Union victory at Cedar Creek ended Confederate ability to threaten Washington via the Shenandoah Valley and bolstered Lincoln's reelection.
Key Facts
- Date
- October 19, 1864
- Confederate prisoners taken (morning)
- Over 1,000 prisoners
- Artillery seized by Confederates (morning)
- Over 20 artillery pieces
- Sheridan's arrival on battlefield
- ~10:30 am
- Union counterattack time
- 4:00 pm
- Confederate outcome
- Routed, fled south
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Lieutenant General Jubal Early's Confederate army sought to exploit Union positions in the Shenandoah Valley. With Major General Philip Sheridan absent returning from Washington, D.C., Early identified an opportunity to attack before dawn under heavy fog, achieving complete surprise against the sleeping Union forces.
On October 19, 1864, Early launched a pre-dawn assault from multiple directions, routing seven Union infantry divisions and capturing over 1,000 prisoners and 20 artillery pieces by mid-morning. Sheridan arrived at the battlefield around 10:30 am, rallied his retreating troops, and at 4:00 pm launched a counterattack using superior cavalry, routing Early's army and recapturing all lost artillery plus most of Early's own guns and wagons.
Early's defeat destroyed the Confederate military presence in the Shenandoah Valley, preventing any further Confederate advance toward Washington or northern states. The valley, a critical Confederate supply source, was left unprotected. The Union victory contributed to Abraham Lincoln's reelection and cemented Sheridan's reputation alongside his earlier victories at Winchester and Fisher's Hill.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Major General Philip Sheridan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Lieutenant General Jubal Early.