ced to
change front, and was arrested in his advance.

Sheridan's presence went far towards giving confidence to his army,
and to inspire the men with a spirit of success. While the army
loved Wright, and believed in him, his temperament was not such as
to cause him to work an army up to a high state of enthusiasm. A
deep chagrin over the morning's disaster pervaded our army, and
had much to do with the subsequent efforts to win a victory.
Sheridan showed himself to the troops by riding along the front,
and he was loudly cheered. He assured them of success before the
day ended. During the lull in the day's battle some of the broken
troops of the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps were reorganized.

Wright resumed command of his corps and Getty his division. Before
Sheridan came Wright had instructed his division commanders that
he would assume the offensive, and it was understood our army would
advance about 12 M., as soon as an ample resupply of ammunition
could be issued. Sheridan, however, postponed the time for assuming
the offensive until 3 P.M. Early, still filled with high hopes of
complete victory, about 1 P.M. pushed forward on our entire front.
He did not drive in the strong line of skirmishers, and the attack
was easily repulsed. It seemed to me then, as it did to Wright
and others, that our whole army should have been thrown against
the enemy on this repulse, and thus decided the day. Sheridan,
however, adhered to his purpose to act on the defensive until later
in the day. A false report that a Confederate column was moving
towards Winchester on the Front Royal road caused Sheridan to delay
his attack until about 4 P.M.

Early promptly realized that the conditions had changed, that the
armies must meet face to face. It will be kept in mind that our
army was now fronting southward instead of eastward, and Early's
army was forced to face northward instead of westward, as in the
morning's battle.

Early, hoping to hold the ground already won and thus reap some of
the fruits of victory, retired, on his repulse, beyond the range
of our guns, and took up a strong position, with his infantry and
artillery, mainly on a natural amphitheatre of hills, centre a
little retired, extending from a point north of Cedar Creek near
Middle Marsh Brook on his left to and across the turnpike near
Middletown, protecting his flanks west of this brook and east of
the town with his cavalry and horse artillery. Early emplo