The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-15
I WEST POINT.
Recollections Of a Romance
Of the War.
LOVE IN DEATH.
A Fifteenth Century Hero
at Cedar Creek.
w HI O w A S S III T. p
A Prima Donna Who Was Sur
passingly Beloved.
INVESTIGATING HAZlNG ABUSES.
w H 0 w A S S II E 2
INVESTIGATING HAZlNG ABUSES.

WEsr PoST, June Ii, 1878.
Near the northern extremity or the plain a. West
Point Is deep depression, green and shaded DELL
which has long been known by tho dismal name Of
Executioner's Hollow. l. Is said that IN the early
annals OF the post tho eaows mad some victims there
Yet NO place on sunny day looks more deiightiul
than this little glen, into the depths Of which num-
Dor of deciduous evergreens cast inviting
shadows.
Stroing there this morning reminded of
incident OF the civil lnasmuch this incident
is strictly true and nearly concerns all American lady
whose fame a singer has spread along with the
rcnown OF her hpauty und virtues over civilized lands
might not DO tempted 10 . recital OF II II brief
and imperfect vcrson erroneous IN several respects
had not already found It's way into the periodical
press. Since tho facts, honorable ake to tho living
and Tho dead, are those OF singular and romantic
tragedy connected with the most brilliant battle OF
Tho rebellion they belong, they really occurred 10
the history OF the time.
A SURPRISED CAMP.
II was on the day OF the battle OF Cedar Creek In
tho Shenandoah Valley. The surprise dawn OF the
lett wing OF Sheridan's army, commanded in Sheri-
dams absence by General Horato G. Wright, mud
boon followed by check inicrposed by the old Sixth
and = portion OF tho Nineteenth corps, and by a
mastery retreat northward through MiddIetown.
deserted Union camps Wright had reformed his
forces, which were now receiving acccssions from
arrested straggers In the Nearly every soldier
OF the Sixth who had not fallen IN the desperate
struggle OF the forenoon was At hts post Tho Nine
teenth was shorn Of some OF It's regiments; other
regiments had lost some OF their companies, and OF
others only few remnants were to be seen. OF the
Army Of Western Virginia, which had been tumblcd
out oil its tents 1T dawn aud rolled
aud over among its pots and Kettles By the
yelling rebels before it was quite awake.
some tattered shreds OF battalons occupied
that par OF the position assigned TO them where
returning comrades swecd their numbers hour BY
hour. Ia fact, new line OF battle had formed.
The infantry were employed in throwing up lem-
porary intrsncnments. The cavalry commands Of
Custer and Merritt were allotted their posts The
artillery place. Firing between the two armies
had ncarly ceased Skirmshers HAD been established
In front Of the Union line, and General Wright eager
tho position which had been wres,cd from
him aud punish the antagonist who had como
overwhelming tho command IN tho absence OF his
Chief had issued orders tor . general in the
afternoon.
LITTLE PHIL TO TIKI RESCUE.
At this juncture. when the Army OF the Shenandoah
was girdng itself Tor retaliation and not. some
records have IT, when II neeing north ward In
dismay General Philip H. Sheridan, its beloved nd
vincDo comma nder, reached the Held at the end Of
his famous ride. The writer OF this letter, IN CON-
pany with an officer OF the sixth corps stan, was
sitting his horse at the time, just behind battery
ionod on the left OF the main turnpike extending
Down The valley Across this turnpike, short dis.
lance In front, The lett flank Of the army had been
partially reformed as described Both my companion
single horses hoos gathering down the turn
pike at headlong speed SHERIDAN rodc alone.
