Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-07
AS A SOLDIER.
How Maj. Mckinley Met Sheridan
> on Field Of Battle
At the End Of the Famous Ride in Valley al
the Shenandoah.

, oiii''9 puciialan Reid Oh Sheridan i
kide, AT The e1ld of which the ,rener.,,
slcadleu the lines that had been Irolsa,
resained the lost field, and won a declsiy. :.
Victory. 49, - M 'i' -
H. II ha 9pned that l was personally much
ni'ei ested IN keids poem for at the time
!. VAS written, my residence was next
Ioor 10 his on the south side OF East
hisnth street, Cincinnati and / heard All
n,1oiie tne poetry before it was read in
pubic by James t. Murdoch in Pike $
opera mouse, Cincinnati. and printed the
next gay III the Cincinnati Commercial.
~. held was called before the curtain
"lter ,he reading, which was "a thrilling
access and dramatic scene. and receives,
I "n oNatlon that rewarded HIM for has
evening work. His brother-in-law, Cyrus
Hart|tt' mad returned from his plow
un.tnuiactory to his home-Mr. and Mrs.
iNelu were ms guests-and he throwinss
town 'Harper's Weekly before REID,
i s 1slia IN ms very practical way. There,
about; The first page was filled with
sheridan on his black horse at fun speed
uoWh the Winchester turnpike riding to
ne sound OF the artillery, that was echo
ms from the slopes of the Blue Ridge.
ana laundering along the splendid valley
vi Virginia. Garrett and his Wife who
YES the poets sister; Reid and his Wife
slender and beautiful woman with gold
IN halr, and the celebrated actor and elo-
| cutionlst. Murdock, sat down to supper.
l,Sia was silent and pensive, and az
wheh ne wrote Drifting he could have
mad hardly tasted food. when he whis-
pered to his wife; please bring to our
room presently a pot Of tea" He was al
ready absorbed in writing when he 90
the tea, and his wife giided away In n
ioupie of hours he appeared in the parlor
"itn some dotted and scrubbed sheets
ana read the immortal lines. But he did
not read as well as he wrote and when
ne had concluded Murdoch snatched the
manuscript ana coined every word and
MADE the coin ring as he read: saying al
thc conclusion. the very thing for me to
cad tomorrow night at the Opera
iteuse and the roof of the house being
sfongly fastened with iron rods held
.ast while it was done. Major Mckinley
vas one of the soldiers who stood with
he coiors while Sheridan rode down
from Winchester His extraordinary in
1cliigence. ability and bravery made hi1n
weil-knoWn to Sheridan Wright Crook
and Hayes. and without favor he had
won promotion by gallantry on other
liei'is. 1t was not until he was governor
u Ohio that | heard of the fact that 1t
was to speak TO him that Sheridan drew
ZEN on his black Steed, when he reached
ne firm fragments of the line of battle
ms stan strung out on the white pike
tof a mile. and | wrote 10 the major re-
qM"stng him TO state the facts. He re-
piled, and | asked to be allowed to pub
sisit the letter. but he said no that he dir
noi care TO get into print about himself
10 an VINO were in the battle or have
studied the story of it, the letter follow
lg is a series of war pictures possessing
me highest interest and charm: and
Ncople without asking whether | NAV
believing them entitled to it:
State of Ohio
Executive Department.
Office of the Governor
Columbus. Feb. IL, 1895.
My Dear Mr.. Halstead:
pom my return from my eastern trip,
l ind yours of the 18th l remember
quite well the incident mentioned by you.
had I1at ,fly. IL,
%itlon Col. Duponts battery. by order of
zen. Crook. and. as | returned, | met
sheridan dashing up, and he asked me
where Crook was. | took Sheridan to
Crook. and they and the staff went back
Of the red barn. 1t was there determined
by Sheridan to make the charge. then ii
VAS suggested that Sheridan should ride
down the lines of the dsheartened troops.
his overcoat was pulled off him, ana
somebody took his epaulettes out of !;
ooN. The epaulettes were placed upon
This was done by Col. Forsythc and an
other officer. Then Sheridan rode down
the lines. lie was dressed i'll a new uni
form. Sheridan alludes to this incident in
ms memoirs. Very truly yours.
w. M'I<INLIII.
This letter is of unique value. for Ma
jor Mckinley has never celebrated him
self as a boy soldier. The placing of the
and Crook, the red barn. the new uni
ioim and the epaulettes, are in the simp-
lest language and yet WILDLY realistic;
ana the poem must go with it.
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.
fBy Thomas Buchanan Read)
Up from the South at break of day.
biingins to Winchester fresh dismay,
The affrightcd air with shudder bore.
Like a herald in haste. to the chieftain's ,
door
The terrible grumble and rumble and
Telling the battle was on once more,
And Sheridan twenty miles away.
AID wider still those pillows of war
Thundered along the horizons bar:
And louder yet into Winchester rolled
The roar of that red sea Uncontrolled
N lking the blood of the listener cold I
AZ he thought of the stake in that fiery
fray.
And Sheridan twenty miles away.
But there is road from Winchester i
town,
a good, broad highway leading down.
And there. through the flush of the morn /
ing light,
a steed as black as the steeds of night !
Was seen to pass. as with eagle Hight,
As il he knew the terrible need,
He stretched away with his utmost speed !
Hills rose and fell but his heart was gay +
With Sheridan fifteen miles away.
Still sprung from those swift hoofs. thun- !,
dering South, '
The dust. like smoke from the lannon's
mouth:
Or the trail of comet, sweeping faster i,
and faster
Forebodng to traitors the doom of dis
aSter.
The heart of the steed, and the heart of
the master
Were beating like prisoners assaulting
their walls.
Impatient to be where the battlefield
calls:
Every nerve of the charger was strained
to full play.
With Sheridan only ten miles away.
Under his spurning feet. the road.
Like arrowy Alpine river flowed.
And the landscape sped away behind
Like an ocean fiying before the wind,
And the steed, like bark fed with fur
mace ire
Swept on with his wild eye fun of fire.
But 10. he is nearing his hearts desire; |
He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring
fray,