Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-10-07
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.

having Ueen du eyewitness Oh Onerl-
dams ride to the front on the morning
of October 19, 1864, | am perhaps in
position to make comment on the latter
day historians who proclaim that Incl
dent of the war to be merely romantic
fiction. The battle of Cedar Creek had
begun in the early dawn, and Sheridan
was then at Winchester, on his return
to his headquarters, after having been
summoned to Washington to attend
military consolidation which-as was
afterward developed-settled the work
of Sheridan's army swinging down the
valley, crossing the Rapidan and strik-
ing the left of the confederate army
around Richmond. AS is well known,
on the night of the 18th, Early had
started his troops, and on the morning
of the 18th of October he had forced our
lines and driven back both the Eighth
and Nineteenth Corps. It is perfectly
true that early on the morning of the
10Th, Sheridan heard at Winchester of
the disaster, and started to rally his
troops. That morning I was in command
of detachment conveying large am
munition train from Winchester to Ce-
dar Creek. We had been harrassed by
Mosby's cavalry on our way, who struck
us at frequent intervals between Mar
tinsburg, Bunker Hill and Winchester.
On the 10Th we started from Winches-
ter before daylight. We were not more
than i've miles from ILL., ..---- L. -
heard the sharp cannonading that de-
noted an action at the front Our train
was making tolerably good time, and We
were near Middletown, when, on look
ing back, we perceived cloud of dust
in our rear upon the turnpike. We had
no idea what caused it until Sheridan
came into view from the surrounding
cloud. He had been down to Washing
ton, and consequently had on his uni
form of major-general, which was COW
cred with dust. No jockey on the last
quarter of four-mile heat ever rode
harder than did Virginia Pike on his
big black horse. HIS head was down,
his body slightly inclined forward, and
his soul thrown into the race against
time, with the fortunes of his army al
stake. AS he drew near to US he per
ceived that our train blocked the road
and that it would require some time tt
clear it. He solved the difficulty by
cutting through an open field to ou
left, and striking the road again afte
he had got ahead of us. He had out
ridden almost everybody who startet
with him from Winchester. The onl,
officer l remember recognizing near min
was Gen. VIM. P. Fessenden, Jr., Q
Maine, who was some ten or ffteel
lengths in Sheridan's rear, and who of
forwards told me that his own EnglisI
mare was present from his fathe
Senator Fessenden,) and was noted fo
speed, but had no chance along of Sher
idan and his tremendous black. Afte
these two came Sheridan's staff officers
stringing out. IN long line. and a
of them pretty well tired out with th
pace he had set them since they LEI
Winchester. The cavalry escort wa
about mile in the rear, with the
horses considerably blown. Ihave onl
written this much to demonstrate t
: one witness, at least, that Sheridan
/ ride was an actuality, and that it d
> serves to bee preserved among the a.
nails of the noblest acts of America
soldiers.-Gen. Felir AgssuS IN Bait
. more american.