Phil Sheridan had his orders for the upcoming spring campaign, in his words they were “to destroy the Virginia Central Railroad, the James River Canal, capture Lynchburg if practicable, and then join Major-General Sherman wherever he might be found in North Carolina, or return to Winchester; but in joining General Sherman I must be governed by the position of affairs after the capture of Lynchburg.” His command consisted of the First and Third Divisions of Cavalry with each division accompanied by one section of artillery (3-inch guns). A pontoon train with a company of engineers, under the command of Captain Folwell would also accompany the expedition. The troops would march with five days’ rations and thirty pounds of forage for the horses, and fifteen days’ rations of sugar, coffee, and salt in the wagons. Each man carried seventy-five rounds of ammunition, with another 100 rounds per man in the wagons. The entire train, including twelve ambulances and two medical wagons), was seventy-five wagons. Brevet Major General Wesley Merritt was the cavalry commander, Brevet Major General George A. Custer, commanded the Third Division, and Brigadier General Thomas C. Devin commanded the First Division. The effective force is shown in the table below.

On the morning of February 27, 1865, the Army of the Shenandoah left Winchester heading up the Valley Pike. The First Division was in the lead. The Second Brigade, of the Second Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia, was assigned to Custer and reported to him soon after they left camp, They were designated the Third Brigade of the Third Division. The weather was bad as the spring thaw with heavy rains had already arrived. The valley and its surrounding mountains were covered with snow, which was fast melting putting all the streams nearly past fording. On the first day the army crossed Cedar Creek, Tumbling Run, and Tom’s Brook, and went into camp at Woodstock, having covered thirty miles. The bridge over Cedar Creek had been carried away and the fording was deep. From Woodstock a force of 500 men from the 6th US Cavalry and 6th PA Cavalry under Major Morrow were sent in advance to hold the bridge at Edenburg during the night. At 6:00 AM on the morning of the 28th the column resumed the march through Edenburg, across the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, and past New Market, going into camp at Lacey’s Spring at 10:30 PM, nine miles north of Harrisonburg after covering 29 miles. During the route the bridge over the North Fork of the Shenandoah had been destroyed. The stream was too deep to cross wagons and mounted men via the ford, so a pontoon bridge was constructed. The command, with the exception of Pennington’s brigade, which forded the stream, passed safely over. One man and several horses drowned in the process. While on the march, between Woodstock and Edenburg, the train was attacked in flank by a party of rebel cavalry, who were quickly driven off by a squadron of the 6th NY Cavalry.

At 3:00 AM on March 1st the Third Brigade, Colonel Capehart commanding, was pushed forward to the front of the column. Capehart reached Harrisonburg, and there awaited the arrival of the main column. They again moved in advance, skirmishing with the Confederates under Rosser, until the Middle Fork of the Shenandoah River was reached. Here Major General Rosser, with 200-300 cavalry, attempted to burn the bridge. The Confederates had made preparations to oppose the crossing, by throwing up a line of earthworks and barricades on the south bank and occupying them with dismounted cavalry. The bridge was fired by Rosser’s men, and was in flames upon Capehart’s arrival. Sending two of his regiments to swim the river above the bridge and attack Rosser in the flank, Colonel Capehart at the same time sent a column to charge through the burning bridge. The Rebels were driven back and the bridge saved. The pursuit was continued to within four miles of Staunton, where the command encamped for the night. The Confederates lost 37 men, including 5 commissioned officers, five Federals were wounded. Twenty ambulances and wagons were captured and destroyed. The saving of this bridge was important as there were no fords in the vicinity and its destruction would have delayed the Federals march. The column camped at Cline’s Mills, four miles from Staunton, where Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early was thought to be headquartered. They had covered a total of 29 miles that day.

