The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-19
sHERIpANs RIDE.
The Fact and the Romance-An Absurd
Story Imputed to General Eckert.

further are removed from the events of
'lS6l-5 the more copious becomes the supply OF
information relating to that stirring period, and
the abundance of the supply involves the anX-
ious student of the history of the time in laby-
rinth of confusion. He might get along in some
fashion with the disputes, the conflicts of facts
and opinion between actual participants in the
great prominent events OF the struggle, but
when it comes to injurious fiction put forth in
the guise and with all the assurance of historical
truth, the student may throw down his books in
despair, and the surviving veteran may well
wonder whether it was really the war OF the re-
bellion, or some other war; that he was engaged
in.
These reflections are naturally suggested by
an article in a late number of the Philadelphia
Press, by Mr.. Frank A. Burr, on 'Sherldans
Ride That very dramatic incident has been
related so often, both in prose and verse; by
people who saw or knew of it Including General
Sheridan himselfl and by people who had the
great advantage Of not seeing or knowing any
thing personally about it, and who, therefore,
could draw upon their imaginatiOns for their
facts-that we had right to suppose that the
subject was worn threadbare, or at least that 1t
was safely removed beyond the domain OF pure
historical fabrication. 1t seems that we were mis-
taken, and that a gentleman now comes forward
and publishes in reputable journal, under his
own name and upon the alleged authority of two
OF the best known public men i'll the couBiy
VIZ: Mr.. James E. Murdoch, the actor, and
General Thomas T. Ecl1ert manager of the
Western Union Telegraph Company an account
OF the manner ana the incidents OF cNeflQau
rejoining his beaten army near Middletown
about noon of Oct. 49, 1864, which is entirely at
variance with every account of the affair hith-
erto published, and which magnifies ten-fold the
dramatic side of it. The statement in brief, is
that about midnight of Oct Is, Secretary Stan
ton and General Sheridan in consultation
at the War Office in Washington, and that Gen
eral Eckert, then superintendent of military tel
egraphs, at an instrument in adjoining
room; that the latter received and brought to the
other two a dispatch from Winchester to the
War Office in the words, There is danger heFe
hurry Sheridan to the 'front.'" that the railroads
fromWashington to Winchester, via Relay House
and Harpers Ferry, a distance of 100 miles, were
at once cleared by telegraph, and that Sheridan,
with single engine, dashed over the route in
the quickest time ever known on the Baltimore
d Ohio railroad, reaching Winchester after the
battle was on and there at once mounted his
black PAGER and rode to the front.
All this might well be passed by a silly
piece of sensational war sc1ibbling, nineteen
years after the event, but for the of the.two
names already mentioned, which is calculated to
give credenee to the story among thousands who
have not the experience or information necessary
TO detect its falsity After giving the details of
this new 'Sheridan's Ride" which, by the way
would require the alteration of the last line of
the first stanza Of Reads lyric to something like
this:
And Sheridan hundred and forty-fve miles
away"
the author saws: ''This is the true story of
Sheridan's ride, l might almost say the official
story" Then, after giving Mr.. James E. Muir
dQch as his authority, he quotes the language of
the latter TO himself follows: What 1 have
told you | got directly from General Eekert him
self who sat with his hand on the key, arranged
and watched every stage of Shcridans ride from
Washington to Cedar creek. He now manages
the Western Union Telegraph Company, and
will bear witness to these facts
1t would be curious study, like that of a So
cial game known gossip to find out Just
what it was that Gen Eekert said to Mr.. Blur
doch that became the foundation of a garruous
communication from the latter to the author of
this coek-and bull story that is now so impudent-
ly put before the public as genuine historical de
tail. Gen. Eckerts statement would be interest
ing. though it could hardly be comfortable for
either Mr. Murdoch or the concocter of this thrill
ing fiction
A few words as to the actual facts. Noveteran
of the Army of the Shenandoah who went
through the battle of Cedar CreelS-and the
writer OF these paragraphs has the honor to be
one-need be told that the attack of the confed-
crates on that army occurred from one to two
hours before sunrise; that it was entirely unex-
pected; that, while the confederate army was
known to be in the immediate front,
nothing alarming had occurred for more
than twenty-four hours, and hence
the utter impossibility of any alarm
being felt over the situstion at Winchester more
than fifteen miles to the north. Such dispatch
as that quoted could not, in the nature of things
have been sent from Winchester to Washington
GU the night of the 18th, for the reason that
that time nor any apprehended there until
as late as O'Clock on the morning of the 18th
when the fuGtives from the battle began to pour
into the town. better reason why no such
dispatch was sent would be because General
Sheridan was at Winchester on the evening and
all the night Of the 18th and was as ignorant as
any else of the impending storm 1t seems
pity TO spoil such high colored romance as
this of Mr.. Barr and Mr. Murdoch, but after
saying so much can do no less than to LET
General Sheridan himself tell the story in few
words. We quote from his report page A. part
q supplemental report of the committee on the
conduct Of the war;
after sending this note* ! continued through
Manassas Gap and to Piedmont and from,
thence by rail to Wash ngton. arriving on the
morning OF the 17th. At u o'clock NJ I returned
by special train to Martinsburg. arriving on the
evening Of the 18th at Winchester in company
with Colonies Thorn and Alexander of the en-
Tneer corps, sent with me by General Haeek
AT about Z o'clock on the morning of
the 18th of Oct an officer picket at Winches-
ter reported artillery firing, but supposing it re
suited from reconnaissance which had been or
dered for this moIRing, | paid no attention to it.
and was unconscious of the true condition of af-
fairs until about o'clock when. having ridden
through the town of Winchester the sound of
the artillery made battle unmistakabe and on
reaching Mill creek, onehalf mile south of Win
chester, the head of the fugitives appeared in
sight trains and men coming to the rear with ap-
pulling rapiCityn
Other authorities are ON hand, fixing the exact
time Of General Sheridans departure from
Washington and arrival at Winchester; but the
above ought to be sufficient even for Mr.. Burr
and Mr.. Murdoch We would observe in con
clusion, that such publications as this article in
the Philadelphia Press are not without their
uses. We might be permitted to style them the
Historical Dime Novel class, and we would GER
tainly place them one grade higher in the litera-
ture of the day than the pamphlet publications
relating to the exploits of the James brothers
and the road agents of the wild West. But the
writers Of this style of narrative must be ingeni
Gus The man who drew picture and labeled
it to be a lion or an angel and people who will
put such high bosh as this New Sheridans
Ride before the public, ought to tell their read
ers frankly that it is fiction, Many years have