This Month in the War: Battles of Bristoe Station, Cedar Creek, Ball's Bluff, Mine Creek and John Brown

From the Ameriacan Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

OCTOBER 14, 1863

**  Battle of Bristoe Station, Virginia

OCTOBER 16, 1859

**  John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), begins and lasts three days.

OCTOBER 18, 1859

**  U.S. Marines storm engine house at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), and capture John Brown.

OCTOBER 19, 1864

**  Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia

OCTOBER 21, 1861

**  Battle of Ball's Bluff, Leesburg, Virginia  (This battle sure reminds me a lot of the Battle of Sheperdstown.)

OCTOBER 25, 1864

**  Battle of Mine Creek, Kansas

--Old Secesh

Civil War Events in October-- Part 2: Bristoe Station, John Brown's Raid, Cedar Creek, Ball's Bluff and Mine Creek

1863

OCTOBER 14 

**  Battle of Bristoe Station, Virginia

1859

OCTOBER 16

**  John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) begins and lasts for three days.

1859

OCTOBER 18

**  U.S. Marines storm engine house at Harpers Ferry and capture John Brown.

1864

OCTIBER 19

**  Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia

1861

OCTOBER 21

**  Battle of Ball's Bluff, Leesburg, Virginia

1864

OCTOBER 25

**  Battle of Mine Creek, Kansas

--Old Secesh

Civil War Trust 2017 Calendar-- Part 10, October: Cedar Creek, Va.

CEDAR CREEK, VA.  639 acres saved.

Among the Cedar Creek landmarks protected through Trust efforts is the monument commemorating the valiant stand of the 8th Vermont  Regiment -- whose sacrifice allowed the Union Army to regroup in the face of a surprise pre-dawn Confederate attack. -- and Reinzi's Knoll, where Union Major General Philip Sheridan arrived on the field to rally his men and launch a devastating counterattack.

--Old Secesh

Mort Kunstler Civil War Events in October

From the Mort Kunstler 2017 Civil War Calendar.

10TH--  1837 --  Col. Robert Gould Shaw, U.S. born

19TH--  1864:--    Battle of Cedar Creek

20TH--  1819--  Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, U.S., born

21ST--  1861--   Battle of Ball's Bluff

--Old Secesh

General Philip Sheridan

From the Dec. 14, 2014, Chicago Tribune "Why It's Called Sheridan Road" by Ron Grossman.

General "Sheridan had a penchant for galloping to the scene of a potential disaster to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  The statue (of him) at Belmont and Sheridan (roads in Chicago) depicts him at the Battle of Cedar Creek, Va., rallying his panicked soldiers.  'Face the other way, men!' he repeatedly told them, according to the Tribune.

"'We're going back to our camp tonight or I'll sleep in hell!'  He had been away from his troops, conferring with superiors in Washington, and heard the sounds of battle as he was returning via Winchester, Va.

"Then came band after band of terrified soldiers fleeing what surely seemed like a lots battle.  (Fortunately the Confederates had stopped pursuing and were plundering the Union camps.)  Had not Sheridan persuaded them to give it one more try, the Rebels would have advanced on the Union capital.

"Instead, Sheridan's victory helped seal the Confederacy's fate and made the reputation of the diminutive (his men called him 'Little Phil') as one of America's legendary generals."

--Old secesh

General Stephen Dodson Ramseur, C.S.A.-- Part 2: Of North Carolina

Stephen Ramseur was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina, and an 1860 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.

In a surprise attack on the Union Army at Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864, the Confederates under Gen. Jubal Early routed the Army of Gen. Phil Sheridan and forced it out of their camps in disorganization.  Unfortunately for the Confederates, their troops were hungry and exhausted leading to them falling out of ranks to pillage the Union camps.

When Sheridan's counterattack struck, Ramseur was able to get a few hundred back in line and held off the Union attack for one and a half hours, showing great valor and bravery.

He was mounted on horseback and drew heavy fire the whole time.  He was wounded in the arm and his horse shot out from under him.  A second horse was also killed.  He was on his third horse when he was shot through both lungs, fell and was captured by the 1st Vermont Cavalry.

