The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-10-15
sheridau's Famous Ride.

George Phillips, Il New York police
man who does duty at the city hall
is one Of the last surviving eyewit.
| nesses of Sherdian's famous ride He
was chief wagOnmaster in Sheridan's
army in the valley campaign, and he
has given an account of the affair
1t is believed to be thoroughly accu-
rate, and it is certainly forcible and
dramatic. Mr.. Phillips says:
Gen. Phil had gone up to Washing
ton for something. l don't know what,
leaving Gen. Wright in command. The
boys had little confidence in Wright,
but they loved Merritt and Custer.
Early and his Rebs rushed our lines
at Cedar Greek, twenty miles south.
west Of Winchester. Sheridan in
Washington heard of it. He went out
by the railroad and crossed the Po-
tomac at Stevenson's landing. From
there he hurried on to Winchester,
where he met Wright. and from him
obtained the details Of the fight. He
left Wright in Winchester and mount
ed the famous black horse. The horse
was black, all right-at least he was
when he started.
Il had parked my wagon at one
side of the turnpike to give the horses
rest. We were on the run, no ques.
ton about that. We were scootinS
for Harper's Ferry and the Maryland
side Of the Potomac, and the Rebs
were popping at us at every jump.
With my wagons parked and the
horses feeding and resting by the turn
pike l was watching the boys run.
Some were limping and staggering
along. They had thrown away their
guns and blankets and expected to be
killed or captured any minute. l never
saw anything else like it, the way
the boys were hoOfing it to the Poto-
mac. The entire army was beaten
and demoralized. There was no order
and every man was trying to save
himself. 1t was cloudy. gloomy day.
and all of us felt pretty blue. Sud-
denly we heard terrible shouting and
y UP thC tulhpihC, w
way, and a minute later We saw Phil.
on his black horse, coming down the
road.
20, say! Lorly, lordy. Talk about
rides! The horse had been black, but
he was then covered with white foam.
Phil was not waving any sword. He
bad his old campaign hat in his hand
He was covered with mud, but he kept
waving his old hat and yelling. Come
back, boys! Come back! To the front.
boys. Follow me. His staff was
strung out for 300 yards behind him.
whipping and spurring, trying to keep
up.
"As Gen. Phil galloped by the wagon
train he waved his old hat at us and
yelled: Get back to the front! Wen
need rationsr Did we yell? Gee,
There never was anything else like
it. Why, say, old fellows who had
been limping along to the rear and
swearing at every step, some Of them
without guns. turned around, and, so
help me, they kept up with Phil's
black horse for half mile, running
back to the front
THAT was great ride, if the poet
did get mixed in his details. Sheridan
won the day by that ride. The best help
he had was from our cOmmissary
stores. The Rebs had captured the
stores and stopped to eat crackers and
drink whisky. We had lots of both.
and some of the Rebs had not had
even cracker for three days. When
they broke into our stores they de-
cided they had rather eat crackers and
drink whisky than shoot Yanks. SO
they gave Gen. Phil time to make his
twenty-mile ride and rally his men,
New York Sun.