At 8:00 PM on March 1st, the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, Colonel Stagg commanding, was ordered to destroy the railroad bridge at the crossing of Christian’s Creek between Staunton and Waynesboro. Colonel Stagg assigned the task to Lieutenant Colonel George R. Maxwell, 1st MI Cavalry, who with a dismounted force piled fence rails on the bridge. He was concerned that the flames would not consume the timbers, as it was beginning to rain, and he cut them with axes until the heat drove him away. After remaining here about an hour and a half the 1st MI returned to Staunton. General Early, learning of the Federals approach retreated to Waynesboro. On March 2nd, 300 men from the 20th PA Cavalry, of the Second Brigade, under Major Douglass was detached from the First Division to proceed to Swoope’s Station on the Lexington Railroad, where it was reported that the Confederates had stored supplies. They destroyed the depot, four barns with all their contents, consisting of an immense amount of valuable commissary and quartermaster’s stores (3,000 pairs of boots, a like number of shirts, drawers, pants, jackets, and blankets; 50,000 pounds of ham and bacon) and a small quantity of ordnance stores. The 6th NY Cavalry, Major White commanding, was detailed to destroy all Government property at Staunton, which included the Government blacksmith shop, a large tannery, 60 wagons and 17 stage coaches.

At this pointSheridan had a decision to make. He could move on to Lynchburg, leaving General Early in his rear, or fight him at Waynesboro, defeat him, and open a way through Rockfish Gap to Charlottsville. If he chose the latter, he would be the only military force in central Virginia with free rein to destroy the Virginia Central Railroad and the James River Canal. He decided to attack Early. With General Custer’s Division in the lead composed of Colonel Wells’, Pennington’s, and Capehart’s brigades, followed closely by General Devin’s Division, composed of General Gibbs’ and Colonels Fitzhugh’s and Stagg’s brigades, they pursued Early toward Waynesboro.

The Battle of Waynesboro

On the 2nd Custer moved through Staunton, where he halted for a short interval. His orders were “to proceed to Waynesboro, ascertain something definite in regard to the position, movements, and strength of the enemy, and, if possible, to destroy the railroad bridge over the South River at that point.” It had been raining heavily for two days and the roads were terrible and as a result his march was slow. On reaching Fishersville, six miles from Staunton, he encountered Confederate pickets, and drove them back toward Waynesboro. Arriving there he found the Confederates posted behind a formidable line of earthworks. He thought the position was well chosen, on a range of hills west of town from which artillery commanded all the approaches, and infantry could sweep the open space extending along their entire front. The Second Brigade, Colonel Wells commanding, was sent forward to draw fire and determine the size and location of the Rebel force. Custer did not think he could take the position with a direct frontal attack. He was convinced that Early had a heavy force of infantry behind his works (in reality he had only two brigades) with ten pieces of artillery in position that completely covered his front. Custer did find that the Confederate left flank, instead of resting on the South River, was positioned forward, leaving a short gap between their left and the river. The approach to this point could be hidden under cover of the woods. Custer directed Lieutenant-Colonel Whitaker, of the 1st CT, to conduct three regiments (2nd OH. 3rd NJ and 1st CT) of Pennington’s brigade armed with Spencer carbines to the extreme right, leaving the 2nd NY and a battalion of 18th PA in reserve. They moved, dismounted, under cover of the woods to a position where they were held in readiness to charge Early’s left flank, see map below. Colonel Wells, commanding the Second Brigade, had been instructed to keep the Rebels attention engaged in front by displaying a heavy force of mounted skirmishers, while Colonel Capehart, commanding the Third Brigade, was ordered to be ready to charge the enemy in front the moment the attack on the right began.

