The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-04-10
PHIL. sHERIDAN's APOLOGY.
The Amende Honorable to the Cal
thin of T4is Esoor+

The Amende Honorable to the Cap
tain of His Escort.
On this particular morning of which
I write, for some good reason, the hour
APPOINTED TO move was earlier than US
quarter tents struck, and the general
and staff mounted ready to move out
but no escort. A moment or two later.
and amid the blare of bugles and roll
of drums the troops started and the
road was filed with the marching
army. Still no escort.
Turning impatienJly to his chief of
staff. Colonel J. w. Forsythe, the gen
eral said:
Where is the escort? What does
this mean? Was the commanding Of
ficer notified?'
Certainly" was the reply.
Send an aide AID find out the
! trouble
An officer dashed off to where the es-
cort was encamped on a little stream
few hundred yards away, and return
ed saying that the escort were Saddling
in haste, and would be there in a few
moments Shortly after the squadron
dashed wat a gallop, and, fronting in
to line almost on a run, Captain Olaf
lin salUted, and, turning 10 the chief
/ he was interrupted by General Sheri
/ dan, who said:
/ Captain Clatlin, when I issue an or
/ der to move at 4 O'Clock it means six
1 ty minutes past 3, not nearly twenty
minutes past 4. This must not occur
again. SIR
But. General"
NO excuse, sir. We have lost time
enough already. Move out" And the
general urged his horse into a trot to
overtake the corps with which head
| quarters was 10 march during the day.
| \ few moments after one of the act
ing aides turned TO the officer he was
riding behind and said: Great Scott!
All this delay was really my fault"
What do you mean?"
The chief of staff ordered me to in
form Clafiin of the hour of march and
| 1 neglected to do it
The mischief you did"
What shall ] do?" He knew we'll
enough. and in a moment more he had
pushed TO the head of the staff and re-
ported his dereliction of duty to the
commanding general himself.
On his return the question was asked
well, what did the general say?'
That's the worst of it, was the re-
ply. mot a single word"
"Nothing?'
Absolutely nothing" Then after a
pause. Il wonder if he will send me
back to my regiment"
r Il don't think So, was the response
Nothing more was said during the
day TO my knowledge, but | after
) wards learned that the officer spoke tC
{ the chief of staff regarding his failure tx
deliver the order and apologize to Cap
tain Clafiin for the position he had un
fortunately placed him in.
: The next morning after the genera
I'd Il II
rode out towards the front of the es
: corting squadron as it stood in line anc
5 awaited orders, and facing Captain
Claflin, he leaned slightly forward anC
/ said:
Captain Clafin, yesterday morning
l reproved you sharply in the presence
of your command and my staff 70
what [ thought was a neglect of duty
! I have since aScertained you were no
D at all at fault in the matter, but tina
the fault was on the part of one of M.
, staff. who neglected to deliver an or
der to you, and" raising his cap an,
e bowling courteously. L beg your pardon
b SIR
+ General" began the captain. Il al
S ready knew but the general ha
r replaced his cap, and touching it i
n answer TO the captains salute. turne
o quickly away and gave the order
s Move OUT
# I do not think the officer in fault eve
forgot the occasion and l know tina
Captain Ciafiin never did, for we talk
ed the matter over in his camp in noI
: thern Texas the year before he dieC
!, Turning TO me at the close of our cor
versation. he said: 'Only think of il
u the commanding general of the arm
e publicly apclogizing to the captain con
u manding his escort for having mistal
emily reprimanded him the day befor
= could have died for him thai day