battle, which lasted from 2 a. m. until 6 p. m. The final and decisive movement of the cavalry, of which the charge of the Regular Brigade was part, Is thus referred to In the official reports. General Sheridan says : '' I returned to the right where the enemy was still fighting, with obstinacy, in the open ground in front of Winchester, and ordered Torbert to collect his cavalry and charge." General Early states : '' The enemy's cavalry again charged around my left flank, and the men began to give way again." General Merritt reports : *' Soon Colonel Lowell (Reserve Biigade) entered the lists. His heroic brigade — now reduced to about six hundred men — rode out fearlessly within five hundred yards of the enemy's line of battle, on the left of which, resting on an old earthwork, was a two-gun battery. The order was given to charge the line and get the guns. Lieutenant Harrison, of the Second United States Cavalry, which was the leading regiment in Lowell's jSheridans Final Charge at Winchester. column In the charge referred to, writes as follows : ^ *' It was well toward four o'clock, and though the sun was warm the air was cool and bracing. The ground to our front was open and level, in some places, as a well-cut lawn. Not an obstacle inter- vened between us and the enemy's line, which was distinctly seen nervously awaiting our attack. The brigade was in column of squadrons, the Second United States Cavalry in front. At the sound of the bugle we took the trot, the gallop, and then * the charge.' As we neared their line, we were welcomed by a fearful musketry fire, which tempora- rily confused the leading squadron, and caused the entire brigade to oblique slightly to the right. In- standy officers cried out, ' Forward ! ' ' Forward ! ' The men raised their sabres, and responded with deafening cheers. Within a hundred yards of the enemy's line we struck a blind ditch, but crossed it without breaking our front. In a moment we were face to face with the enemy. They stood for an instant, and then broke in complete rout. In this charge the battery and many prisoners were cap- 1 " Everglade to Canon." New York : D. Van Nostrand. 4 Sheridan's Final Cliarge at Wincliester. tured. Our own loss was severe, and of the officers of the Second, Captain Rodenbough (commanding the regiment) lost an arm, and Lieutenant Harrison was taken prisoner." The writer of this brief sketch of the circum- stances attending the charge of Lowell's Brigade was among the group of officers at the head of the column, as shown In the picture, and distinctly re- members certain details which M. de Thulstrup has reproduced with rare fidelity. The Union brigade colors, carried behind Colonel Lowell, are faithfully copied from the original flag, now In the Museum at West Point, and the artist has faithfully portrayed the atmospheric tone of an autumn day in Virginia, particularly of the day and hour in question. At the time of the volley of musketry referred to by Lieutenant Harrison, the writer spoke to Gen- eral Custer (represented in black sombrero and red cravat, on right flank of leading squadron), who assisted to encourage the men, and rode along with us for some distance. The officer on the white horse is an excellent representation of Lowell, the brigade jSheridans Final Charge at Winchester. commander. On his left were two regimental com- manders, Captain Rodenbough of the Second and Captain Baker of the First Cavalry ; also Captain Smith and Lieutenant Harrison of the Second Cav- alry, and others whose positions are not remembered. The Confederate standard-bearer had ventured too far from his escort, and when first seen by the writer was just in rear of the enemy's skirmish-line, urging his horse at full speed in a vain effort to rejoin his friends. The Confederate guns — one of which is seen in the foreground — are understood to have belonged to " Lee's Battery." Before the brigade reached the point indicated in the picture, a number of men and horses had gone down under the spasmodic fire of the enemy. One officer, severely wounded, was lying on the ground in the wake of the charging " Yankee " horsemen, when a handsome '' Rebel " cavalier, well- mounted and clad in exceptionally bright gray uni- form, rode up. The last comer was evidently trying to rejoin his command, which had changed its base since he left it. With a quick look around he saw jSheridans Final Charge at Winchester. the coast, for the moment, was clear. Dismounting he approached the fallen foe, and, after a courteous inquiry as to the extent of his injury, he proceeded to confiscate such contraband of war as a pistol and a pair of small field-glasses, bearing on the rims, in gilt letters, the owner's name. As he remounted he said to the Union officer, with a frank and graceful air, " I am sorry to leave you, but your own people will soon -find you ; while you are up we will fight you, but when down would care for you. But this is no place for me," he added, and with a wave of the hand this knight of the nineteenth century dis- appeared as suddenly as he had arrived. To some of their prisoners the Confederates expressed the greatest admiration of the final charge of Sheridan's cavalry (part of which is here faith- fully depicted), which was the finishing stroke to the operations of the day which sent the routed army of General Early " whirling through Winchester." Aey to Portraits in the Picture. i 1 — Brigadier-General Georgb A. Custer, United States Volunteers (afterward Major-General). Killed by the Indians, June 25, 1876. 2 — Colonel Charles R. Lowell, Second Massachusetts Cavalrj', Commanding Brigade (after- ward Brigadier-General United States Volunteers). Killed at Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864. 3 — Captain Theo. F. Rodenbough, Second United States Cavalry, Commanding Regiment (afterward Colonel and Brevet- Brigadier-General United States Army). 4 — Captain Eugene M. Baker, Commanding Regiment (afterward Major Second Cavalrj')- Died Dec. 18, 1884. 45 West zsth Street, New York City. My dear Sir: It has given me great pleasure to watch the development of your beautiful and truthful water- color drawing of the " Charge of Sheridan's Cavalry at Winchester, 1864," being the final charge (.f the Regular Brigade (Lowell's), Merritt's Division, Cavalry Corps, upon Early's left, at the battle of the Opequan, Va., Sept. 19, 1S64. I commanded the leading regiment of the brigade on that day, and heartily congratulate you upon the fidelity with which you have reproduced the scene as I remember it. By the aid of certain soldiers who saw the charge from opposite sides, — Union and Confederate, — you 'have attained an exceptional degree of realism in the composition of your picture. Very truly yours, THEO. F. RODENBOUGH, Bt.- Brig. -Gen. U.S.A. To Mr. Thure db Thulstrup. PRANG'S WAR PICTURES. AQUARELLE FACSIMILE PRINTS. m LAND BATTLES. {EASTERN- DIVISION.) SHERIDAN'S FINAL CHARGE AT WINCHESTER. \ 2. BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG. | 3. SHERIDAN'S RIDK i 4. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 5. BATTLE OF ANTIETAM. 6. BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA, iWE STERN DIVISION.) BATTLE OF CHATTANOOGA. 8. BATTLE OF KENESAW MOUNTAIN. 9. ALLATOONA PASS; OR, "HOLD THE FORT.' io. BATTLE OF ATLANTA. II. SIEGE OF VICKSBURG. 12. BATTLE OF SHILOH. NAVAL BATTLES. 13. CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS. 14. MONITOR AND MERRIMAC. 15. BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY. 16. REARS ARGE AND ALABAMA. 17. BATTLE OF^ORT HUDSON. 18. CAPTURE OF FORT FISHER LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 702 786 §