The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-03
TWO ST. PAUL MEN SAW SHER|DAN'S RIDE
Capt Webster Smith Saw Fighting Phil Leave Winchester
Fighting Cedar Creek

that big army was on the run in
solid ranks and that the general rode
UP to them and waved them all back
and they turned and began to run the
other way. The way it really would
have looked if anybody had had time
to look was more like this:
There were the stragglers, who were
pushing as fast as they could on to
Winchester, and then there were those
of our men who had been forced back
and they were on the run, l guess But
across the valley for a distance Of
several miles there were groups fight
ing as best they could without any
pretense at order, and down in the
creek the Rebs battery had been ditch
ed. and they were fighting like-like
sixty around there, and everything was
pretty confused, as it always is in a
big fight.
Il always liked that last verse of
'Sheridan's Ride though. There's gin
ger in that:
" 'Hurrah, hurrah for Sheridan.
Hurrah, hurrah for horse and man.
And when their statues are placed on
high,
Under the dome of the Union sky
The American soldiers temple Of
There with the glorious generals name
Be it said in letters bold and bright:
Here is the Steed that saved the day
By carrying Sheridan into the fight
From Winchester, twenty miles away"
Men Who Saw Have War Records.
These two st. Paul citizens who saw,
one the start and the other the finish,
nf do 70
turesque war records.
When the war broke out Mr.. Lewark's
people were living in Winona, MINI.
He was nineteen years of age at the
time and had gone down the AIissis-
sippi to Memphis, Tenn, on fiat boat
The people of Memphis had notified all
the Yankees who were in the town to
leave within twenty-four hours and
Mr.. LeWark tossed up a coin to decide
whether he should go to st. Louis or
Cincinnati. Cincinnati won and Mr..
Lewark reached there with % cents in
his pocket He worked for a few
months in an ice cream parlor and then
enlisted. He was five feet two inches
high, but being in sound health was
accepted while a number of taller
men were turned away. Throughout
the war he was with the Army of West
Virginia. He was with Hunters men
on the Lynchburg raid, and while on
that tortuous march saw men foam at
the mouth from hunger. Mr.. LeWark
was in forty-one battles and Skin
mishes. While tapping the Richmond
& Knoxville railroad in July, 1853 a
rebel bullet splintered a fence behind
which Mr.. Lewark was standing, and
the splinters blinded one of his eyes.
After skirmish in Beverly, West Vir-
ginia, he was made prisoner, but re-
manned one for just thirteen minutes.
The Rebs, busy looting tents, forgot
him and he walked into town and re-
manned among the wounded Union men
until he was able to make his escape.
Mr.. Lewark was mustered out July 81,
1865. His regiment was included in
Cox's list Of famous lighting regi-
ments.
Capt. Webster Smith received his
commission of captain in 1862 and
Joined the 134th New York infantry
which afterwards became the Sixth
New York heavy artillery volunteers.
He fought under Gen. Hancock and
was for three days in the Battle Of the
Wilderness. Capt. Smiths term of en-
listment expired in February, 1866, and
/ he went to Washington to get Presi-
dent LincOln's Endorsement of his res
ignatiOn. He had an interview with the
president who wrote on the back OF
his designations: Let Capt. Smiths
resignation be accepted when tender
ed" When the captain thanked him
for his kindness, Lincoln exclaimed in
his jovial way, "All right, captain. all
right" Shortly afterwards Capt. Smith
moved to st. Paul and has lived here
ever since.