Woodruff’s section of horse artillery was brought to the front, under cover of the woods, and placed in position to open on the Confederate lines. At a given signal the three dismounted regiments charged on the Federal right. Simultaneously, Woodruff opened his guns on the Rebels, forcing them to lie down behind their works, while Wells and Capehart’s Brigades launched a frontal attack. The 8th NY and 1st CT Cavalry, in column of fours, charged over the breastworks, and continued the charge through Waynesboro, and did not stop until they had reached the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, In a panic the Confederate line broke. Custer’s men captured about 1,800 Confederates, 11 pieces of artillery, 17 battle flags, and a train of nearly 200 wagons and ambulances, including General Early’s headquarters’ wagon, containing his official desk and records. Some of these numbers may be inflated and the number of men actually captured is hard to determine but based on the number of Federals detailed to return the prisoners to Winchester it was likely between 1200-1500. General Merritt states that “The prisoners and some few pieces of artillery were ordered back to Winchester, under a mounted guard of about 1,500 mounted and dismounted men, under Colonel Thompson, 1st NH Cavalry.” General Devin provided the 1st RI, and the 4th and 25th NY Cavalry for this purpose. Colonel Fitzhugh reported “At Staunton the Fourth New York (120 strong) and 257 men with unserviceable horses, under Lieutenant-Colonel George Nichols, of the 9th NY, were sent to the rear, as part of the escort to prisoners and guns captured by Third Division at Waynesboro”. Colonel Thompson and his column was harassed by General Rosser’s command as far as the crossing of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River where General Rosser made an attack upon them in an attempt to rescue the prisoners, but was repulsed with the capture of some of his men. The column arrived in Winchester with all of their prisoners, in addition to some of Rosser’s men. The path to Charlottesville across the Blue Ridge Mountains through Rockfish Gap was open, and Early’s army was destroyed. Early and Rosser escaped. General Custer’s division camped at Brooksville, on the east side of the Blue Ridge that evening.

Sheridan’s column resumed their march toward Charlottesville early in the morning on the 3rd. General Gibbs’ Reserve Brigade destroyed the iron bridge over the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, and burned and destroyed captured wagons and their contents. General Custer moved on toward Charlottesville. Approaching Charlottesville Custer encountered a small cavalry force and drove them off. Around 4:00 PM at or near the base of Carr’s Hill, a contingent of citizens headed by the mayor, Christopher L. Fowler, two university professors, John B. Minor and Socrates Maupin, and the rector Thomas L. Preston met Custer and formally surrendered the city. After this Custer moved through town in the direction of Gordonsville, where he encountered another small Confederate force, which he routed. He gained possession of 3 guns and one battle flag. Between Waynesboro and Charlottesville much Government property and subsistence at the Greenwood Depot and Ivy Station, as well as the railroad and a large bridge over Mechum’s Creek were destroyed.

Because of the terrible condition of the roads Sheridan notified his command that they would remain in Charlottesville for two days for the purpose of resting, refitting, and destroying the railroad. In Sheridans words “Parties were sent well out toward Gordonsville to break the railroad, and also about fifteen miles toward Lynchburg. A thorough and systematic destruction of the railroads was then commenced, including the large iron bridges over the North and South Forks of the Rivanna River, and the work was continued until the evening of the 5th instant.” The 2nd NY Cavalry (Pennington’s Brigade- Colonel Randol) was detached and ordered to North Garden to destroy the Charlottesville and Lynchburg Railroad and the bridges over the north and south branches of the Hardware River, while the remainder of the brigade was detailed to destroy the iron bridge across the Rivanna River at Charlottesville. The First Brigade of Devin’s Division under Colonel Stagg destroyed three miles of railroad on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad toward Lynchburg. From Colonel Fitzhugh’s Brigade the 6th NY, 9th NY, and 17th PA were detached and sent to assist in the destruction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad south of Charlottesville. They destroyed two miles of track and burned two bridges, each fifty feet in length. The wagon train did not arrive in Charlottesville until the 4th despite the best efforts of Captain W. H. Brown, chief quartermaster. The Reserve Brigade was the last to arrive in Charlottesville. On the 4th they marched eight miles, and camped at Ivy Depot, on the Virginia Central Railroad where they burned the depot, water tank, and a warehouse containing Confederate tobacco and commissary stores, arriving in Charlottesville on the 5th. The column was ready to move out on the morning of March 6th for the next phase of the expedition.

Next- Sheridan’s Expedition Winchester to Petersburg- February 27- March 28, 1865- Part 2