| 1. | Thomas William SANTMYERS was born 1840, Warren Co., Virginia; died 12 Mar 1918, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia. Notes:
Not included in list of children received from Izetta
BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK
BY RON SANTMYERS
OCTOBER 7, 2000
Just wanted to drop in and let you know that October 21, 22 the reenactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek will be held. This was the last major engagement in the Shenandoah Valley. It happened on October the 19th 1864.
General Jubal Early, with the 49th under his command attacked Phil Sheridan's Army. The information I am going to impart came from Capt. Samuel Buck's and Daniel Funkhouser's writings during and after the war. The Buck's were a family that lived near the Santmyers' before and after the War. You will find Santmyers living in Buckton on the Census Records. This area of Warren Co. was named after the family with the biggest farm in that area of the Fork
At the time of this battle, John B. and Issac (released from Fort Delaware Prison after being captured at Waterloo, Va. after his wounding at Gettysburg, Pa., in a prisoner exchange) and most likely Thomas, as the 17th was a part of Earley's Army. John H. Santmyers was with the 18th Va. Cav. under Earley's Command placed at Front Royal, Va., about eight miles away from the commencement of the battle.
On the 19th of October 1864 about 10,000 troops under Earley's command moved North from down the Valley to engage about 40.000 troops under the command of Phillip Sheridan. It was to be a surprise attack. At 4 AM the Confederate Troops moved along the West side of the Massanutten Mountain by a trail know to a member of Earley's Command. The trail was very narrow and the Army moved single file. At the base of the Massunutten, the Army assembled.
They were ordered to remove all of their equipment, other than their rifles and ammo bags as to make no sounds. At 5 AM they waded across the Shenandoah River and overran the Federal picketts at Strasburg, Va. Less than a mile later they hit Sheridan's Army as they were cooking breakfast. The Federal troops, feeling they were outnumbered, fled leaving much of the equipment in the field. Earley's Army chased the Federals to Middletown, About five miles away, where the Federals regrouped , after Sheridan's ride from Winchester, Va.
Ole Jube declared , "This enough glory for one day" and called for his forces to fall back with 1500 Federal prisoners. Both forces pulled back and never faced each other again. Early was
and the 49th was then called back into the Army of Northern Virginia and the 48th was back where it began, under Lee's command. They were there at Lee's Surrender.
Jube never called up the 18th Cav. , who were in the position to cut off Sheridan's advance from Winchester. Well it was well known, "Ole Jube" did not like the Cavalry.
Captain Buck's diary stated that his mother and sister had gone to the battle scene the next day to see if he was among the dead. I am sure the Santmyers women were there also.
I live about about 10 mile from the battle, they lived less than five miles. Each year I can hear the cannon fire from the reenactment (it scares my dog every year). So I know all of the families here knew the battle was on and worried about all their husbands and sons in the field.
Thomas married Emily Louise Henrietta ECKARDT 24 Dec 1862, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia. Emily was born 16 Sep 1839, Virginia; died Aft 1880. [Group Sheet]
Children:
- 2. Mary Eleonore SANTMYERS
 was born 17 Aug 1864, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
- 3. Charles W SANTMYERS was born 17 Aug 1866, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
- 4. Susan Thomasine SANTMYERS was born 25 Jun 1868, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia; died 6 Dec 1868, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
- 5. Christine V. SANTMYERS was born 24 Nov 1869, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
- 6. George Thomas SANTMYERS, Sr. was born 1870, Warren Co., Virginia; died 1960.
- 7. Susan Evelyn SANTMYERS was born 22 Feb 1872, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
- 8. Thomas Clayton SANTMYERS was born 1873, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
- 9. Emily L SANTMYERS was born 1877, Front Royal, Warren Co., Virginia.
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Thomas married Ada H. LNU 1908, Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore Co. Ada was born 1849, Easton, Maryland; died Aft 1928. [Group Sheet]
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1840 - 1918 (78 years)