The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-03
GEMS. SHERIDAN AND BURNSIDE.
And the Part They Took in the
Franco-Prussian War

francO-Prussian War.
The following story. told by General
Burnside TO Colonel C. Frank Luther is
told in the Hoosac Valley News, of North
ADAMS: 1t VIII be remembered that Sher-
lqan accompanied the Pr1lssian sta IF
through the war of Germany ageinct
France in 1901. and was a guest at the
headquarters Of King William during tha +
great struggle on the other hand, Burn
SIDE was in Paris during the siege and
saw the contest from behind the walls
IL became desirable for the provisional
government of France to communicate
with the German leaders, but the question
10 De determined was a delicate one and
not only non-combatant but a non
1artlS2n, was to conduct the negotiations.
clently distinguished to command the re-
spect and confidence of the king and his
councillors. In his extremity Theirs con-
suited the United States minister Mr.
Nashburn: who recommended that Gener-
al burnside be given the mission. Inas-
much as Mashburn had charge of the
German interests in Paris during the
terms with the Prussians, his suggestion
was gladly listened to.
:, General Burnside entered the German
lines under flag of truce, and was cor
daily received at their headquarters at
Versailles, but, of course. as he was Off
clally a messenger from France, he was.
according to the rules of war kept under.
close surveillance by the Germans Dur
ing his stay in Versailles he was enter
tanned at a banquet given in his honor by
and his aid, Colonel Forsyth, were pres
ent. Sheridan sat next to burnside and
said TO him: Bunny, get permission to
spend the night at my quarters, 1 have
something ! want to see you about par
tlcuiarly- AT the proper time General
burnside preferred the request that he
might be assigned to the quarters of his
wish 20 entertain him, and the favor
was promptly granted. So when the party
broke up Burnside went away under Sher-
ldan' s escort TO the latter's quarters.
When they got there they smiled as
old campaigners will, from the same can
teen, and sat down to talk over old times
Suddenly Sheridan jumped up. went out,
made complete circuit of his tent to
see that there were no eavesdropperS,
and re-entered. Then he sat down close
to Burnside, and looking him earnestly
do you think of the way the Germans
have invested Parish" Burnside replied,
Judging as well as l could from what
! saw while under escort, l thought their
lines were rather loosely held Sheridan
slapped Burnside on the knee, and said
with all the emphasis at his command:
Just what l thought. If / could be in
Paris tonight, if l could only be in Paris
tonight with two of my old divisions Of
cavalry from the army of the Potomac,
by =, I'd make old King William turn
handsprings before morning"
Sheridan said that neither the French
nor the German soldiers seemed to I'M
derstand the art of constructing hurried
individual defenses such as both northern
and southern soldiers would hastily build
during. the war. He spoke especially of
the heights of Gravelotte, which the Ger
mans carried in the face of q superior
number of Frenchmen, and said that in
the hands of either Union or Confederate
troops, that wooded hillside would have
been impregnable. Sheridan had the
highest regard for the fighting abilities
of native born Americans saying that
they combined dash with staying quail
tiles to an extent unknown in other ar
mics. He accredited this to their mixed
ancestry. Next to native Americans he
held the Irish and Scotch in esteem, but
said that they were less amenable to dis
cipline than the Americans. Sheridan
any man to judge of the peculiarities of
race. and his dictum ought to be suffi-
Client, at least to the sons of Uncle Sam
and Columbia