The Indianapolis journal., 1888-08-07
SHERIDAN'S TEMPTATION.
Turning His Back on Richmond When tn
Rebel Capital Was ut His Mercy.

Turning His Back Richmond When the
Rebel Capital Was at His Mercy.
WASHINGTON, Aug. Ex-senator Plumb, in
speaking of Sheridan, said: 81 always think Of
Sheridan In connection with a conversation
had with him. General said, you were in
the West before you came East What was your
opinion Of the Army of the Potomacf You re-
member it was criticised about that time as not
doing is share of the work. oh, the Army Of
the Potomac was all right said Sheridan; the
trouble was the commanders never went out to
lick anybody, but always thought first of keep
ing from getting licked Sheridan" continued
the Senator. ''came East when the cavalry of
the Army or the Potomac was not in good con-
dition, and Grant gave him the task of reorgan-
iziug 1t and raising its efficiency. He had
worked awav some time when General Meade
sent him over the Rappahannock on recon-
On making his verbal report. alluded
20 q brush he had had with Stusrt's
savaIry. Never mind Stuart said Meade, in
,errupting, He will do about as he pleases. any
Lees forces That made Sheridan mad. and he
retorted, Damn Stuart. can thrash hell ont Of
HIM any day These were times, you know,
when mems utterances, like their deeds. were
not fashioned upon the measures of the days of
peace Meade repeated the remark TO Grant.
who asked. Why did you not tell him to do itp
Not loag after. Sheridan got an order 10 cross
the river, engage Stuart and clean him out Il
know / could whip him. said Sheridan, If
could only get him where he could not fall back
Lees infantry. So / thought the matter
over, snd to draw him on started for Richmond.
We moved fast. and Stuart dogeed US
right at our heels. We kept on a
second days trail for Richmond. and the
next morning found Stuart in front OF US, just
where wanted him. He had marched all
night. and got around Then / rode him
down. / smashed his command and broke up
his divisions, and regiments. and brigades, and
the poor fellow himself was killed there. Right
there, Senator. / resisted the greatest tempta-
ton Of my life. There lay Richmond before u.s.
and there was nothing to keep Us from going IN.
1t would have cost five or six hundred lives, aud
l could not have held the place, of course But
] knew the moment it was learned in the North
that Union army was in Richmond then every
bell would ring, and 1 should have been the hero
OF the hour. / could have gone in ard
burned and killed right and left. But
! had learned this thing-that our men knew
what they were about have seen them come
out of fight in which only handful were
killed, diseontented, mad clear through, be-
cause they knew opportunity had been lost
or a sacrifice. small as it was, had been need
lessly made; and had seen them come out
good natured, enthusiastic, and spelling for
more when they had left the ground SO thickly
covered with dead that you could have crossed
portions of the field on the bodies alone. They
realized that notwithstanding the terrible sacri-
fee. the object gained had been worth it They
would have followed me, but they would have
known well as that the sacrifice was for no
permanent advantage That said Senator
Plumb, ''exhioits the man and the commander.
He aimed to keep the confidence of his men. and
did It He fought for results and not for glory. "