Feb Breckinridge takes command of Confederate Western Department of Virginia
Mar Grant develops Federal strategy to exert pressure and mass at all points
Apr Breckinridge assembles 9,000 troops
to confront Federal threat in Valley
30 Federals under Sigel advance south from Martinsburg
May
1 Federals occupy Winchester
11 Federals camp at Cedar Creek
15 Breckinridge defeats Sigel at Battle
of New Market
16 Sigel retreats to Cedar Creek
17 Breckinridge's force entrained for Lee's
army
19 Sigel relieved, given local command at Harpers
Ferry
21 Hunter takes command of Federals at Cedar Creek
26 Hunter begins advance southward
June
2 Federals reach Harrisonburg
5 Hunter defeats Jones at Battle of Piedmont
6 Hunter occupies Staunton
7 Breckinridge and two brigades ordered
to Lynchburg from Richmond
11 Hunter sacks Lexington
13 Early's Corps ordered to Valley
17 Corps begins arriving in Lynchburg; Breckinridge
places himself under Early's command
18 Hunter defeated at Battle of Lynchburg
27 Early reorganizes and moves down Valley
July
2 Early's forces reach Winchester
3-4 Early bypasses Harpers Ferry garrison;
crosses Potomac at Shepherdstown
5 Grant sends Ricketts' Division, VI Corps to
Washington
8 Early reaches Frederick, MD
9 Early defeats Wallace at Battle of Monocacy
11 Early reaches Silver Spring, MD; VI
Corps occupies Washington defenses; First Division, XIX Corps, en route
to Petersburg from New Orleans, diverted to Washington
12 Skirmishing at Fort Stevens, DC; Early makes
night withdrawal
14 Early crosses Potomac at White's Ferry
VA
19 VI Corps under Wright engages Early at
Snicker's Gap; Federals joined by Crook of Hunter's command
20 Federal cavalry under Averell defeats Ramseur
at Winchester
20-23 VI Corps returns to
Washington
22 Federals enter Winchester
23-24 Early defeats
Crook at Battle of Kernstown, advances & wrecks Martinsburg railyards
30 Confederate cavalry bums Chambersburg, PA
Aug
7 Federal Middle Military Division created under
Sheridan to coordinate against Early; composed of VI Corps (Wright),
VIII Corps (Crook), XIX Corps (Emory), Cavalry Corps (Averell, later Torbert)
15 Early reinforced with Kershaw's Infantry,
Fitzhugh Lee's Cavalry Divisions
10 Tentative maneuvering until ...
Sept
16 Kershaw's Division starts to return
to Lee's army
17 Grant visits Sheridan at Charlestown, WV, tells
him to "Go in!"
19 Sheridan defeats Early at Third Battle
of Winchester, or Opequon; Early retreats to Fisher's Hill
20 Sheridan follows to Strasburg
21 Breckinridge ordered to southwest VA
22 Early defeated at Battle of Fisher's Hill & pursued
to Harrisonburg; Sheridan begins "Burning" as far south as Staunton
24 Kershaw's Division rejoins Early, having gotten
as far east as Gordonsville
Oct
6 Federals begin withdrawing north, followed by
Early
9 Confederate cavalry defeated at Battle of Tom's
Brook
10 Federals camp at Cedar Creek
12 VI Corps released to Grant's army, gets to
Ashby's Gap and is recalled
13 Early closes to Fisher's Hill; heavy
skirmish forward to Hupp's Hill
14 VI Corps closes into Cedar Creek camp
16 Sheridan departs for conference in Washington;
Early's false message intercepted, Cavalry Corps sent back to Cedar
Creek; cavalry skirmish west of camp
17 Gordon's Division makes second combat
reconnaissance to Hupp's Hill; Sheridan departs Washington