Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1884-12-19
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.
NEW FACTS ABOUT LITTLE PILLS
FAMOUS EXPLOIT.
Interesting Incidents Noted ON the Spot
by Busy Man About Camp-How
Sheridan Got the Bulge
on Them"
IJohn Dandy in Philadelphia Timcs.l

John Dandy in Philadelphia Timesl
1 have seen q painting representing the
general coming on the scene on that occasion
riding lbs big black horse (which was given
20 him by some Michigan friends), and, by
the way, have heard the cavalrymen curse
that horse in vigorous terms. He was the
fastest walker in the army and when the
general was riding at the head Of the column
on the march the rest Of the command would
be kept ON a little jog trot about half Of the
time and any cavalryman knows how trying
that is, especially for the non -combatants,
such as cooks, camp carriers etc, who are
loaded down with camp and garrison equip
age | could always tell at night when
heard our cavalry marching near me il the
general was in the lead by the jingle Of tin
and iron kettles as they closed up in the rear.
Well, this painting that mention shows the
general with sword in hand, broad
brimmed stiff regulation hat, with waving
plume on his head and looking very much
excited, as, Of course, he had right 10 be
under the circumstances
But the artist drew vsy largely on his
| imagination. II would In hard 20 exagger-
ate the beauty and majesty Of the horse, for
he was the beau ideal Of a war horse-big,
black, vigorous, champnig his bit, nostrils
red and dilating, his long tail swinging TO
and fro like a banner-it would be hard TO
picture anything more striking or grand
than the big black on that occasion But as
TO the general, excepting that his eyes were
blazing and fierce, there was not much signs
Of excitement shown by him.
He wore some Of the regulation uniform,
but not much. On his head was a little
round cap, such as German students wear.
In his right hand he held q small riding
whip, which, judging by the welts on bis
horses TANKS, had been industriously used.
He was splashed with mud and had a big
daub under one eye, which gave him a sort
Of "been- to-a-wake hook" II he had any
gauntlets they were in his pockets As he
rode on the hill beyond Mlddletown he was
met by one OF Gen. Toberts aids, who WAS
mounted ON a big gray horse nearly as large
as RienEi
The officer jumped the stone wall and
Joined the general Just as he came in sight of
the field, and rode side by side towards
group near the woods ON the right Of the
pike in the rear Of the Sixth corps, where
Gems Wright, Emory and Torbert and their
stats were gathered.
l asked the aid afterward what the general
sad when he joined him He Teplisd;
"WeIl, the generals first words were, 1t was
lust such id mess out west as this that
gave me my brigadier star in the regular
army, and I'm going 10 make it a double
star this time He then asked, Where is
Wrightr" and soon after joined the other
generals had been riding along behind as
fast as my little mare could jump, when the
general looked back and said: Scout, hunt
up the ammunition wagons and order them
up" Back in the rear on the valley pike tho
~. ~ ehas-
fast as they could / transferred my orieIr
TO one Of the aids for knew the demoralizod
teamsters would not pay much attention 10
a man in blouse, and then turned and rode
back after the general.
When reached the group on the hill say
Gen. Wright sitting on the ground, the tip
II his chin had been cut away by a bullet
early in the morning, and he was otherwise
harmed probably, as he seemed 10 be dazed
and not 20 have his wits about him for the
time. Gen Emory, ~Old Bull Of the Woods"
as some OF his wild young calvary staff
called him, commander OF the Nineteenth
corps, stood by with his hands crossed behind
his back, looking down at Gen, Wright
Gen. Torbert leaned on his horse and pulled
his mustache, and Gen. Sheridan was quietly
asking questions from all Of them. In few
moments he knew all they could tell him,
and pulling dispatch book from his pocket
began by writing something which he put in a
little dispatch envelope and addressed, and
then looking up his eye fell ON me and
blazed up in a moment He said, what in
the ID are you doing herel i thought
cent you after the ammunition wagons" ]
explained matters to him. He gave me
sharp look and said: you've got a healthy
gall to order my staff officers about Take
this dispatch 10 Winchester as quick as you
can" and then away he rode down the line.
Presently one OF the staff came gallopin2
after me before ] had gotten more than a
mile beyond Middletown, and took the dis
,atch and told me to go back, and said he
was 70 go 10 Winchester and order up all the
tragglers, and would attend to the dispatch
himself.
50 back again l went and rode about oil
the rest Of that busy day, getting what in
formation could and carrying orders for
any one who wanted me- gave the news
paper correspondents considerable informa-
lion, which they worked up TO suit them
selves. The BEST account Of the fight was
written by the correspondent Of The World.
Near the close Of the fight was near Gen.
! rorbert, on the left, when Gen Sheridan
came flying across the pike, jumping the high
|
earnest, quick way: "Torbsrt, took the old
sixth corps in and drove them from the
woods ana over the hill and away from the
stone walls, and l have got the bulge on them;
md now, Torbert i want your cavalry 20 do
your best, and when / go back / am
going in with everything, and IL you and
Merritt and Custer do your work well we
will have them on the run in half an hour"
and history shows that they did do their
work well. Considering the fact that the
Eighth corps was not engaged during the day,
and that full one-third Of the rest Of the com
mand, except the cavalry, were stockholders,
and that about half OF the artillery were
captured early in the morning. it was an
sven fight, and Gen. Sheridan won II by good
hard knocks and bulldog fighting Gems
Wright, Torbert ana Emory would un6oubt-
IDLY have made good fight Of it if Gen.
Sheridan had not ome up from Winchester,
but it took Sheridan TO get the bulge on
them"
| laIdinU fha SfaLaa.