The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-05-08
A CHAT WITH SHERIDAN.
The Story of His Raid Around Richmond. as Told
By Himself.

I
LIST corps on the 18th, TO visit the battiefelds Of
Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and the Viii
derness.
No, he said; "Pm awfulIy sorry about it,
but | can't 90. There's nothing I'd ike better
but the fact is, l made an engagement before
this thing WAS arranged that l can't very well
break. I'm going fishing in Lake Erie with
Secretary Lincoln and party of Chicago gem
tlemen-Mr. Marshall Field, SIR Arson Slayer
and some others. They have a clubhouse on
Peiee Island, near the Canadian shore, and
have called the place Point Sheridan in my
honor I'd like to go down into Virginia with
the boys, but, y0u see, under the circumstances
/ can't disappoint these Chicago gentlemen,
who made all their arrangements several
weeks ago"
- You were not in the battles of Fredericks-
burg and Charlottesville?
" No. was out West at the time but got
back in time to have some fun in the Wilder
ness / led the advance in that little affair"
" Tell me about it,
"Well, you see, / got information that the
enemy's cavalry were at Hamilton's Crossing,
and / asked Meade 10 let me get at them He
said all right, and | started at o'clock in the
morning. / got through the Wilderness before
encountering the enemy. and a large part of
the infantry followed me into the Wilderness
and occupied the roads. / sent Custer down
the Furnace road, when he met HamptOn's
cavalry and whipped them in beautiful
stand-up fight At the same time Gregg
was whipping FitZhugh Lee at Todd's Tav-
ern. Then Meade sent me word to come back
and secure the protection of the train, as Ham
cocks line was being closely pressed. / didn't
60 however, until I had another whack at the
enemy and cleaned him cut handsomely
" The enemy followed me back, and the next
day | had to 90 out again and retake the
ground Our cavalry had always been in the
habit OF falling back when they met the enc
my, so as to let the infantry do the fighting.
but didn't understand that sort of business,
and proposed TO do my own fighting. You see,
hadn't been. there long then, and wasn't ac-
eustomed to the Virginia style of conducting
campaign
Where had you been?"
" Over in East Tennessee, around Knoxville
Grant sent Tor me to come to Virginia and take
coTnmand of Meade's cavalry. I left my men
at Knoxville, under Newton and came By rail
to Washington, then to Cuipeper, and took
PIeasonton's place. They gave me about 10, 900
men, under Custer, Wilson, Merritt, Gregg and
other good soldiers, and l. was prepared to do
something effective.
l wanted a fair stand-up fight with Stuart'5
cavalry, but my horses were not in good shape
and we needed forage the worst kind | found
if l got any L would have to look for it in the
enemy country, and so started down where
the forage was. 1t was about l o'clock IN the
d4LSiuOoH NhSli GOT OTutfS from GT8nL 70 go
down to James River, find General Butler, get
some supplies, and come back again. 1t was the
prettiest raid | ever made, aud / could have
captured Richmond had been allowed to but
that wasn't in the programme and had to stay
out
Stuart had been prancing around there, try
ing TO get somebody to- fight him, and I wanted
TO give him all he desired; bat that WASH in the
programme either. | was sent after forage
and could not waste my time fighting. So, from
the Wilderness, near Spottsylyania, / crept
around Lees right till / got to his rear, be
tween him and Richmond. Stuart thought he
saw what was up TO and came after me"
What did he suppOse?"
" He thought l must be trying to capture
Richmond, don't you know but | told YOU
that wasn't in the programme
Well" continued the general, he attacked
my rear and tried to get me back, but / kept
him OF with rear-guard and continued to-
ward Richmond. Custer CAPTURED all of Lees
supplies, burned ten miles of the Virginia
Central Railroad and a whole lot of cars and
locomotives, and recaptured four hundred of
our boys who had been taken from US at the
Wilderness and were on their way to Libby
prison.
There was plenty Of forage for the horses
then, and moved slowly, so that they could get
IN good condition, for / knew that there would
be plentyof business for them soon 1t was the
first time the horses had got enough TO eat for
several months.
When Stuart found he couldn't coax me
back he tried TO get around my flank to head
me oil, but | evaded him, and reached the old
yellow tavern live miles from Richmond with
my horses and men in tip-top condition. There
l found Stuart, with all the rebel cavalry
drawn up to meet me, with battery Of artil-
lery supporting him."
= lou were expecting him ?"
Xou -
there. He was rapid man, Stuart was aud
brilliant soldier. The poor fellow was killed
IN the fight that took place there. Stuart, you
see, had 10 hurry, so that his horses and men
both were all banged up, while mine were In
fresh and fine condition. Merritt got posses
sion OF the old Brook turnpike but Stuart
brought out his artillery on his flank and emf
iafied him. / took Custer and Wilson, with
about five thousand men, and started for that
battery. We got it,
Howl"
Why I ordered Custer to charge, first ON a
walk, then on a tr0t, and when he got near
enough for the horses to hold out, to go for
those guns on a run. He did it beautifully,
and took the cannon, horses, men, and every
thing there was there There were good
many men killed on both sides but we had to
do it, don't you know. That was when poor
Stuart WAS shot.
Then, after got their cannon, I drove the
rest Of the enemy's cavalry out of the way.
Some OF them fed north, and the rest went
/ into Richmond under Fitz- hugh Lee
crossed Brook RUh, entered the enemy's in
trenchments, aud lay there that day to bury
the dead. l was so near Richmond that I could
hear the bells riAg. IL was Sunday morning,
il | remember correctly. 1t was an awful
temptation TO go into Richmond that day and
attend church. We hadn't been to service for
q good while, but it was against orders, and
had to keep out.
hat night | went around on the Rich
moDd side Of the Chickahominy, with my
whole command between the enemy's works
and Richmond, and met with no obstacles
except some bOnb5hells the rebels had buried
in the road to blow Us mp. They were fixed
with wires, don't you know, and when the
horses tripped on the wires i5 exploded the
shells and raised havoc.
Il had . lot of prisoners, and made them
useful that night. l sent them ahead to crawl
on their hands and knees in the road, aud
when they came across one of the wires they
| followed it to the she'll TO which it was at
tached, and dug the whole thing up.
The next morning l found myself on the
plateau, close up TO Richmond, and camped
there, TO see if the enemy had the nerve to
visit me. They had destroyed the bridge in
front of me, don't you know, and / had either
to go back or stop an4 rebuild it. / concluded
to take the latter alternative, and sent Wilson
ahead.
. He found Ia lot of infantry and dismOunted
cavalry IN some earthworks, the whole force in
-Tv-..