Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
SHERIDAS'S RIDE.
The Generals Story Of How Buchanan Read
Wrote the Poem.

The Ge0sraIS Story Of How Buchanan Read
Wrote the Poem.
I5 has been my habit, during the thir-
teen years have enjoyed an acquaintance
with General Sheridan, to keep memoir
andum OF interviews with him, aud I have
Totes full of his conversations, reminisen-
ces on the subject which old soldiers never
do and never should tire Of talk1ng-the
war of the rebellion. He always spoke
freely to me and hiss permitted me to
publish q great deal of what he said,
always, however, with the condition that
if it were written in the form of an inter
view he should be allowed to revise the
report of his words. He did not like
newspaper notoriesy-few nen debut
he was as fond as any body OF soeiug the
good things he said and did spoken well
Of IN the newspapers. It was not vanity,
but he took muoh pride in his achieve
ments, and if they were accurately de-
scribed and Intelligently discussed he
always enjoyed what people said and
thought of him. Within the last year or
two, however, he has been preparing his
book, and has not been SO DESTROYS of
having his "reminiscences published. Ere
quently when relating some a1ecdote to
me he would say:
snow don't put that in your paper, for
am just getting ready to print in my
boo6.''
While engaged in the preparation of
this book his mind was constantly upon
the past, and he enjoyed fighting his bat
ties over again. One Of the most inter
estlng interviews I ever had with him was
about Reads poem, "Sheridan's Ride"
happened TO be in the cars with him, and
showed him paragraph which described
the recitation of "Sheridan's Ride" by an
actor at some theatrical benefit. 1 asked
him if he ever met Read.
eyes," he replied; 81 know him we'll. /
first met him before the battle of Stone
river. He was guest at the headq uarters
of General Rosepcrans, and stayed with us
good while"
"Do you know how he happened TO
write it?''
JAMES E. MURDoCK's SUGGESTION.
eyes. L have heard him tell about il a
great many times. There ara a number
of stories floating around, but I'll give
you the true one, as Read told it to me.
James E. Murdoch suggested the idea"
''Murdock, the elocutionist?"
eyes, ne vas an actor at one of the Gin
cinnati theatres at the time, and great
friend of mine. He lost a son at the battle
of Missionary Ridge-Murdock, did-and
came down there to get the body, The
enemy occupied the place where ths boy
was buried, and the old man remained
there, guest at my headquarters. He
used to ride the lines with me, and always
used the black horse, Rienzi, that was
afterwards called Winchester, be
came very fond OF him. Things were
very exciting down there, and Murdoch
saw a good deal OF war. Sunday ne
always read and reoited poems to the
troops around headquarters, and there
was one poem of Browning's that was
always called for. It was great favorite
with the soldiers and with me, and we
never let him off without reciting it. 1t
was the ride from Ghent TO AK. You re-
member it,"
JUMPED AT THE IDEA.
swell, after the battle Of Cedar creek
there was published In Harper's weekly, a
story OF my ride from Winchester and a
picture of me on black horse, Rienzi.
Murdoch saw it and took it up TO Read,
suggesting that it was q good theme for a
poem. Murdoch had just seen an officer
who was there, and gave him descrip-
ton of the affair, and Read jumped at
the idea. He shut himself up in his room,
wrote poem that afternoon, had his
wife make q copy, and sent it over to
Murdock's house as soon as it was done,
to see how he liked it. Mardock was very
much pleased, and that night read the
poem at the theatre between the acts. So
it got into the newspapers, where l first
saw It,"
. ''Lt is said that you have the original
manuscript"
"No, I never saw it,"
Glow did Read happen to paint this
picture?''
Gle did it On an order from the Union
League club of Philadelphia. They sent
him down to New Orleans where | was
stationed, and I sat for him there. ae
was going TO Rome that fall and could
not finish 1t, but mad5 some sketches and
tLen CONF leted the picture at Rome. 1
never had a copy Of the picture, but he
afterward gave me the sketches, which
still have at my house,
"Who were with you in that rider"
SANDY Forsythe and Col. O'Keefo Of
my staff. Forsytbe is down in New Mex
leo now, lieutenant. colonel Of the 4th
cavalry. O'Keefe vas killed as the battle
of Five Forks"
UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN!