Neither Wilson’s cavalry nor Grower’s infantry had yet joined me, and the necessities, already explained, which obliged me to hold with string garrisons Winchester and other points heretofore mentioned. had so depleted my line of battle strength that I knew the enemy would outnumber me when Anderson’s corps should arrive in the valley.  I deemed it advisable, therefore, to act with extreme caution, so, with the exception of a cavalry reconnoissance on the 13th, I remained on the defensive, quietly awaiting developments.  In the evening of that day the enemy’s skirmishers withdrew to Tumbling Run, his main force remaining inactive behind the intrenchments at Fisher’s Hill waiting for the arrival of Anderson.

The rumors in regard to the force advancing from Culpeper kept increasing every hour, so on the morning of the 14th I concluded to send a brigade of cavalry to Front Royal to ascertain definitely what was up.  At the same time I crossed the Sixth Corps to the south side of Cedar Creek, and occupied the heights near Strasburg.  That day I received from the hands of Colonel Chipman, of the Adjutant-General’s Department, the following despatch, to deliver which he had ridden in great haste from Washington through Snicker’s Gap, escorted by a regiment of cavalry: 

“CITY POINT, August 12, 1864—­9 A. M.

“MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK

“Inform General Sheridan that it is now certain two (2) divisions of infantry have gone to Early, and some cavalry and twenty (20) pieces of artillery.  This movement commenced last Saturday night.  He must be cautious, and act now on the defensive until movements here force them to detach to send this way.  Early’s force, with this increase, cannot exceed forty thousand men, but this is too much for General Sheridan to attack.  Send General Sheridan the remaining brigade of the Nineteenth Corps.

“I have ordered to Washington all the one-hundred-day men.  Their time will soon be out, but for the present they will do to serve in the defenses.

“U.  S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.”

The despatch explained the movement from Culpeper, and on the morning of the 15th Merritt’s two remaining brigades were sent to Front Royal to oppose Anderson, and the Sixth Corps withdrawn to the north side of Cedar Creek, where it would be in a position enabling me either to confront Anderson or to act defensively, as desired by General Grant.

To meet the requirements of his instructions I examined the map of the valley for a defensive line—­a position where a smaller number of troops could hold a larger number—­for this information led me to suppose that Early’s force would greatly exceed mine when Anderson’s two divisions of infantry and Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry had joined him.  I could see but one such position, and that was at Halltown, in front of Harper’s Ferry.  Subsequent experience convinced me that there was no other really defensive line in the Shenandoah Valley, for at almost any other point the open country and its peculiar topography invites rather than forbids flanking operations.