The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-05-31
,rn cavalier was killed and his forces defeated ut

efn cavalier was Killed and his forces defeated ut
Yellow Tavern; which was followed up BY another
victory shortly after These were cavalry battles
and after them Sheridan ranged up the James and
down the Chickahominy and only solid lines of
infantry, or rows Of intrenchments checked the
career of his troopers. With the originality OF
genius he had found a use for cavalry In modern
warfare not laid down In the books. With what
vigor and efficiency he used his system later on at
Five Forks, and Fannville and Sailors Creek and
Appomattox, where his troopers were continually
thrown upon the path Of Lee, while the slower
arms closed mp behind till all was crushed as in
contracting coll-has been the theme of every
tongue.
His campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley gave
him an opportunity to show that he was more
than cavalry leader, or corps commander
The resources, the patience, the skill with which
he fought the battles Of Winchester and vicinity
and sent Early ''whirlinx up the valley" showed
that a great general had now appeared upon the
scene Of St0newall Jackson's farm. This had
had been the valley Of humiliation to the national
arms It now became the field Of their glory
The Union as well us the Confederacy WAS to have
a part Of the valley and certainly both will be
honored as great soldiers so long as war is the
theme Of history The destruction of the crops of
the valley which had been used as charge Of un-
due severity on Sheriian's part Is now known to
have been done In the kindiiest manner possible
under the express orders Of his SuperiOrs-and
this fact has reversed the criticisms of his oppo-
ents. That nothing might be wanting to complete
his fame-the surprise of his army-while he was
called away to consult with the authorities at
washington, his hearing the roar of the battle
ut winchester, his rapid ride, his dramatic ap-
pearance on the field sthe reversal OF the disaster
Of the morning in the victory OF the afternoon EN-
phasized his individual glory.
year ago this month he was dying The iron
frame that never tired, the energies that never
tagged, gave way. The undaunted heart which
never failed his indoMitable will, was attacked
He was struck In the citadel of life He still
fought diseases as he had fought his battles-but
though not old his time had come. Before the
summer flowers faded he surrendered to the all
conQuering foe. Surrounded by his children and
his young and lovely wife; attended by his brother
and the officers of his sta # he babe farewell to the
scene OF all his greatness and, consoled by the
offices of the religion which his fathers had pro-
fessed under centuries OF persecution passed
quietly over to the camps and forts Of thousands
Of the comrades that he had known and loved.
Those who only know him us the fiery hearted
soldier-as the living incarnation of battle, can
scarcely conceive how kind and generous and soft
Il heart he had He had the modest manners of
youth. word of praise would bring the blush
OF embarrassment to his cheek. He had the
;lffectiOnate ways and low soft voice OF Il woman;
the most so Of amy man that ever knew. He
was jolly comrade-full OF good stories In which
the joke was always against himself, and he was
u dear and constant friend, who liked to serve
those that he liked. He was borne from his
modest cottage by the sea-Where he had hoped
to spend many summers with his family and
friends Through admiring cities and crowds Of
his mourning c0untrymen he was taken to the
soldiers graveyard on the nights of Arlington
There the ancestral home Of the Lees and the de-
scendants OF Washington overl0oks the Potomac
Across the shining descent of the waters rises the
monument to Neutrality-suspicious. and behind the
great. departments the white house, the spires and
the roofs of the city rises the beautiful dome Of
great white capitol. On this Virginia plateau
under the great oaks, the acres OF emerald sward
is marked with interminable rows Of soldiers
graves. Line after line makes a column greater
Than ever was ranked In such map OH any field
and there at their head, or at their feet-for
these are to the 'front.' the brow OF the hill lies
the remains OF Sheridan. His widow, as BECAME
soldiers daughter and {; soldiers wife, choose
tion-gaye him u simple soldiers funeral accord
ing to the rules and the articles Of war. The
cavalry, the infantry the artillery stood around
in hollow square. The vOlleys OF farewell
crashed through the startled boughs and over the
quiet dead The solitary cavalry buger stood
over the new made mound-and the sweet and
restful notes, to which tired comrades have so
often listened with delight rang out the soldiers
rfta huyA n I %hop
notes. when far the eye could reach the hori-
when from regiment and battalion and brigade
the welcome call to rest, repeated and re-echoed
and grew fainter and fainter in the illuminible
distance till it faintly died upon the darkness
and the notes of that bugle ut Arlington reached
out over all these distant frontiers, across the
mountains and down the Columbia to the sea alld
from every true soldiers heart went back tile
echo, ''great chief, kind friend, dear con,rade-
Good night.''
Not only to the soldiers Of the war for the Union
should this day be dedicated. There are those
who fell in defense of the settlers of these noun
tains and plains SO Tonga the graves OF the
Custer and Keogh and those gallant troopers lie
upon the hill Of sacrifice; 50 long as that lonely
monument upon the big hole marks the resting
place OF Gibbons heroes; so long as the valley of
the Milk river remains the OF the victims of
Miles and his soldiers, shall Montana be halowed
ground. Nor even to these alone is 1t consecrated.
Hundreds OF lonely pr0spectors, miners and set
tiers on the Marias, the Missouri, the Sun river
and the Yellowstone have fallen beneath the saw
age enemies Of civilization. To these our thanks
and gratitude are doubly due. They may not have
worn the uniform and did not receive the pay of
Uncle Sam, but they did his service. They died
that the territory of Montana might grow and
flourish: and now that the territory of Montana
lifts its hand and, utters the cry, "Et mortur te
alutanus"-we pledge ourselves that the state of
Montana will ever remember to keep their men,
mortal day.
After the Grafton the vast assemblage
joined with the quartette in singing
America"
A large cross upon which was inscribed
the words"Kequiescant in Pace" was then
decorated with wreaths and flowers by
Post Commandant Chas. Taylor and 9TH
ers. While the decoration in memory Of
the departed braves was progressing, the
band played "Nearer My God to Thee"
as arranged by Prof. Pleiss. The Stutz
band also played a charming selection.
The whole assembly joined in singing
the "DoXology.'
The closing prayer was offered by the
Rev. Mr.. Riggin. The procession reform
ed in its order, the band playing "NIarch-
ing Through Georgia" and returning pa
raded the streets of the city, finally dis