The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-05-28
PHIL SHERIDAN'S RIDE,

PHIL SHERIDAN'S RIDE.
Sheridans Famous Ride and its Marvellous
Efect----Custer's Impetuous Charge.
Major W. II. Spera in the Phila. Weekly Times.
On the morning of October II, 1854,
was ordered to report with my command,
consisting of a detachment of 200 men of
the Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry to
General Sheridan, who had arrived at
hartinsburg, Va, the day previous
from Washington. I received orders to
escort the General and several members
of his staff to the front. About 9 a. m.
the General, in company with Colonel
Thorn and Alexander and Major Forsyth,
left Martinsburg, arriving at Winchester
about p. m. Sheridan and staff stopping
for the night at post headquarters, Colo
mel Edwards CThirty-seventh Massachu-
setts), commanding the escort, was order
ed to encamp for the night at Millcreek,
one mile south Of Winchester, with Or
ders to be in readiness to move at five
o'clock on the following morning.
Early on the morning of the
10th brisk artillery firing was heard in
the direction of the front it was reported
at post headquarters by the infantry
officer of the picket and was attributed
to an intended reconnaissance that had
been ordered for that morning. About
8 a. m. General Sheridan came riding
whether we had heard firing in the d.
recton of the front. We re-
piled that we had, as early as A. N.
He replied that it was doubtless from
reconnaissance that had been ordered for
that morning. The escort was formed
with advance and rear guard and fankers
After moving about half mile the head
of train was encountered whipping to
the rear, as also number of fugitives
from the front-giving different inter-
probation to the firing Of the morning.
All trains coming from and going to the
front were ordered into the park at Mill
creek. General Sheridan ordered me to
take twenty of my best men and horses
and follow him, as he intended ito move
to the front lively" The remainder of the
escort was ordered to report to Colonies
Thorn and Alexander to do "what they
could in stemming the torrent of fugi-
tives.' The General then struck out at
brisk gallop toward the scene of action.
At times the pike was so much crowded
with troops and wagons that the General
and escort were obliged to take to the
fields, over fences, stone walls and bitches
He spoke to few, occasionally swinging
his cap, saying. "Face the other way,
boys! Face the other way! You shall
all be in your old camps before night"
"Men halted by the wayside as he passed,
and on several occasions the General was
cheered by groups of soldiers, who seeing
the great haste with which he was gong,
Immediately retraced their steps. A
chaplain, mounted on mule, desiring to
speak to the General, beckoned him to
stop. The General told him he had no
time to spare, that he should face about
and ride along with him if he had any
thing to say, Chaplain and mule were
left behind in u twinkling with the
story untold. $780,.
UNDER WHIP AND SPUR. ~
The race was headlong, the horses be-
ing put to their full speed, and never did
General and escort 60 over sixteen miles
in less time. Arriving on the field, the
General Immediately went to General
Wright's headquarters, eagerly inqurlng
after the situation, and received for an
answer from one of his staff: general,
fear the battle is going against us. I
suppose General Early intends driving
you out of the Valley?" 'What!' ex-
claimed Sheridan, "Early drive me out
of the Valley! Whip three corps of nv
infantry and all of my cavalry! He can't
do it; I'll lick him like-before night.
III give him the worst licking he ever
had" After a short consultation with
several Of his staff he rode along the
skirmish line. The men, seeing him,
cried: "Sheridan has comet" and shout
after shout went up. "Boys," said he,
"This never would have happened if l
could have been here. .~ Well get the
tightcst twist on them they ever, saw.
Well get all those camps, and cannon
back. The men were wild with enthusi-
asm as he rode along the lines. ,s Never
before did so much seemingly depend
upon one man; all seemed confident of
success as soon as they heard of Sher-'
dams arrival, and, indeed, with him
alone rested the safety Of thousands of
lives and the preservation of. his army.
He Immediately began reforming
his lines, , transferring Clusters cav
airy division to the right, Merritt's re-,
naming on the left, and the infantry
lines were re-established on Getty's line.
BY this time formidable body of men
stood ready to dispute the advance of a,
ctory-fushed foe. For over two hours
there was lull in the battle strugglers
were rapidly returning to their commands.
While the lines were thus being re-estab-
llshed, and temporary breastworks OF