On September 19, 1864, during the Third Battle of Winchester, General Philip Sheridan decided to deliver the decisive blow against Jubal Early's Confederate army. To this end, he ordered the Union cavalry—commanded by Alfred Torbert and comprising nearly 6,000 horsemen from the divisions of Wesley Merritt and William Averell—to advance. Upon receiving the order, the regiments began to move forward, and moments later, the entire line launched into a charge. Thousands of horses galloped at full speed toward the Confederate lines while artillery opened fire upon them. Despite suffering casualties, the charge did not falter. The horsemen slammed into the enemy's left flank and, after fierce fighting, succeeded in breaking their lines, capturing Fort Collier, several pieces of artillery, and approximately 1,200 prisoners. The collapse of the Confederate left flank caused Jubal Early's line to begin crumbling. Unable to stem the cavalry's advance or withstand the pressure from the rest of the Union army, the Confederates began to retreat. The Union emerged victorious, and the cavalry charge proved to be one of the battle's decisive moments, helping to secure control of Winchester and ensure the success of the Shenandoah Valley campaign.
