y corps of the Army of the Potomac, and three
months later made his famous raid along the valley of the Shenandoah.

Entering the valley with an army of forty thousand men, Sheridan swept
Early and a Confederate force out of it, and then, to render impossible
any Confederate raids thereafter with the valley as a base, rode from
end to end of it, destroying everything that would support an army.
Early, meanwhile, had been reinforced, and, one misty morning, fell upon
the Federals while they lay encamped at Cedar Creek. The surprise was
complete, and in a short time the Union army was in full flight.
Sheridan had been called to Washington, and on the morning of the battle
was at Winchester, some twenty miles away. In the early dawn, he heard
the rumble of the cannonade, and, springing to horse, galloped to the
battlefield, to meet his men retreating.

"Face about, boys! face about!" he shouted, riding up and down the
lines; and his men saw him, and burst into a cheer, and reformed their
lines, and, catching his spirit of victory, led by their loved
commander, fell upon Early, routed him and practically destroyed his
army. Perhaps nowhere else in history is there an instance such as
this--of a general meeting his army in full retreat, stopping the panic,
facing them about, and leading them to victory.

In the last campaign against Richmond, Sheridan's services were of
inestimable value; it was he who defeated a great Confederate force at
the brilliant battle of Five Forks; it was he who got in front of Lee's
retreating army and cornered it at Appomattox. He had his full share of
honors, succeeding Sherman as general-in-chief of the army in 1883, and
receiving the rank of general from Congress, just before his death five
years later. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan are the only men in the
country's history who have held this highest of military titles.

* * * * *

After these three men, George H. Thomas was the most prominent commander
on the Union side; notable, too, from the fact that he was a Virginian,
and was considered a traitor by his native state for his adherence to
the Union cause, just as poor old Winfield Scott had been. He had made
something of a name for himself before the Civil War opened,
distinguishing himself in the war with Mexico and winning brevets for
gallantry at the battles of Monterey and Buena Vista. He won a decisive
victory at Mill Springs early in 1862, and saved t