The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-07
bowling his acknowledgment for the


/ don't remember whether LAfricaine was
finished that night or not, but / do know that
if the company sang it through the perform
ance received much less attention than did the
little red-faced man in the stage box.
SAM ROBBINS AND SHERIDAN.
Just before Gen Sheridan came to our COM
mand, relieving Hancock, Gen. Custer, as CON-
manding officer of the 7th Cav, promulgated
an order calling attention to the Army Regula-
tiOns, aud that Article Of War that forbds pro-
family in the service.
Now, every old soldier knows that the Article
OF War referred to is imperative and so did we
of the Seventh Light Horse as we called
ourselves in those days.
This gabble has little to do with Sheridan,
but III get back to him. As | wrote above,
Custer forbade profanity in the regiment, and
that moved our original poet-laureate of the
regiment TO write
Things in this yere regiment is daily growing
Wus.
And the meanest of the matter is, Custer won't
let us Cuss.
There was some strong cussing in those
days, and my respect for so gallant soldier as
Custer was forbds me to voice out something
of the feeling / have still in my heart Well,
am telling of the order cutting off cussing' in
my old regiment Itisa solemn fact that several
officers in the regiment didn't like that order.
] know Benteen didn't, and big Sam Robbins
WlOsG SUGl ! pray tTOu may ISSO IN peace
tackled Sheridan about the matter
That was gallant pair, Gen. Sheridan and
Capt. Robbins. Sheridan was short and round,
while Sam Robbins stood six feet seven in his
stockings, and was as slender, withal, as
young hickory sapling.
Sam led the talk up to the subject, and then
told him of the new rule we had in the regi-
ment. Sheridan unused minute and then
said: Sam, that's aCcoTdingtO the Regulations
nd Articles nf War and it's all ri but
there's a Id sight of satisfaction III blast of
profanity sometimes"
SHERIDAN AND HIS STAFF
When Gen. Sheridan first came here in 1884
as GeueTal-in-C Chief of the Army he brought
with him his brother Mike" (then a Captain
il the 7th Cav.) and Coils. William J. Volkmar,
Of the 9Th Cav and James + Gregory, of the
Engineer Corps. Col. Sheridan was soon after
promoted from the line to Major and Assistant
Adjutant- General, and, much to Gen. Sheridan's
disgust, Col. Folkmar succeeded in obtaining
an appointment to the rank of Major and AS
sist&nt AGjutant-G General. The writer cannot
make affidavit TO the fact, but he has been told
that the atmosphere was ulphur0us when
Sheridan learned that NOlkmar had been pro-
NOTED before Capt. Davis to the Adjutaut-G Cen
erals Corps. Anyone who ever saw Sheridan
IL bad temper can imagine the scene.
SHERIDAN AS cosrdIssARY AND QUARTER
MASTER.
When Sheridan was a young Lieutenant
they kept him on Commissary and Quarter
master duty most Of the time, and as he was
still Lieutenant when the days of the rebel
lion came on, he was put on Quartermaster
duty out IN Missouri. even after he was pro-
NOTED to be Captain in the 18th U. S. Inf.
From what I've been told by officers and
men / fancy that Sheridan was not a grand
/ success rs Quartermaster, and I've heard a
I story that at the time Of the rumpus at Wilson's
Creek, Sheridan abandoned his trains, drew sa-
/ Der aud " went in After the battle, the COM
manding General asked about his supply trains,
and on learning Of the state of affairs, said
Sheridan, you may be good soldier, but III
4 be - if you're worth room in the internal
regions as a Quartermaster."
One trait OF Sheridan was his devoted friend
ship to the men who had faithfully served him,
and he proved that we'll when he brought here
70 Washington the then enlisted clerks and mes
I sengers he bad had before at Chicago. Morton,
+ Kelly and Husselbacker, and two others whose
! names | cannot recall how, came here with
! Sheridan when he succeeded Gen Sherman in
command Of the Army.
Norton who is one Of the clerks at Army
/ Headquarters, is a rather young man, who put
1 in most Of his service during the years follow
ing the rebellion. Sheridan ran across him
/ when he was q boy Corporal in the % Cav.
Montana to Chicago, and thence, when he WAS
called 10 command OF the Army, here to Wash
I iugton. 1t was bi0TtOn who sat each alternate
night al the bedside Of his beloved Chief, anC
watched with tender solicitude each laboreC
respiration. Morton said to me the other day
4" Major, I'm - if / believe man eve
I served with Gen Sheridan that doesn't low,
him . ! think Morton is right, for | fell il
love with Sheridan myself by bis war history
and the affection was cemented when he came
10 where ] was stationed with my troop a
Laageuworlh.
sHERIDAN's YOUTH
Gen Iacfeely, who was two years the senio
Of Sheridan at West Point IN their old cade
DAYS tells me that Sheridan was very slight il
build and weighed but little over hundred
pounds An old non commissioned officer o
the company Sheridan joined in the 4th Inf.
in 1864 Serg't Kelly, who is now a messenPe
at the Headquarters Of the Army, tells me tha
when his Chief joined the company he weighed
only III pounds, and that not long ago thr
General told him that when the rebellion
ended he weighed exactly the same. serg
Kelly tells me that in those days-away bacl
more than % years ag0-the men who seryef
under Sheridan stood as faithfully by him a
his troopers did later in the days when b.
rounded up and headed Lee oi from escape il
1863, when peace came to rest and bless US.
SHERIDAN AT WEST PoISr.
il took Sheridan FIVE years iustead Of four
get through at West Point, and Gen. 3Lacfeely
the C0mmi5sary Gene.aI OF the Army, told N
one day last week how it came that Sheridal
last that year For several generations O
prospective soldiers at West Point it has beel
the accepted custom that when two youngsrer
/ fell out and qaarfeled, they showed the bel
ligcrents down the bank at old Fort - Put I
fight IL ont with bare kuuckes Zach ma
selected q second aua umpires aud referee
were chosen just as they are in he prize-rinl
and the lads fought until one got enough an
, h0ilered.'
Sheridan one day quarreled with ioue
lcaaed and much heayiercomrade, bBt prompt
= GATED BIN down the bill 10 Fort Putnam an
there thIashed Jhe bigger man 50 badly that b
! was obliged 60 undergo court-martial, tha
. sentenced him TO be turned Dack to the mex
, succeeding class. The man he thrashed wa
. SO ruch hurt that the officers were forced
: take notice Of the matter. The other man WI
! that gallant soldier Terrell who did such o.
, cellen, work at Pcrryville with his brigad
! aud was killed just the battle was througI
i sHERIDAN's CHILDREN.
t When the doctors had Jeff Gen. Sheridan
room after consultation last Friday, the childre
/ were admitted. They came in one by one, fir