The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-05
SHERIDAN'S RIDE.
PARTS OF IT DESCRIBED BY ONE OF
THE GENERALS AIDS.
Signs of Disaster and Retreat Greeted the
Piucly Rescuer at Every Step rs He
Neared the Front - Mounted on His

Plucky Rescuer at Every Step He
Neared the Front Mounted His
Black Horse, Little Phil Inspired All.
We came suddenly upon indubitable
evidence Of battle and retreat. About "a
mile in advance the road was filled and
the fields dotted with wagons and men
belonging 10 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 hy theic cooks, and now and then
group Of soldiers, evidently detailed |
enlisted men attached to the head |
quarters trains. In fact, this was the |
first duftwood of Il food just beyond |
and soon to como sweeping down the
! road Passing this accumulation OF
debris with rush by leaving the pike
and gallopjng over the open fields on
the side of the road, we pushed rapidly
on, but not so quickly but that we
caught an ochoing cheer from the en-
listed men and servants, who recognized
the general and shouted and swung
their hats i'll 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 and team
sters 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, 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 Tor
l ward. 1t was enough. One glance ut the
0 eager face and familiar black horse and
they knew him. and, starting to thell
; feet, they swung their caps around thell
Q heads and broke into cheers as he passeo
70 beyond them, and then, gathering VI
their belongings and shouldering thel'
arms. they started after him for the
o front shouting 10 their comrades farther
i out in the fields, Sheridan! Sheridan!'
waving their hats and pointing afte
IL him as he dashed onward, and they
too, comprehended instantly, for the.
~ took mn the cheer and turned back 10
the battlefield.
Is To the best of my recollection, from
20 the time we met the first stragglers VIII
y had drifted back from the army, his az
pearance and his CHEEKY shout OF ''Tur
back. men; turn backl Face the othe
wayr' as he waved his hat toward I'd
Us front, had but one result-a wild chez
40 of recognition, an answering wave
g. the can. In no case as | glanced bac
OF did | fail TO see the men shoulder the
I'll arms and follow us. / think it is no e.
10 aeceration to say that as he dashed
ed to the field of battle for miles back IL
no turnpike was lined with men pressin
no forward after him TO the front.
ne After the whole line was thorough
TX formed ] rode over to my cher an
us urged him to ride down 1T, that all u
nj men might see him and know witho'
Ite doubt that he had returned and a
as sumed command. At first he demurrer
but was most urgent, as knew TN
'ed in some instances both men and of1ce
a nv who had not seen him doubted his
ing rival. His appearance was greeted
3 tremendous cheers from one end or u
Tn line to the other, many of the Office
pressing forward to shake his hand. 1
spoke to them all cheerily and coniiden
,c y. ", saying: ave are going back TO o
by camps, men, never fear. I'll get twl
asst on these people yet. Well raise the
you out of their boots before the day
YER over.
At no time did hear him utter tn
Re- "terrible oath" so often alluded TO
both prose and poetry i'll connecu
with this days work. "Sheridai
Ride" by General George A. Forsy'
ON u. S. A., in Harper's Magazine.