The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-11-27
The Death of Great War Horse.

The horse that carried little Phil. Sheridan,
when he rode that immortal ride of twenty miles
TO Winchester, is dead the brute deserves espe-
ciay well OF his country for two reasons he
helped to save the day and SO helped TO save the
Union and he furnished the inspiration for one
OF the most magnificent ballads ever written on
either side of the At the time Of its first
publication Bayard Taylor pronounced Buchanan
Reds ''Sheridan's Ride worthy to rank with
Robert Browning's How they Brought The
Good News from Client aud the popular esti-
mate from that day to this has agreed with the
critics.
1t is clearly not right that creature that has
served his generation so cOnspcuOusy and SO
well should be allowed to pass away without
honorable recognition. Hats off then. Let the
country stand uncovered a moment in the pres
ence of Sheridans horse, exclaiming above his
fallen head
o grand old horse how well in thee appears
The constant service Of the antique world
When service sweat for duty, not for need!
The good and faithful servant died at the
stable of his master in Chicago, and Sheridan
has Just been telling reporter of the Inter-
Ocean some facts of interest in regard TO him.
The horse given him by an officer of the
Second Michigan Cavalry, in 1862. He rode
him in the Mississippi. Kentucky and Tennessee
CduIpdgus, " Tue udlIlcs VI tTTlSliie. STONE
river, ChIcamauga aud Missionary Ridge. and
later in the campaign about Knoxville Later
still, after the General was transferred to the
Army of the Potomac. he rode bim in the battles
OF the Wilderness, the first day at Spottsy lvanla
and at Cold HarbOr After his return from Pc
tersburg the noble steed accompanied him to
Washington, and so down to the Shenandoah
Valley. As to the famous ride which gained the
horse warm place in the hearts of the American
people, Sheridan says little. The General is not
given to voubility in regard to deeds in which
he played the leading part He corrects Bu-
chanan Reds figures, stating that Winchester
was sixteen. not twenty, miles away. What time
the horse made he does not tell. merely saying
that he pulled out at glllop. at times breaking
into run. and the ground was soon cleared"
Directly after the ude the Nurse was given the
appropriate name of Winchester, by which he
was known ever after. The rest Of the chargers
career cat be briefly told. Sheridan continued
to ride him to the close of the war; then took
him to New Orleans. then to the Western coun-
try and fnally 10 Chicago. During his long
military career Winchester was hit three times.
but never seriously wounded He died of rheu-
matism, in a green old age, and his end was
peace.
Do the lower animals have hereafter ? Has
this horse entered into the reward of those faith
full unto death. or gone down to anDihiIation
1t is of such questions as these that 1.-The mystery
hid underneath the pyramid" is composed. But
remembering that it was Luther who said to a
pet spaniel "be good dog Trip, and in heaven
you shall have a golden tail. we feel warranted
in hoping Sheridan's horse Winchester, has gone
to some celestial meadow bearing only four
leaved clover-if that is the sort OF clover he
happens TO fancy. Bot in any event. so long as
the Union endures. and the Republic is not IN
grateful the American people can be relied upon
to speak in terms of unstinted admiration and
affection Of
''The horse that saved the day.
By bringing sheridan Into the fight
From Winchester sixteen miles away"
AbnuY EreLin1 Journal