Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28
sHERlnANs. PROMOTION.
An Incident Connected with His Elevate
to the Lieutenant f;eneraIship.

An Incident Connected with His Elevation
to the Lieutenant Geaeraiship.
The raising OF Northumberland
Sheridan to the rank of General recall:
an incident connected with his promo
ton to his present grade. The autumn
of 1868 will be remembered by many as
having witnessed series of Indian
atrocities on the Solomon and Saline
rivers, of Kansas, as fiendish and revolt
ing as any in the bloody history of front
Ter experiences. Major-General Sheri.
dan then commanded the Department Of
the Platt, with headquarters at Fort
Leavenworth. With his usual celebrity
of action he sent out detachments OF
| troops in pursuit of the savages, to
keep them occupied while he massed
his main forces and supplies at Fort
Hays and points on that line. He re-
solved to make winter campaign, an
untried and hazardous venture, and
determined to take command OF the
expedition in person. The Indians
had been routed at all points, villages
had been broken up, ponies captured
and utilized or killed, many proud war
riors had been laid low, and Moke-
! taveteh and his band of dog soldiers of
the Cheyennes, the chief perpetrators
of the Kansas massacres. had been an
initiated with the exception OF one
warrior, who escaped. Upward OF
10000 Indians of the kiowa, Cheyenne,
Arrapahoe, Comanche and Apache
tribes had been brought into subsection
and placed under military surveillance
in the valleys of the Wichita. near the
mouths OF Medicine Bluff and Cache
creeks.
The campaign was ended. Victory
had again perched upon the colors of
Sheridan. One day towards the middle
of February there was stir in camp.
The General was about to return 10 the
railroad at Fort Hays, whence he had
started in November. The General, a
detachment of the Tenth Cavalry,
Colonel Lebo, Colonel Schuyler Crosby,
Major j. W. Clous, Colonel Mc(fonigle
and the writer constituted the party,
and before them lay vast Indian waste
of 400 miles. The distance had been
traversed. While approaching the
Smoky Hill river, less than twenty
miles from the fort, a feet courier was
seen advancing. 1t was March 6, 1869.
The courier saluted proudly and gal
loped by. An orderly was sent TO halt
him. The courier, being informed that
the General was at the head of the
party, turned his horse and dashed
CALAMITY up to the General. Bringing
his animal on his launches by the sud-
denness of his halt, standing in his
stirrups, and raising his saluting hand
to the visor of his cap he exclaimed:
Il have the honor of saluting the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the armies of the
United States" simultaneously handing
dispatch.
The General took the yellow en-
velop. His face was flushed with
mingled sensations of pride and emo
ton. His hand trembled with feeling
as it never was known to unde;- the
heat of battle as he opened the packet.
1t was telegram from General Sher-
man substantially in these words:
Grant has been inaugurated. He has
just nominated me for General and you
for Lieutenant-General."
ITO the Lieutenant-Gen went
up in shouts along the little column of
officers and troopers which broke the
solemn solitudes of the Smoky Hill.
ITO the Lieutenant-Genera again and
again in rounds of cheers.
If ever brave soldier looked an elo-
quence of gratitude and pride Sheridan
did on that bright midday on the
banks Of the Smoky Hill. Squirting the
prancing steeds, who seemed to feel
the inspiration of the stirring martial
scene, the column soon galloped across
the intervening stretch of plain to Fort
Hays.
The next day the General, Colonel
Crosby and the writer went 10 depart
ment headquarters. Before the middle
of March they reached Washington,
where the Lieutenant-General was
laden with social hOnOrs by the Presi-
dent and army in recognition OF his
campaign and well earned
promotion.-Ps Philadelphia Times.