h the tired soldiers had been fighting for five long hours and had
eaten nothing since the night before, his presence was both food and
inspiration, and everything seemed to be forgotten in an all-controlling
impulse to follow their glorious leader to victory.

"Early retired his troops a short distance after their repulse, and
began throwing up breastworks. But the intrepid Sheridan had no notion
of allowing him to retain that position. He meant to regain Cedar Creek
and rout the enemy. At half-past three a bold charge was made. An awful
musketry and artillery fire was poured into the advancing Union columns,
and, at first, the lines broke and fell back; but Sheridan rose at once
to the needs of the crisis, and with superhuman efforts restored order
and resumed the advance. Then came 'the long-drawn yell of our charge,'
and 'everything on the first line, the stone walls, the tangled wood,
the advanced crest, and half-finished breastworks, had been carried.'

"The panic-stricken enemy was sent flying in utter rout through
Middletown, through Strasburg, through Fisher's Hill, and to Woodstock,
sixteen miles beyond. Early was thus effectually driven out of the
Shenandoah Valley, and permanently crippled.

"This wonderful victory, due to Sheridan's personal presence alone, put
a crown on his head which few warriors could pluck from the heights of
Fame."

* * * * *

"On March the fourth, 1869, he received the promotion of
lieutenant-general, and was appointed to the command of the Division of
the Missouri, of the Platte, and of Texas, with head-quarters at
Chicago."

* * * * *

The name of Kilpatrick kindles enthusiasm in the breast of every
cavalryman of the late war, and our author, having served under him, has
sketched his life, _con amore_, in vivid and thrilling language, and
with a keen appreciation of his great merits as a cavalry leader. The
following extract will confirm our view:

"Like the French Murat, Kilpatrick seems to have been born to become a
very demi-god of cavalry. Daringly heroic on the field, he displayed a
supreme genius for war, especially for that department of the service
whose alarum cry is, 'To horse!' and whose sweeping squadrons, with wild
clatter of hoofs, seem to the fervid imagination to be making a race for
glory, even though it be through the gates of death.

"It is quite in keeping with everything about Kilpatrick th