the work In which many gallant officers were
gaged tho harsh WORK OF cursiEss urging and shanng
back the front the panic-stricken or bewildered
tng,tives who througed the roads aud woods toward
Winchester single aid Tor II might have been an
orderly was seen lar away 10 the dusty perspective
his tired the General pike
rho Generals black horse was stained with dust and
latner sunourLt, eager and niled with ire, ''ttie
Pb rode with spurs sol deep and eyes that reminded
one OF lighted fuses. happened be the first per-
son he accosted Tightening his bride while gal
lopcd forward u, his recognition NO shouted -
..Wherc ~ General Wright"
Indicated the direction where had seen the lat
ter General about halt an hour before and curious 10
the escs OF hts sudden arrival
IL must certainly be to everybody on tho Heidi fol-
lowed sheridan at full speed
WELCOME
Continuing down past the battery and then swerv-
ing 10 tho lett IL rout oil II, he soon reached She limo
out being recognized One alter another Of The Of.
hcers discovered MIN. The words, There's Sheri-
dan !" Here comes thc General, by CT" "hipi
hill hurrah tor liito Phiil" rang out upon tho
with lesphonic rapidity the nows sped from regiment
to regiment, brigade to brigade, aivison 20 division,
corps to corps Hats went up like conjurors' baIlA
The soldiers .tnelr caps their ones
waved them TO and fro. Cheers broke forth and
swelIed. Geusrals colonies and RODE out
TO salute tho lery little hero on tho black horse at
whose coming every nenrt 10 the ranks beat with the
gertrude Of approaching triumph. Custer. on his
way 10 complete the disposition OF his kQusdrops,
caught sight OF his commander, and, u was said,
sprrrod up ana kissed him At gaiop. Lifting anu
ntnusiasm; but every word he said meant business
Wherever ne got within bearing Of tho troops he
to camp meaning tn, camp on Cedar Cresr, from
which the army had been urivsn IN tho morning.
DYING SOLDIER
On his way toward the right tue General had 10 re-
cross tho TURNPIKE. Ridins IN pursuit beyond u
descended INTO itio shaded holow some wnat simI-
lar 10 .Exeeutloner's Hollow here ~ West Point,
sight vi which this inorping reminded oil these
occurrences. There my horse, baking ~ q gully,
caused to cast my eyes about The imme aia,s
neighborhood, which was between tho lines OF the
opposing armiea Several OF tho Union dead lay
noAr An officer, whom at The nrsi glance ! took 10
be dead lay ear the foot OF small tree. But DIS
covered that his cyss were turned my direction,
that his lips were moving aud that BIO was trying 10
ing hurried ~ his side. minutes examination
showed That ho had got mis- death wound bullet
had struck him near tho centre OF tho lett breast
Yet lie had LAIN there unuoticed and unrelicved,
nearly four hours. so he contrivcd to explain
struggling Whispers while arranged pillow for him
with the cape OF my overcoat and Induced him TO
swallow some liquor diluted from osntecn for when
a nearly hcadiess trooper near W had no more use.
His rank was that OF major or lieutenant colonel II
have forgotten now whetner the leaf on his shoulder
straps was Of silver or golden aud all the memoranda
made time within q low weeks after deiiv.
cred into other hsnas). Hs refined and noble
looking even IN tho pallor, blood aud dust when
he lay. HIS hands we're sinewy and slender. His
eyes sought mine alter he had revived little with
that look that every one VINO has n man dying
u battle nsid must remember vvldly--a look appeal
Ing expression oi sncourag sment and hope.
BATTLE rIELD CONFESSION
There was NO surgeon WITHIN a mile or two Tho
In this instance might DIE At any moment As
kindly as possible l made him undcrslsnd what "
would have been idle TO conceal, and offered TO 10
once In search OF relief AT the samo time sug-
gested tnat II ne had particular word 10 any
might DO best to inrust u TO then VI
accident He assentod, aud motioned toward the
flask After swallowing little more OF tho liquor he
exactcd solemn promise that would repeat hts
message, ana then proceeded In broken way and
with frequent pauses with the following sxtraor-
binary coniession:-
perhaps you have seem said bc-"pernaps you
know MISS ---fr uttering the namo Of
the lady and prima donsa before referred 20.
had met this lady on one occasion. and answsrcd
"Yssn
.'fhat 10 more than can say--that have mot her,
mean. have seen her many times Strange, too,
have loved her. she never knew III meant she
never should know II, " Il had mol come 20 tina !