The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-03
STORIES OF SHERIDAN,
His Personal characteristics Some
thing About his War Horses.

swagger and strange oaths that he is typi-
cal dragoon, brandishing thirsty blade, and
calling for blood by the bucketfull as the buca-
neers of Holland and the roysterers of old Eng
land used to do.
The same idea was popular about Custer,
whereas he was quiet, gentle blond haired
man with white hand, of which he was very
proud, and voice that was never raised above
the tone of ordinary conversation, unless 1t was
needed to inspire courage or destroy fear.
Custer never used an oath, never drank any
liquor, and never used tobacco in any form.
He tried to learn to smoke once, but this man
to whom danger never brought dismay was
" downed" by mild Havana, and took to
his bed for the rest of the day.
In that remarkable poem with which we are
all familiar, Buchanan Read describes Sheri-
dan as riding down the lines with terrible
oath which was so soul-searching as to bring
the frightened, running soldiers at Winchester
to halt and turn them from sheep into men.
The general does not recoliect exactly what
he did say on that occasion, but there is no
doubling that he meant what he said. He was
too mad too much Disguised, and too indig-
nant at what he considered a cowardly retreat
of rnen in whose courage he had confidence to
speak with his ordinary mildness and only re-
members that he tried to do justice to the occa-
sion, and bring the frightened men who sur
rounded him to understand his purposes and to
assist him in accomplishing them.
4 member of his staff, General George A.
FoFsythe who had ridden the twenty miles by
his side, and may be considered good authority,
reports that when the general met the first
group of stragglers in full retreat, and was in
formed by them that the enemy had captured
his camp and was sending his troops as he
afterward sent Early, "whirling down the
valley" he observed, with some emphasis,
well sleep in that camp tonight or we'll
sleep in hell"
And that was probably what the author of
"Sheridan's Ride" referred to.
The stories of the generals profanity, which
was SO prevalent at that time, created, as | have
said. the impression that his tongue was a mint
which was constantly coming imprecations Of
a unique and awful pattern and the hearts of
a great many COED people were greved that a
man whom they had learned to admire and
love should tarnish his otherwise brilliant rep
utation by the use of blasphemy. Many of
them wrote him to express their regret. The
letters came from clergymen and motherly
women, who gently demonstrated and begged
him to abandon the vicious habit, not only
for the sake of his own soul, but for the benefit
of their sons, who admired him SO much, and
were disposed to initiate the vices as well as
the virtues of the great soldier.
It is proper that this impression, which still
exists. should be corrected, for General Sheri-
dan is not habitually profane, and he despises
the practice as heartily as any of his critics
He often saws dammit when he is provoked
but his ordinary conversation Is as free from
oaths as that of any gentleman ia the land.
When he does swear, however, and it is
only on occasions of the greatest provocation,-
he does not use the habitual blasphemy Of the
bar-room, but coins phrases of picturesque
and striking originality, which produce an
instantaneous effect and lasting impression
His words fall like the stroke OF a butchers
~ r. ~, l. &c
swearing, nor from the force of habit, for he
seldom uses the same oath twice but to empha-
size his utterance and supply force which the
poverty of the native tongue lacks.
On some supreme occasion, at great crisis,
or an emergency, when the souls of his men
were to be aroused, the ordinary adjective
would strike the soldier with no more force
than falling leaf, and the phrases of the
drawing room would not reach their ears.
So much is true of Sheridan that at such
times his tongue would frame sermon IN q
single sentence which never failed to arrest q
panic and inspire with courage men who would
have been deaf to the ordinary tone and man
ner of remonstrance or command.
The battle of Stone River was the second ap-
pearance of Sheridan under fire in which he
/ had command of any considerable body Of men.
He had been promoted from the colonelcy Of
the Cd Michigan cavalry to the command of a
/ brigade OF infantry and when the rest of the
army retreated he held his own against over
| whel1niBg odds in one Of the most desperate
! struggles of the war He kept his men to-
| gether by reason of his own personal courage
and stubborn determination, and fought with
them as men seldom fought before or since until
| Rousseau REINFORCED him and saved the day.
!" / thought it was hell before got there
| said Rousseau afterBard. g but was convinced
of it when / saw Little Phil with his hat IN
/ one hand and his sword in the other. swearing
and fighting as if he were the devil incarnate
! and Father Tracy was granting him fresh
/ indulgence every five minutes"
Father Tracy was the Catholic chaplain at
+ R0secrans's headquarters.
| When Sheridan led his men out Of that fight
he left three-fonrths Of his brigade on the field,
and as he marched by Rosecrans, his COM
mander, he remarked: Here are all that are
/ left Of us, General, and every cartridge-box is
empty"
Henever had the slightest symptom of swag-
ger or buster about him, but always speaks in
| q low tone of voice and modestly shrinks from
public notoriety. Nor viii he tolerate bolster
business around him.
| Once in the field staff officer rode up to
! him, shouting at the top of his lungs some in
! formation of an exciting character he had to
! communicate.
Dammit, sir, don't yell at me- I'm not
/ hard Of hearing" said Sheridan, and the re-
I
When he had an order to give from horse
back, he always leaned down upon the neck OF
| the animal he was riding, and speaking in a
| low, but distinct tone, repeated what he had to
| say with mild and deliberate emphasis. so that
! his words werc not forgotten.
"Give my compliments to General Custer,'
| he said once, and tell him to move as rapidly
as he can toward the enemy, and give them
| the best he has got"
Once in the midst Of a fight an aid reported
! that his flank was being demoralized by bat
/ terry distant hill.
"Givc my compliments TO General Crook, y
he said, and ask him to clear it away"
| His famous dispatch TO General Grant on the
day before the surrender at Appomattox, was
| written on horseback, in these terse words:
If things are pressed, think Lee will sur
| render tomorrow
And Grants answer, still more terse, came
back" Press things"
During the war General Sheridan rode four
horses. The animal which Buchanan Read
immortalized was large black gelding with
three white feet which was presented to him
at Rienzi, Miss, by the officers Of the I'd Michi-
gan cavalry of which he was then colonel. 1t
| was originally named "Rienzi," from the place
! at which the presentation was made, but after
| the famous twenty-mile ride the animal was
re-chrstened Winchester" and thenceforth
bore that honored name
1t was his fayorite saddle-horre, and partooh
moro Of Sheridan's spirit than any he ever be-
strobe He chose it to use in BATTLE for the
horse knew as well as his master what was re-
quired Of him, and never fnched at danger OF
faltered in fatigue. Several times he was
| Notwithstanding received bullet in ZACH nj