Battle of Cedar Creek

Battle context

Cedar Creek was the decisive engagement that ended Confederate military power in the Shenandoah Valley. Early's Army of the Valley opened the battle with a morning assault that captured over 1,000 Union prisoners and more than 20 artillery pieces, forcing seven Union infantry divisions to fall back — an apparent Confederate victory. The Union army under Sheridan rallied in the late afternoon and reversed the outcome entirely, driving Early's forces from the field. In addition to recovering all of their own artillery seized in the morning, Sheridan's troops captured most of Early's artillery and wagons. The loss effectively destroyed Early's offensive capacity in the valley, securing Union control of a strategically vital corridor that had repeatedly threatened Washington and supplied Confederate forces throughout the war.