in one of his many chronicles of the american civil war, pulitzer prize-winning historian bruce catton imagined a scene which took place on the grounds where we stand in front of the majestic house which looms behind me. bruce catton described a scene where general sheridan after the battle of cedar creek was over, was leaning against a captured confederate cannon parked in front of belle grove. peering into the distance at the flickering campfires of the army of the shenandoah. and catton so eloquently captured from sheridan's viewpoint what victory meant to the union war effort. catton wrote, "the sun had gone down, the fight was over, and early's army was wrecked for keeps. the war in the shenandoah valley had been one without the valley. lee's army cannot hope to hold richmond much longer. it was an omen of the final set sun set of the confederacy. while this battle with a surprise early-morning assault of an inferior army, the arrival of sheridan astride his horse, renamed winchester after the battle, an event immortalized by poetry and art after the battle. the rallying of union