The times., 1897-06-27
THE TRUE STORY OF
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.

We came suddenly upon indubitable
evidence of battle and retreat. About q
iisile in advance the road was filled and
the fields dotted with wagons and men
onging To- the various brigade, division,
and corps headquarters, and In among
them officers servants with led horses,
and here Nssd there q broken ambulance,
suffers supply-trains, a battery forge or
two. horses and mules hastily packed with
officers mess kits, led by their cooks, and
now and then group OF soldiers, evil
IDENTIFY detailed enlisted men attached to
the headquarters trains. In fact. this was
the first drift-wood OF flood just beyond
I'D soon to come sweepin down the road.
Passing this accumulation of debris with
rush by leaving the pike and gailoping
over the open fields on the side of the
road, we pushed rapidly on, bat not so
quickly but that we caught an echoing
cheer from the enlisted 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 every where with army wagons,
suffers outfits, headquarters supply trains,
disabled caissons and tea msters with led
mules, all drifting to the rear. and now
and then wounded officer or enlisted
man on horseback or plodding along on
foot, with groups OF struggling soldiers
here and there among the wagon trains,
OF 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 debouched 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 forward. 1t was enough; one
glance at the 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 shouldenng their
arms they started after him for the front,
shouting to then comrades further out in
the fields .'Sheridani SheridanI" waving
their hats, ard pointing after him as he
dashed onward: and they, too, compre-
hended 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 raggiers who had
drifted back from the army, his appear
ance and his CHEEKY shout of Turn back,
men, turn back, Face the other wayi'
as he waved his hat toward the front,
had but one result-a wild cheer of recog-
milton, an answering wave of the cap.
In no case, as 1 glanced back, did fail
to see the men shoulder their arms and
follow us. / think 1t is no eraggera-
tion to say that as he dashed on to the
field of hattie, for miles back the turn
pike was lined with men pressing forward
after hin: to the front
After the whole line was Thoroughly
formed, I rode over to my chief and asked
him TO ride down il, that all the men might
see him, and know without doubt that he
had returned and assumed command At
first he demurred, but l was most urgent,
as | knew that in some instances both
men and officers who had not seen him
doubted his arrival. His appearance was
greeted by tremendous cheers from enc end
or The line to the other, many OF the off
GERS pressing forward TO SHAKE his hand.
He spoke to them all, cheerily and conf
IDENTIFY, saying: I'VE are going back to
our camps, men, never fear. III get a
twist on these people yet Wen raise
them out of their boots before the Gay is
over"
At no time did hear him utter that. ter
rible oath, so often allpded 10 in both
prose and poetry in connection with this
days work.-Gen. George A Forsyth, u.
s A, in Harper's Magazine for July.