the pike, with a portion along the east side of the road, and put it to flight. Wright's Sixth Corps being farther to the north and west of the pike, had a little time to prepare and make a stand, around whom the panic-stricken men remaining on the field rallied. However, it was a disjointed line which fell back through Middletown. At 5 a. m. the 54th Regiment was about two miles south of Middletown, and at 4 p. m. it was about the same distance north, having been pushed back about four miles.
Gen. Wright withdrew his line to the north side of Middletown and formed on the west side of the Winchester pike, with the exception of Crook's infantry (54th Regiment), which rallied on the east side. Gen. Early also pushed his line to the north side of the town.
Gen. Sheridan slept in Winchester on Tuesday night. At 6 a. m. on the 19th an officer reported to him that he heard desultory firing in the direction of Cedar Creek. Upon further inquiry he could not believe it was an attack, thinking the Longstreet dispatch merely a ruse of the enemy. He tried to sleep again, but became restless and ordered that his breakfast be served and “Rienzi” bridled.
About 8:45 o'clock he and his escort started for Cedar Creek, and in passing out of Winchester he noticed the rapture of the women along the streets over some good news which had evidently come over the “grape vine telegraph.” While he was entirely ignorant of the situation, he put his black charger on a quick step. After passing Mill Creek the stragglers leading the panic-stricken army burst upon him with the usual tales of a great disaster : that all was lost and the army in full retreat. It was disturbing, and the Longstreet message, “Be ready when I join you, and we will crush Sheridan.” was uppermost in his mind. His first thought was to stop the army in the suburbs of Winchester and fight there. But as he was hastening onward it flashed through his brain to rally on the old camp. He believed his men had confidence in him, and that they would turn and go the other way if he should lead them. He decided to do this, and left Col. Forsyth and a few other officers to remain in the rear and do all that was possible to stop the runaways. “Rienzi” strained every nerve and muscle to carry his master to the front, galloping over the pike until it became filled with wagons and stragglers, when he leaped the fences and passed through the fields and meadows, bounding fences, ditches and small rivulets. Sheridan arrived at the front about 10:30, and immediately rode
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