Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-09-08
A VISIT To SHERIDAN


on to where the battle was raging hotly. -
Merton was not there. On he went agair
to where Palmer was rolling back the red
waves on the left, but-Merton was not
there. On again he went, through the
thick smoke and the hurtling FIRE, to where
Hazen was reaping harvest of death on
that terrible half acre." but-Morton wa.
not there. "Where is Morton?" he cried
"At the 'front.'" came back from out the
smoke. and again he rode on-rode On pas,
the Burnt House"-past where Rosecrani
sat like statue. amid hailstorm of fire
past where reeking funeral pile marked
the outer line of ntrencbments-on to tn,
cannos- plowed, death-strewn cotton field
| lis he mad Call him back Call hin
back u shouted the General, but the buglt
was drowned 10 the awful uprsar. and still
he rode onward. Amazed, the rebel gun
ners stood at their pieces, but straight at
them he rode with his handful of men. 81
say, rebs," be shouted, where is Morton p
Gone where you are going" they answer
ed, and the cannon echoed Gone" and he
went-back again, not man wounded.
That young oficer-Lieut. Kelley, 4th
y. 8. Cavary--and the men who rode in
that terrible ride, escorted US out to Sheri-
dams.
|
We turned our horses and galloped off
through the forest. The underbrush was
cleared away and rich sward Of ''blue
grass covered the ground, but every here
and there great tree, feled for the fortif-
cations, obstructed our way. One of these
| trunks-eighty feet long and nearly ten feet
thick at the base-lay directly across our
path. Garfield and I, who rode on either
| side of the General, reined our horses
around its two ends, and the rest of the par
| ty divided aud followed us, but Rosecrans
spurred Toby" directly at the trunk and
cleared it at a bound.
We'll done, General. I shouted, "you
fire straight at the mark"
Its the surest way to hit it" be replied,
smiling.
Clearing q low fence into cotton field,
we soon turned" small hill and were
abreast of the division. AS the well known
gray" came in sight the soldiers set up a
loud shout and uncovering his head the
General rode down the lines. Hating ev-
! cry now and then he spoke to the men
You keep yourself tidy, Patrick. You
can fight" he said to one. 81 kin fight for
ye, Giniral, be Jabers" Leave out the
hard words, my man. Brave men never
swear" Passing before a company of Ten
| nesseeans he said: You've had mountain
air; there's not pale face among Jou."-
"Ye've guv'n US exercise, Gen'ral. Guv
us more on it," was the answer. ''I'll give
you enough-never fear" To Q mere boy
be said: II saw you at Stone Riyer-you
fought like man" They've made a
man Of me, sir" said the soldier, pointing
to the stripes on his arm. Il saw ye thar,
Gen'ral," said another. my old 'osman
prayed fur ys, an that's the how ys sea
ped Tell her, for me, God bless her, F"
said Rosecrans as he rode on.
And so we went down the lines, the Gen
free word to the soldiers, and greeted. at
every step, with cheers, and "God bless
you" That ride showed me why his men
worship him.
As We refined our horses again toward the
woods, he said to me: DO you see that
young man yonder?" THAT quiet. modest
looking Brigader?" I asked. "Yes. It's
Carlin, AT Stone River he sat ON his horse
as coolly as he does now"
PROJECTED INsURRECTIoN.
I passed, as | have said, several weeks at
Murfreesboro, and could fill volume with
what saw and heard, but the fear of COM
promising public interests holds my pen
Some day, when this cruel war is over"
| may be at liberty to write what know.
Then if not before, the American people
| will say to Rosecrans: ''well done, good and
faithful servant"
But now, when the rebels are raising the
black flag, and butchering our troops, black
and white, in spirit unknown to even saw
age warfare, there is one thing which should
be told.
One day, as was sitting alone with Ro-
secrans, an aid handed him letter. He
opened it, ceased doing half a dozen other
things, and he became at once absorbed in
! its contents. He re-read it, and then, hand
ing it to me, said, Read that. Tell me
what you think of it." | read it. Its out
side indicated it had come from lover Jor-
dam" and had "a hard road to travel" but
its inside startled me. 1t was written in a
round, unpracticed hand, and though badly
spelle d, showed its author familiar with
good Southern English. Its date was May
18th, 1863, and it began thus:
GENERAL: A plan has been adopted fer
a simultaneous movement or rising to sever
the rebel communication throughout the
whole South, which is now disclosed to
some General in each military department
in the secesh States, in order that they may
act in concert, and thus insure US success.
"The plan is for the blacks to make a
concerted and simultaneous rising, on tho
night Of the first of August next, over the
whole States in rebellion. To arm them
selves with any and every kind of weapon
that may come to hand, and commence op-
perations by burning all railroad and county
bridges, tearing up all railroads tracks, and
cutting and destroying telegraph wires
and when this is done take to the woods
the swamps or the mountains, whence they
may emerge. as occasins may offer for pro-
visions or for further depredations No
blood is to be shed except in sslt-defense.
"The corn will be in roasting ear about
the first of August, and upon this, and by
foraging on the farms at night, we can sub
sist. Concerted movements at the time
named would be successful, and the rebel
lion be brought suddenly to an end"
The letter went on with some details
which ! cannot repeat, and ended thus:
''The plan will be Simultaneous over the
whole South, and yet few of all engaged
| will know its whole extent. Please write
~ and approved and send by the bearer,
that we may know you are with Us. 2
BE assured, General, that copy Of this
letter has been sent TO every military de-
partmentin the rebel States, that the time
of the moyement may thus, be general over
| tha arftya Gntfh ~ -.- -