The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-06

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of a single horses hoof Gathering
down the turnpike at headlong speed.
Sheridan rode alone He had left one
after another of his staff behind to aid
i'll the work in which many gallant Off
GERS were engaged, the harsh work OF
cursing, urging and shaming back to
the front the panic-stricken or bewild-
cred fugitives who thronged the roads
and woods toward Winchester. A sin
gle aid Cor it might have been an order
ly) was seen far away in the dusty per-
spective urging his tired charger after
the General down the pike.
The Generals black horse was stained
with dust and lather Sunburnt, eager
with spurs set deep and eyes that re-
minded one of lighted fuses. l hap
pened to be the first person he accosted.
Tightening his bride while galloped
forward at his recognition, he shouted:
Where is Gen. Wright"
indicated the direction where | had
seen the latter General about half an
hour before, and, curious to witness the
effect of his sudden arrival (unexpect-
ed as it must certainly be to everybody
on the field) followed Sheridan at full
speed.
Continuing down past the battery
and then Swerving to the left in front
of it, he soon reached the line of battle,
such as it was. He could not ride far
without being recognized. One after
another of the officers discovered him.
The words, There's Sheridanr'
''Here comes the Generalr' Zip!
hip! hurrah for Little Philr' rang out
upon the air. With telephone rapidity
the news sped from regiment to regi-
ment, brigade to brigade, division to
! division, corps to corps. Hats went up
like conjuror's balls. The soldiers
spitted their caps on their bayonets and
waved them to and fro. Cheers broke
forth and swelled. Generals and
! Colonies mounted and rode out to salute
the fiery little hero on the black horse,
at whose coming every heart in the
ranks beat with the gertrude of APP
preaching triumph. Custer, on his
way to complete the disposition of his
squadrons, caught sight of his COM
mander, and, it was said, spurred up
and kissed him at a gallop. Lifting
and swinging his cap Sheridan hailed
everybody with enthusiasm; but every
word he said meant business. Where
ever he got within hearing of the
troops he shouted: ''Get ready for
fighting. We're going back to camp"
on Cedar Greek. from which the army
had been driven in the morning.
On his way toward the right the Gen
eral had to recross the turnpike. Rid
ing in pursuit beyond it descended in
to little shaded hollow somewhat SIM
! liar to EXecutioner's hollow here at
West Point, the right of which this
morning reminded me of these occur
rences. There, my horse, baking at
gully, caused me to cast my eyes about
the immediate neighborhood, which
was between the lines of the opposing
armies. Several of the Union dead Law
near. An officer, whom at the first
| glance | took to be dead, lay near the
foot of a small tree. But | discovered
that his eyes were turned in my direc-
ton, that his lips were moving and that
he was trying to beckOn me with one of
his bloodless hands. Dismounting, |
hurried to his side. A minutes exam
ination showed that he had got his
death wound. A bullet had struck him
near the center of the left breast. Yet
he had lain there, unnoticed and I'M
relieved, for nearly four hours. So he
contrived to explain in struggling whis-
pers while | arranged a pillow for him
with the cape of my Overcoat and in
duced him to swallow some liquor, di-
luted, from a canteen for which a near
ly headless trooper near by had no more
use.
His rank was that of Major or Lieu
tenant-Colonel q have forgotten now
whether the leaf on his shoulder straps
was of silver or golden, and all the
memoranda made at the time was with
in few weeks after delivered into 9TH
er hands,. He was refined and noble
looking even in the pallor, blood and
dust in which he lay. His hands We're
sinewy and slender. His eyes sought
mine after he had revived little with
that look that everyone who has seen a
man dying on a battlefield must re-
member vividly-a look appealing for
some expression of encouragement and
hope.
There was no surgeon within a mile
or two. The man in this instance
might die at any moment. AS kindly
as possible | made him understand what
it would have been idle to conceal, and
offered to go at once in search of relief
At the same time | suggested that if he
had particular word to send to anyone
il might be best to intrust it to me then
in case of accident. He assented, and
motioned toward the flask. After swal-
lowing little more of the liquor he ex-
acted solemn promise that | would
repeat his message, and then proceeded
in a broken way and with frequent
pauses with the following extraordina-
ry confession:
Perhaps you have seen," said he
perhaps you know Miss - -
-" uttering the name of the lady
and prima donna before referred to.
had met this lady on one occasion,
and answered Yes"
"That is more than | can say-that
have met her, mean. | have seen
her many times. Strange, too, have
loved her. She never knew i'll meant
she never should know it, if it had
not come to this. l am aware of the
folly of it-have felt it all from the first.
Never mind, l have loved her. It's the
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