The message from Longstreet had been taken down as it was being flagged from the Confederate signal-station on Three Top Mountain, and afterward translated by our signal officers, who knew the Confederate signal code.  I first thought it a ruse, and hardly worth attention, but on reflection deemed it best to be on the safe side, so I abandoned the cavalry raid toward Charlottesville, in order to give General Wright the, entire strength of the army, for it did not seem wise to reduce his numbers while reinforcement for the enemy might be near, and especially when such pregnant messages were reaching Early from one of the ablest of the Confederate generals.  Therefore I sent the following note to General Wright: 

“Headquarters middle military division,
“Front Royal, October 16, 1864.

“General:  The cavalry is all ordered back to you; make your position strong.  If Longstreet’s despatch is true, he is under the impression that we have largely detached.  I will go over to Augur, and may get additional news.  Close in Colonel Powell, who will be at this point.  If the enemy should make an advance, I know you will defeat him.  Look well to your ground and be well prepared.  Get up everything that can be spared.  I will bring up all I can, and will be up on Tuesday, if not sooner.

“P.  H. Sheridan, Major-General.

“Major-general H. G. Wright,
“Commanding Sixth Army Corps.”

At 5 o’clock on the evening of the 16th I telegraphed General Halleck from Rectortown, giving him the information which had come to me from Wright, asking if anything corroborative of it had been received from General Grant, and also saying that I would like to see Halleck; the telegram ending with the question:  “Is it best for me to go to see you?” Next morning I sent back to Wright all the cavalry except one regiment, which escorted me through Manassas Gap to the terminus of the railroad from Washington.  I had with me Lieutenant-Colonel James W. Forsyth, chief-of-staff, and three of my aides, Major George A. Forsyth, Captain Joseph O’Keefe, and Captain Michael V. Sheridan.  I rode my black horse, Rienzi, and the others their own respective mounts.

Before leaving Cedar Creek I had fixed the route of my return to be by rail from Washington to Martinsburg, and thence by horseback to Winchester and Cedar Creek, and had ordered three hundred cavalry to Martinsburg to escort me from that point to the front.  At Rectortown I met General Augur, who had brought a force out from Washington to reconstruct and protect the line of railroad, and through him received the following reply from General Halleck: 

“Headquarters armies of the united states, “Washington, D.C., October 16 1864

“To major-general Sheridan,
“Rectortown, Va.

General Grant says that Longstreet brought with him no troops from Richmond, but I have very little confidence in the information collected at his headquarters.  If you can leave your command with safety, come to Washington, as I wish to give you the views of the authorities here.