Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-08-14
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.
PARTS or IT DESCRIBED BY ONE OF
THE GENERALS AIDS.


Signs of Disaster and Retreat Greeted the
Plucky Rcscuer At Every Step - He
Neared the Front Mounted ON His
Black Horse, Little Phil Inspired All.
We came suddenly upon indubitable
evidence of battle and retreat. About
mile in advance the road was filed and
the fields dotted with wagons and men
belonging to the various brigade, divi-
sion and corps headquarters, and in
among them officers servants with led
horses, and here and there broken am
>bulance. suffers supply trains, bat
terry forge or two, horses and mules
hastily packed with officers mess kits,
led by their cooks, and now and then a
group of soldiers, evidently detailed
enlisted men attached to the head
quarters trains. In fact, this was tie
first driftwood of a food just beyond
and soon to come sweeping down the
road. Passing this accumulation Of
debris with rush by leaving the pike
and galloping over the open fields en-
Oh, but not so quickly but that we
caught an echoing cheer from the en-
listed men and servants, who recognized
the general and shouted and swung
their hats in glee.
Within the next few miles the pike
and adjacent fields began to be lined
and dotted everywhere with army wag
ons, suffers outfits, headquarters sup
ply trains, disabled caissons aud team
sters with led mules, all drifting to the
rear, and now and then q wounded
officer or enlisted man on horseback or
plodding along on foot, with groups of
struggling soldiers here and there among
the wagon trains, or in 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 campfires.
Soon we began to see small bodies of
soldiers in the fields with stacked arms,
evidently cooking breakfast. As we de-
bouched into the fields and passed
around the wagons and through these
groups the general would wave his hat
to the men and point to the front, never
lessening his speed as he pressed for
ward. 1t was enough. One glance at tie
eager face and familiar black horse 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 and shoulderiug their
arms, they started after him for the
front, shouting to their comrades farther
out in the fields, Sheridan! Sheridan!"
waving their hats and pointing after
him as he dashed onward, and they,
too, comprehended instantly, for they
took up the cheer and turned back for
the battlefield.
To the best of my recollection, from
the time we met the first stragglers who
had drifted back from the army, his ap-
pearance and his CHEEKY shout Of 'Turn
back, men; turn back! Face the other
way" as he waved his hat toward the
front, had but one result-a wild cheer
of recognition, an answering wave Of
the cap. In no case as l glanced back
did fail to see the men shoulder their
arms and follow US. ! think it is no ex-
aggeration to say that as he dashed on
to the field of battle for miles back the
turnpike was lined with men pressing
forward after him to the front =
After the whole line was thoroughly
formed rode over to my chief and
urged him to ride down it, that all the
men might see him and know without
doubt that he had returned and as
sumed command. At first he demurred,
but was most urgent. as knew that
in some instances both men and officers
who had not 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 cheerily and confident
ly, saying: "We are going back to our
camps, men, never fear. I'll get q twist
on these people yet. Wen raise them
ont Of their boots before the day is
over"
At no time did I hear him utter that
terrible oath" SO often alluded to in
both prose and poetry in connection
with this days work. Sheridan q
Ride" by General George A. Forsyth,
D. s. A., in Harper's Magazine.