Third Battle of Winchester - Battle of Opequon - Civil War

Third Battle of Winchester - Battle of Opequon - Civil War Third Battle of Winchester - Conflict Date: The Third Battle of Winchester was fought September 19, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Major General Philip Sheridanapprox. 40,000 men Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal A. Earlyapprox. 12,000 men Third Battle of Winchester - Background: In June 1864, with his army besieged at Petersburg by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, General Robert E. Lee dispatched Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early to the Shenandoah Valley.   It was his hope that Early could reverse Confederate fortunes  in the area which had been damaged by Major General David Hunters victory at Piedmont  earlier in the month as well as  divert some Union forces away from Petersburg.   Reaching Lynchburg, Early  succeeded in  compelling  Hunter to withdraw into West Virginia and then advanced down  (north) the Valley.   Crossing into Maryland, he defeated a scratch Union force at the Battle of Monocacy on July 9.  Ã‚  Responding  to this crisis, Grant directed VI Corps north from the siege lines to reinforce Washington, DC.   Though Early menaced the capital later in July, he lacked the forces to assault the Union defenses.   With little other choice, he retreated back to the Shenandoah. Third Battle of Winchester - Sheridan Arrives: Tired of Earlys activities, Grant formed the Army of the Shenandoah on August 1 and appointed Major General Philip H. Sheridan to lead it.   Comprised of Major General Horatio Wrights VI Corps, Brigadier General William Emorys XIX Corps, Major General George Crooks VIII Corps (Army of West Virginia), and three  divisions of cavalry under Major General Alfred Torbert,  this new command received orders to destroy Confederate forces in the Valley and render the  region useless as a source of supplies for Lee.   Advancing from Harpers Ferry, Sheridan initially showed caution and probed to test Earlys strength.   Possessing four  infantry and two cavalry divisions, Early mistook Sheridans early  tentativeness as  over-caution and allowed his command to be strung out between Martinsburg and Winchester. Third Battle of Winchester - Moving to Battle: Learning that Earlys men were dispersed, Sheridan elected to drive on Winchester which was held by Major General Stephen D. Ramseurs division.   Warned of the Union advance, Early worked feverishly to reconcentrate his army.   Around 4:30 AM on September 19,  the lead  elements of Sheridans command pushed into the  narrow confines of Berryville Canyon east of Winchester.   Seeing an opportunity to delay the enemy, Ramseurs men blocked the canyons western exit.   Though ultimately driven back by Sheridan, Ramseurs action bought time for  Early to gather Confederate forces in Winchester.   Advancing from canyon, Sheridan neared the town but was not ready to attack until around midday. Third Battle of Winchester - Striking Early: To defend Winchester, Early deployed the divisions of Major Generals John B. Gordon, Robert Rodes, and Ramseur in a north-south line to the east of the town.   Pressing west, Sheridan  prepared to attack with VI Corps on the left and elements of XIX Corps on the  right.   Finally in position at 11:40 AM, Union forces commenced their advance.   While Wrights  men moved forward along the Berryville Pike, Brigadier General Cuvier Grovers division of XIX Corps stepped off  from a woodlot known as First Woods and crossed an open area dubbed Middle Field.   Unknown to Sheridan, Berryville Pike slanted  south and a gap soon opened between VI Corps right flank and Grovers division.   Enduring severe artillery fire, Grovers men charged Gordons position and began to drive them from a stand of trees  named Second Woods (Map). Though he attempted to halt  and consolidate his men in the woods, Grovers troops impetuously charged through them.   To the south, VI Corps began to make headway against Ramseurs flank.   With the situation critical, Gordon and Rodes quickly organized a series of counterattacks to save the Confederate position.   As they moved troops forward, the latter was cut down by an exploding shell.   Exploiting the gap between VI Corps and Grovers  division, Gordon reclaimed Second Woods and forced the enemy back  across Middle Field.   Seeing the danger, Sheridan worked to rally his men while pushing the divisions of Brigadier Generals William Dwight (XIX  Corps) and David  Russell (VI Corps) into the gap.   Moving forward, Russell fell when a shell exploded near him and command of his division passed to Brigadier General Emory Upton. Third Battle of Winchester - Sheridan Victorious: Stopped by the Union reinforcements, Gordon and the Confederates retreated back to the edge of Second Woods and for the next two hours the sides engaged in long-range skirmishing.   To break the stalemate, Sheridan directed VIII Corps to form on the Union right astride Red Bud Run, with the division of Colonel Isaac Duval to the north and that of Colonel Joseph Thoburn to the south. Around 3:00 PM,  he issued orders for the entire Union line to advance.   On the right, Duval fell  wounded  and command passed to future president Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes.   Striking the enemy, Hayes and Thoburns troops caused Earlys left to disintegrate.   With his line collapsing, he ordered his men to fall back to positions closer to  Winchester. Consolidating his forces, Early formed an L-shaped line with the left bent back to face the advancing men of VIII Corps.   Coming under coordinated attacks from Sheridans troops, his position became more desperate when Torbert appeared north of town with the cavalry divisions of Major General William Averell and Brigadier General Wesley Merritt.   While Confederate  cavalry, led by Major General Fitzhugh Lee, offered resistance at Fort Collier and Star Fort, it was slowly driven back by Torberts superior numbers.   With  Sheridan about to overwhelm his position and Torbert threatening to surround his army, Early saw no choice  but abandon  Winchester  to retreat south. Third Battle of Winchester - Aftermath: In the fighting at the Third Battle of Winchester, Sheridan sustained 5,020 killed, wounded, and missing while the Confederates incurred 3,610 casualties.  Ã‚  Beaten and outnumbered, Early withdrew twenty miles  south to Fishers Hill.   Forming a new  defensive position, he came under attack from Sheridan two days later.   Beaten in the resulting  Battle of Fishers Hill, the Confederates again retreated, this time to Waynesboro.   Counterattacking on October 19, Early struck Sheridans army at the Battle of Cedar Creek.   Though successful early in the fighting, strong Union counterattacks effectively destroyed his army in the afternoon. Selected Sources: Civil War Trust: Third Battle of WinchesterThird Battle of Winchester