ollowing Sheridan's footsteps, so
that on the 13th, while Wright was well on his way towards Alexandria,
and Sheridan himself was getting ready to go to Washington, Early
once more took post at Fisher's Hill, and sent his advance guard
directly on to Hupp's Hill to look down into the Union camps on
the farther bank of Cedar Creek and see what was going on there.
The first news of Early's presence, within two miles of the Union
camp, at the very moment when he was thought to be sixty miles away
on the line of the Virginia Central railway, was brought by the
shells his artillery suddenly dropped among the tents of Crook.
Thoburn at once moved out to capture the battery whose missiles
had presented themselves as uninvited guests at his dinner-table,
but was met by Kershaw and driven back after a sharp fight. Custer,
who was covering the right flank of the army, was assailed at the
same time by the Confederate cavalry, but easily threw off the
attack. At the first sound Torbert sent Merritt from the left to
the support of Custer, and afterward Sheridan kept him there.

When on the 12th of October Sheridan received Grant's definite
instructions for the movement on Gordonsville and Charlottesville,
he ceased to offer any further opposition, yet, realizing that he
would need his whole force, he withdrew the order for Wright's
movement to Alexandria and sent him word to come back to Cedar
Creek. The head of Wright's column was wading the Shenandoah when
these orders overtook it. Wright at once faced about, and on the
next day, the 14th of October, went into camp behind the lines of
Cedar Creek on the right and rear of Emory. No change was made in
the positions of the other troops, because, until Sheridan's return
from Washington, the policy and plan of the campaign must remain
unsettled, and Wright might at any moment be called upon to resume
his march.

On the 15th of October Sheridan received formal instructions from
Grant, limiting the proposed movement on Charlottesville and
Gordonsville to a serious menace, instead of an occupation, and
again reducing the call for troops to a single division of cavalry.
Sheridan at once sent Merritt in motion toward Chester Gap, directing
Powell to follow, and he himself rode with Merritt to Front Royal,
meaning to pay his postponed visit to the Secretary of War at
Washington; but on the 16th, before quitting Front Royal, he was
overtaken by an officer from Wright bringing the word