The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-07
General Sheridan.


,,ts.,aimiuc very sincerely any sentiment oi
;,,n,acahle nature towards General SHEEI
we cannot but observe that in him arr
~ have another illustration Of the old
.,sarc that history is great lie" His ca.
. IN the Valley was sensational merely. H1
Was the instrument OF n most cruel and
,rau;on destruction of private property, thai
had really nothing 10 do with tho Fastening OF
tho end OF the war, and plunged thousands OF
,,eorle including those OF tender and dependent
nee and condition, into want aud misery. ne
needed only 10 overcome EARLY. which nc had
Overwhelming means to do. He was In mum
pr:s and appliances 10 EARLY what the cie-
rhaut Is 10 the horse. Yet EARLY KEPT MN ~
hay FOR long time, and defeated ms columns
more than once a General OF very moderate
.,onacitv should have cleared the v alley OF the
rchlc force under EARLY long before II was
done.
,r,s next most boosted achievement was
o,,nrcd victories in banking anu annoying
General I.rE's column IN his retreat TO Apo
,r,;,ox. Nothing could br NOR" un1oundcd
.b,u any claim for grn"Tal>hip or any extra
ordinary dis play OF The capacity OF warrior IN
,r,s,npl.aud easy matter OF irct'ing ana aiS-
,r.ssir,. the diminished Confederate columns,
,.lf starved wcarcd and worn, without sup
,,,r. without transportation, IN lull retreat
,,.o,s,fiou the last OF all III which IN army
,, make effective resistance, whatever lis
.,3,,,,,. ora means. An army Of mosquitoes
,, r,,o added uncomfortable discomfort
and ANNOYANCE 10 such Te'TctlnS columh
,;,,sut Of Arapahocs and CamanchrS
,,,,a have done even NOR. than SHERIDAN,
,n, ,,;sn,ovrd neither skill nor strategy more
,h,, = pack OF prairie wolves assailing and
worrying n wounded and exhausted buffalo
,,,,r nm The plains And yet these two chap
r.rs in the life o. SHERIDAN are TO be r"corac"
:, h,..or, with a halo of glory which, accord
ing 10 one pancgyrist, is 10 make nm 'h'
,nns, MAGNIFICENT soldier OF any country or
auyagc.'
There is one chapter III the life OF TINS ais-
,iucuished general that ought not 10 oe omit
led That i his raid around General Lee
army in Nav ISL. and his march 10 inc hol'h-
rru line Of de:cnccS Of this city. HIS arrl''li
i, front or the brrastworkS was very much
fastened by JEE STUART, with l,loo men
against SHERIpAH'S 5000. SrlART battefeo
him smar;ly, and fell sallantly pressing nm
five miles from the city. SHERIDAN crossed
The Brook and, gcttiaga defensive position
IN. uursuit Was checked. But what did 1t
do? This city was entirely undcfcnded: ant
though after some time Il few militia with
company or two Of regulars, appeared i'll hi
front at the brcastworis there was no Snci
sign of opposition for hours as should nave
i,uurdrd his march for IN instant. He nigh
have entered the city when he first came upon
thc frontier drieucrs without firing gun. Ii
No. D., lslI -l n -
thrriycr immediately, placed himself III rear OF
General BEArKEGhKr Then stralnlnS every
nerve to defend Richmond from BUTLER, ;lho
in that way have not only insured ihe cap
turc Of his army. but the taking OF Richmond
Thi, is what 4 Jackson would have done, ano
W, ar. inclined TO think there are generals II
the Federal army who would have done 1t.
II. could have obtained the proper iniorma-
tIou ,ron which To proceed by adopting such
measures rs should have occurred 10 even /;
dull man Bat he did nothing. He filed oil
by his left flank. after lingering some hours,
and crossing the Chickahominy, joined the
Federal army. Then SHERIDAN might have
won u great deal of glory with very hitl'
peril lie might have ended tn" war ycal
before it was ended. He would have thus
saved thousand millions Of dollars 10 the ma
non, and avoided the clusion OF u sea o.
blood.
General SHERIDAN cannot, with any reEart
for truth, b" made Il great general. lie Is brave
passionate, and hcadsiromG, without IudEmen
and without discretion. Speaking by "pomo
logical" comparison, he is among the smalle
frui; of the war. We rather believe he is o
the bearing Of that - sourapple tree = upor
Oh HTv In HAY b,I,n |
was u ire" watcrcd by the tears of the be
ryuyed and dcSolaic and its fruit was Tho
Stuut"d and blasted product of its grievous
culture Our hero is one of the more SlIrlNel
led Of the withcrcd crop.