Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SHERIDAN’S RIDE. — 159 They in turn were obliged to retire and follow the retreating columns of the Union. ee eS Se CHAPTER XXX. oe SHERIDAN’S RIDE. Sheridan, on his way back to the army, had slept at Winchester, twenty miles distant, the night before. In the morning, little dreaming of the terror reign- ing in his camp in front, he sat down to his breakfast, and after it was finished, he mounted his horse, and with his escort rode leisurely forward. His noble aimy had been struggling on the brink © of destruction for four long hours. The gallant leader knew nothing of the change that had taken place so unexpectedly in the situation of affairs. , When he left the valley for Washington, Early’s army was almost a thing of the past, and Sheridan had not the slightest expectation of an attack so soon after posting his men along Cedar Creek. | The unexpected is often the most likely. to occur, as it did in this case. The Unionists, shattered and hard pressed, made only a short stand at Middletown, and the army passed on in full retreat toward Newtown, five miles — in the rear. On the heights around the former place, Early planted his batteries, which poured in a terrible fire on the uncoveied army as it slowly fell back along the highway and across the fields. | As Sheridan rode leisurely forward, the rumble and jar of the heavy guns on Middletown heights caused him to look up in surprise. 7 ~. Still he felt no uneasiness, for he was confident that Ecomicbooks (E(e)