He died the following day at Meadow Mills, Virginia at Sheridan's headquarters at Belle Grove Manison.

The day before the battle, word had reached the gallant Ramseur of the birth of his daughter.  He was buried at St. Luke's Episcopal Cemetery in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

--Old Secesh

Stephen Dodson Ramseur, C.S.A.-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

In the last post, Gen. Sheridan mentioned that Confederate General Ramseur had been captured and was "perhaps mortally wounded."  I was familiar with this general's name, but didn't know much about him, so had to do further research.

STEPHEN DODSON RAMSEUR

 (May 31, 1837-October 20, 1864)

Was one of the youngest generals on either side during the war, just 27 when he was killed.

He distinguished himself at the Battles of Malvern Hill, Chancellorsville( where his brigade led the flank attack), the Overland Campaign and Valley Campaign.  He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek as Sheridan had mentioned.

--Old Secesh

Sheridan's Report on Battle of Cedar Creek-- Part 2

"At three o'clock in the afternoon, after some charges of the cavalry from the left to right flank, I attacked with great vigor, driving and routing the enemy, capturing, according to the last report, forty-three pieces of artillery and many prisoners.

"I do not know yet the number of casualties or the losses of the enemy.  Wagons, trains,  ambulances and caissons in large numbers are in our hands.  They also burned some of their trains.

"General Ramseur is a prisoner in our hands, severely and perhaps mortally wounded.  I have to regret the loss of Gen. Bidwell, killed and gens. Wright, Grover and Ricketts, wounded.  Wright is slightly wounded.

"Affairs at times looked badly, but by the gallantry of our brave officers and men, disaster has been converted into a splendid victory.  Darkness again intervened to shut off the greater result."

A Big, Come From behind, Victory for the Union.  --Old Secesh

Sheridan's Report of Battle of Cedar Creek-- Part 1

From the October 1864 Chicago Tribune.

GENERAL SHERIDAN'S DISPATCH

"To Lieutenant General Grant, City Point:

Cedar Creek, Oct 19-- 10 p.m.

I have the honor to report that my army at Cedar Creek was attacked this morning and my left was turned and driven in confusion.  In fact most of the line was driven in confusion, with the loss of twenty pieces of artillery.

I listened from Winchester, where I was on my return from Washington, and found the army between Middleton and Newton, having been driven back about four miles.  I here took the affair in hand and quickly united the corps and formed a compact line of battle in time to repulse the attack of the enemy, which was done handsomely at about one o'clock in the afternoon."

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

Chicago Tribune Headlines for Battle of Cedar Creek

NEWS BY TELEGRAPH  October 21, 1864

More Thunder from the Shenandoah

Gen. Sheridan Defeats Longstreet and Captures 43 Guns

A Critical Situation Turned to a Victory

Full Official Dispatch from General Sheridan

Full Notes of Wednesday's Battle

Sheridan's Appearance Saves the Day and the Army

How to sell newspapers in 1864.  The telegraph was a big thing in getting war news to other places with hours of events out east.

--Old Secesh

"A Splendid Victory Was Won by Gen. Sheridan"

From the Dec. 14, 2014, Chicago Tribune, "Why it's called Sheridan Road" by Ron Grossman.

Followers of my RoadDog's Roadlog Blog have been reading about General Philip H. Sheridan's role in Chicago history which led to a major north-south road and a fort being named for him in the area.

This was from an article in the 1864 Tribune announcing the general's huge victory at the Battle of Cedar Creek in Virginia.  It is the text of a military telegraph message from Secretary of War E.M. Stanton to Major General Dix on October 20, 1864.

"A great battle was fought and a splendid victory was won by Gen. Sheridan over Longstreet yesterday at Cedar Creek.  Forty-three pieces of artillery were captured and many prisoners, among whom were rebel Gen. Ramseur..  On our side Gens. Wright and Ricketts were wounded, and Gen. Bidwell killed.

"Particulars so far as received will be furnished as fast as the operator can transmit them."

E.M. Stanton
Secretary of War