The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-30
SHERIDAN'S LONGEST SPEECH.
Remarks of the General ut n Reunion of
Veterans Two Years Ago


lCrestOn (Ia.) Special 10 Chicago Times.l
Gen. Sheridan's attendance at the reunion of
the veterans of southwest Iowa and northwest
Missouri in this city two years ago made the
occasion memorable. There were at least ten
thousand veterans present in addition to thou
sands OF other persons from all parts of the
country, and as Gen. Sheridan reviewed the
magnificent procession of veterans and citizens
from the balcony of the Summit house, the oya-
ton he received warmed the grand old soldiers
heart, and he was frank and outspoken in his
appreciation. After the parade the veterans
returned 10 Camp Sheridan for dinner and in
the afternoon Gen. Sheridan visited the CAMP
As the general recognized many of the old sol
derS OF his command, and recalled many incl
dents and memories of the war, the enthusiasm
increased. Finally the veterans began to call
on the general to speak. He was disposed TO
decline, but at last he took the platform and
made speech which went direct TO every old
soldiers heart. 1t was wholly impromptu and
CHARACTERISTIC. Fortunately frst-class stenog-
Irapher was present, and thus probably the
longest public speech ever delivered by Phil
SHERIDAN was taken verbatim:
COMRADES: | came here to-day to see you
and talk with you and shake hands with you,
whue Col Carr and others, you know, came
mere TO make eloquent addresses for you to
listen to. | think he has been too eulOgis-
TIC OF me in his remarks. 1t is true that
fought IN almost everybody's army,
from Pea Ridge to Appomattox, and
although | fought with cavalry and infantry
ana on every line OF operation, and always had
to change and take new men on new lines, l
was very successful. / went through all the
grades they had in the volunteer service, and
then commenced and went through all the
grades IN the regular service, and the date OF
every commission that l have is the date OF a
battle; Now want to say to you, comrades,
this, that | am indebted to the private in the
ranks forall this credit that has come B. me.
lApplauSe, long and continued He was the
man who did the fighting, and the man who
carried the musket is the greatest hero of the
war, IN my opinion. | was nothing but an
agent. | knew how to take care OF men.
knew what a soldier was worth, and / knew
how TO study the country so as to put him in
right. | knew how TO put him in a battle when
one occurred, but | was simply the agent 10
take care OF him, and he did the work. Now,
comrades, these are cOmmOn-sense things, and
| can't say them in very fiowery language;
but they are true, nevertheless, and they
are true, not of me alone but of everybody
else. 1t Is 10 the common soldier that we are
indebted to any credit that came to us. Now,
l am glad TO see you here to-day, gentlemen,
and am glad to be with you on this occasion.
There are many men here to-day who served in
the field with me, and it is great pleasure TO me
TO find them out and they have been very
kindly in their remarks to me. While they
were with me | certainly did all | could for
them. / often laid awake planning for their
welfare, and / never killed man unnecessa-
rily. You may kill as many men as you choose
if you give them an equivalent for the loss.
Men do not like to be killed for nothing; they
do not like to have their heads rammed against
a stone wall unless for some good results.
Those are the points | made during the war.
Whenever ] took men into battle | gave them
victory as the result of the engagement, and
- y, go.