Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-12-08

succeeded IN Reting Al last IN au' ahce OF
the enemy, and after passing down between
the two armies, exposed to the artillery duel
that vas going on found the fragments OF
our declmated regiments. Those once
proud regiments looked like mere skele-
tons. Men. hungry and faint, were wander
ing about inqutrng for their regiments.
Brigade and DIVISION commanders were un-
able To give the desired information. hegl-
ments had been almost annIhliated, and the
commanders could only point To the coIors
surrounded ny lev brave followers.
he eiated rebel army, alter crushing the
Eighth Corps, had fallen IN great Jury up
on the Nineteenth Corps, and that, IN turn,
had been steadily driven back upon the
Sixth Corps. II Was hand- d-to-hand hght.
Men were hayoneted, and their companions
the next instant shot down ana the tide
assumed such force that even the gallant
Sixth torpS IN readiness 10 receive the on
slaught, could not stand the shock
and slowly iought us way back, with me
Nineteenth corps sand~iched IN het"een It's
diNIsIons. ihe Tebei army had won great
victory. and flushed with success, stopped
To piunder the mon camps ana !" reform
their excited columns preparatory 20 moving
on, anticipating the easy annihisatIon OF
Sheudans diSheartened army Sheridan
Was away. All the long, horrible morning
men anAiousll looked INTO their comrades
faces. and inquired Nv here - sheridan
or exclaimed HheridAn must oe away
but there ~as no reply from the eIenched
hps-onlt SHAKE oi the head anu sul!cn
look. All kne" IN their hearts that their
gallant ohieiiAin Was lar AWAY, else ms IN
spirng presence would have been IN theiT
midst all the morning. Sheridan had
passed the night twenty miles away, al VIA
chester. Between sH and seven oosook IN
the morning the oificcr on picket ST Nm
chester hurried 10 the bedside OF t'encra4
Sheridan. Who slept at the house OF Colonel
Edwards. and reported the sound oi scatter
ing artillery shots. These Zen. sheridan
supposed To be made by General 6ro'ers
DIVISION, which vas 10 have made recon
noIsNanoe that morning Sheudan' power
iul black ~af-horNe Mas however, .addied'
as well a. the horses OF the stan othc"r',
and they started about eight o'clock passing
through the main street OF Winchester
On reaching the southern suburbs oi ne
town the sound OF artillery made the Tact
that battle was proceeding ~ the ucheEa'
unmlSlAkahie sun he wAs not alarmed !;
for he felt sure II Early attacked his strong
position al Cedar Greek he would he beaten.
The! walked their horses leisurely until
they reached Ma! Greek half mile or 80
from the town, trying 70 deter
mine by the sound whether The hung "as
coming toward them or reoedsng. and after
crossing Mil Creek and Tislng little b.lt
he Ia - ffH u al Its 70
treating troops coming RAPIDLY 20 the rear.
Sheridan at once ordered haIt' directed
that the wagon tram be- stopped and parked
at Mil Creek and sent orders that the
brigade IN garrison al Winchester bc
h- stretched across The country, anu az stTas
g.ers stopped All thI' VA but the work
o; few moments, and, taking t"entN tru't>
men for the escort. he burned his spurs IN
hIs magnificent black 'teet, and then began
that wonderful ride Tor lie-not Tor hi. ON n.
but for the lite OF hI. gallant arm! ll"-
feat. too. meant more than the
destruction Of hls noble army 4
would have LAID open TO the Confederate
troops MARY land and Pennsi lvanIA and the
capital OF the nation.
Sherdans ride Nas no myth. he BLACK
horse Winchester Was one oi the most pow
eriul and feet IN the army. The animal
seemed TO be infused with the inspiration
Of his master. and bore his rider With fright
fol speed up and down t.e hard plked road,
now dashing suddenly TO The right or left IN
To the telds that ran parallel with the road
To avoid the shouting teamsteEs and crowds
of stragglers, and then With bound upon
the pike again. but still aud ever on The
crowd dispersed, bat stopped suddenly as
Sheridan flew past They recognized their
leader. Men who sut moment ago
thought themselves defeated and lost, no"
became instantly transformed INTO brave
men. shout went up; II va. carried on
the wind even IN advance, so that the main
army knew by the upruAr that Sheridan
Mas coming before they caught sight OF his
f,ing steed. Like a thunderboli Of war
Sheridan suddenly appeared IN the midst OF
he broken regiments, striking Gen. Oett,
division of the Sixth Corps first, thrre
quarters Of mile north of Middlelo~n, and
at little before ten O'Clock IA the forenoon.
Sherldans presence at TINS critical time vas
as good ten thousand fresh troops.
1t Is utterly impossible to attempt to des-
cribe the excitement of the next three hours.
For two hours Sheridan rode up and down
through his army. Dashlng into regiment,
and haltng for a moment, he shouted ;"Wha
regiment is this p Every hand and hat
and cap went up. while the men shouted
back the number and State. BOYS" said
he, ..if | had been here this never would
have happened If you will follow me
will take YOU back To your old camp ground
before dark" Several times his painting
steed stood 80 close could, have put my
hand on his side, and then in a moment he
was gone, only to appear in another regi-
ment or brigade with his ringing appea.
Ii was a sight witnessed once in lifetime.
and never to be forgotten. The moment
Sheridan disappeared a strange feeling came
over me. said to myself: Impossible :,
Go back TO our old camp ground before
dark Our defeated, shattered army drive
back the victorious rebel army? Never ="
And really thought it wicked in Sheridan
10 deceive the troops with anv such state
ments. Nv fears we're for moment only !;
for like fash the thought came across nv
mind "Sheridan saws We can go back to
our camps if We only follow him. If Sher-
idan can go can | will follow him :" and
from that moment never doubted but that
we should conquer in some mysterious way
| suppose the same feeling of faith took
possession of the whole army.
Sheridan gave his orders in person TO the
division and corps commanders, not daring
TO trust them To others. Ii took but a short