Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-08-30
sHeRlDAN's RIDE.
JOSEPH BATTELL,
Middlebury, VT.
From the Rider ana Driver.l

lous suggestions as to the horse The
Home Journal publishes a long editorial
so palpably absurd that we do not care
to dignity it by any extended notice.
The following extract will serve to give
an inkling of the character Of our es-
teemed contemporary misconcelved
ideas of common sense, probability and
historical fact, which we publish as
curiosity,
" "It Is our opinion, however, that the
poet who could create the legend OF
sSheridan's Ride out of the slender ma
terials that were at his command Is equal
to flights of fancy i'm the treatment OF
the seemingly unromantic wheel that
would produce results surprising to the
Rider and Driver. Evidently our es-
teemed contemporary is unaware that
General Sheridan never took that famous
ride. Instead Of riding with eagle
flight from Winchester twenty miles
away, he rode only two miles at mod
crate pace, which even stupid ana
cumbersome steed could have equaled.
The recent biography of Sheridan by
General Davies gives this version of the
affair on Sheridan's own authority
lie dulilcullCltN VI 'hCii''h h'"i'"
ride is so well established as to need no
further substantiation. As contribu-
ton to the mass of testimonials on the
subject. however, and as an item of no
little local interest, we are happy to
have the privilege of adding the testi-
mony of Col. Lawrence Kip, who, al
though only in the prime of life, served
four years on Sheridan's staff, was
slightly wounded and nearly captured
by the Confederate forces on the event
full morning in question, and not only
witnessed the great ride, but was par
ticipant in it with General Sheridan. We
may best describe what Colonel Kip has
to say by quoting him: "General
Sheridan had gone to Washington. leav-
ing his army under command OF Gen.
Horato Governor Wright. The army
was encamped on Cedar creek, IN the
Shenandoah valley. On the morning
Of October 10, 1864, we were surprised
before day-break and defeated by the
Contederates under Gen. Jubal y. Early.
General Sheridan had returned from
Washington and spent the night at
Winchester, about fifteen or twenty
miles from the field. lie was aroused
by the sound of battle and hastily rising
mounted his horse, big black charger
presented to him when he was quarter
master of the army in southwestern
Missouri. and rode as fast as possible
a. 10 CT in
deed, as to outstrip his orderlies, leav-
ing them far in the rear, and meeting
stragglers from the army, who told him
of the disaster that had occurred, he
flight of speed, even beyond the limits
of human mercy. The idea that a gen
eral who has received word that his
army corps had been whipped would
ride to the rescue at moderate pace is
laughable. As General Sheridan was
announced approaching | and other
members of his staff rode out to meet
him. We acquainted him with the ter
ribe details of our discontinue and the
position of the troops as we rode along
On the way he cried to retreaung sol
diers "Face the other way, boys, We
are going back! and other cheering eX-
pressions which had thrilling effect.
With cheers the men pulled themselves
together and followed their leader, who
quickly issued his orders, massed his
infantry and artillery in the center, with
the cavalry on each flank, and, when
the line of formation had been completed,
moved rapidly to the attack of the pre-
viously victorious Confederates. We
soon had Early's corps in retreat, and
when that became apparent the cavalry,
under Custer and Merritt, rode forward,
with the result that Early's army was
scattered for the remainder of the war.
That night we encamped on the spot
from which we had been driven IN the
early morning. 1t was 'Sheridan's ride
which saved the day. | don't care who
writes biographies of General Sheridan
cavalry officer, and a son of Prof.
Charles Davies of Columbia college, the
author of a series of mathematical
works. If General Sheridan ever gave
him the neutrality-suspicious.
version of the ride it was something
never heard from General Sheridan
during my long intimacy with him, nor
from any other source. If General
Sheridan gave General Davies any data
for his biography General Davies GER
tainly misunderstood what was told him
with regard to the ride from Winchester
For that famous ride General Sheridan
received the thanks of congress and the
officials at Washington, and was almost
Immediately appointed major general in
the regular army, the victory of Cedar
creek taking place on October 10 and
his promotion on November s. Hap
pening to meet Major II. c. Cushing, 6