Sheridan's Valley Campaign in the Newspapers

Major-General Philip H. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 was the most successful Union Army thrust through the region during America's Civil War. Confederate Lieutenant-General Jubal A. Early successfully won a victory at Lynchburg, Virginia, and then marched his troops down the lower Shenandoah Valley. After crossing the Potomac River and winning a victory at Frederick, Maryland, Early turned his attention to threatening the nation's capital but failed in his endeavor. After withdrawing across the Potomac River into Virginia, Lieutenant-General Ulysses S. Grant and government authorities decided that Early's army had to be defeated and driven from the Shenandoah Valley.

General Grant appointed Major-General Philip H. Sheridan to command a 40,000-man infantry, cavalry, and artillery force to deal with Early.

Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign had two primary objectives. First, to drive Early's Confederates from the Shenandoah Valley or destroy his army. Second, Sheridan was to destroy anything the Confederacy could use, including crops and livestock, which the Confederacy badly needed.

Sheridan and Early, fought three major battles in the Shenandoah Valley between September and October 1864: Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek.

All three of the major engagements were covered by local and national journalists. Newspaper stories were the primary source of information for the civilian and military population.

In Sheridan's Valley Campaign in the Newspapers, I chose three Valley News Echo newspapers that published the stories of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864.

Author: Cw Whitehair

Publisher: Independently Published

Publication Date: May 31, 2022

Number of Pages: 112 pages

Binding: Paperback or Softback

ISBN-10: NA

ISBN-13: 9798827487463