Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-07-29
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.
PARTS OF IT DESCRIBED BY ONE OF
 THE GENERALS ADS

Neared t;se Front = Mounted on His
 Black Harse, Little rhii Inspired All.
 We came suddenly upon iDdubitable evidence of battle and retreat About mile in advance the road was filled aud the fields dotted with wagons and men belonging to tine various brigade, digi- sion and corps headquarters, and in among them olieets' servants with led horses. and here and Lhele a broken am hulance, sutleTs' supply trains n bat tery forge or two, horses and mules hastily packed with officers mess kits, lfd by their cooks, aud now and then a group of soldiers evidently detailed enlisted men attached to the head quarters trains. h fact, this was the first driftWdod of flood just beyond and soon to come sweeping down the road Passing this accumulation Of debris with rush by leaving the pike and ealleBing oyer the open fields OH the side of the road, we pushed rapidly on, but not so quickly but that we caught an ech0ing cheer from the en- listed mon ant servants, who recognized the general and shouted aud swung their hats in glee.
 Witbia the next few miles the pike and adjacent fields began to be lined and dotted everywhere with army wag- ons, suIlers' outfits, Headquarters sup ply trains. disabled caissona and team sters with led mules, all drifting to tho rear, and now and then q wounded officer or enlisted man en horseback or ploddiHg along on foot, with groups of struggling soldiers here aud there among the wagon trains, e ill the fields, or sometimes sitting or lying down to rest by the side of the road, while others were making coffee in their tin cups by tiny canpfres
 Soou we began 10 sec small bodies of soldiers in tie feIGa with stacked arms, evidently cooking breakfast. As we de bouehed into the fields and passed around the wagons and through these groups the general would wave his hat to tie men and point to the front, never 1esgeniug his speed as he pressed for ward. It was enough. One glance at the eager face and familiar black herso and they knew him, and, starting to their feet, they swung their caps around their heads and broke into cheers as he passed beyond them, and then, gathering up their belongings aud shoaldering their arms, they started after him for the front, shouting to their comrades farther out in the aalas. Sheridan! sheridanp' waving their hats and pointing after him as he dashed onward, and they. too, comprohended instantly, for they took up tl4e cheer and turned back for the battlefield
 To the hest of ny recollection, from the tiae Wo met inc first stragglers who had drift9d back from the army, his ap- pearanee and his cheery shout of Turn hack, nen; turn buck Face the other wayiH as he waved his bat toward the front, had bHt one result-a wild cheer of recognition, an answering wave Of the cap In no case as glanced back did , fail 10 see the men shoulder tlieir | arms and follow US 1 think ii is no ex- aggeration to say shat as he dashed on to the field Of battle for miles back the turnpike Was lined with men pressing forward aftef him to the front. *
 After tke whole line was thoroughly formed ] rode over to my chief and urged him to ride down it, that all the men might SC him and know without deui5t thot he had returned and as sumed command At first he demurred, but 1 was most urgent, as I knew that in some instances 6oth men and officers who lad het seen him doubted his ar rival. His appearance was greeted by tremendous cheers from one end of the line to the other many of the officers pressing forward to shake his hand. He spoke to them all eheerily and confident ly saying: We are going back to our camps men. never fear. I'll get twist on tkesa people yet We'll raise them out of their boots before the day is over ?
 AtHo time did I hear him utter that F. terrible oath" so often alluded 10 in hoth prose and poetry in connection with this day work - Sheridan 8 Ride, /" ny General George A. Forsyth, D. s. A., in lLaEpeg's Magazine