The Washington herald., 1906-11-18


down the pike toward Cedar Creek 10
turn retreat into victory.
I remarked. General, won't you be
kind enough to tell us some Of the de-
tails of that famous ride OF yours tha.
buchanan Read has immOrtalzed In
poetry?" and on the spur Of the moment
quoted this verse:
The first that the General saw were the groups
OF stragglers and then the retreatng troops.
What was dcnc. what to d. glance told him both.
And striking his spurs with terrible oath.
He dashed down ths line mid storm Of huzzas.
And the wave Of retreat checked its course there,
because
The sight Of the master compelled it 10 pause"
The General smiled and said: Joyce, I
am afraid the poet did more for Sheridan
thar ne ever did for himself. Read was
here some time ago and took dinner with
me. That marble basrelief on the man
tlcpiece Of Rienzi and myself dashing
down the Winchester pike was presented
by some OF his friends. II it had not been
e0c the strength and spirit Of that black
morse out IN the stable. pointing TO the
rear, I doubt very much whether I'd have
got on the field in tine 10 turn the boys
bach, recover our camps, and thrash
early before dark!
Was Surprised by Early.
You may know l had been up to
Washington for Il day or so to consult
with President Lincoln and Secretary
stanton on the situation in the valley,
and left Crook Wright, Merritt, and Gus
ter to take care Of things until I returned.
not thinking that Early would take the
offensive, remembering the lesson
taught him the month before at Fishers
Hin.
But very early, in fact before daylight,
on October 19. an officer came to my
temporary headUarters near Winchester
and reported continuous firing ut the
front. ! had just gotten back from Wash
ington. / told the officer TO find out what
he could and report again / took things
| leisurely. not thinking but my officers az
the front could hold their own with Early
/ IL any event
Yes, after a hasty breakfast, I became
somewhat alarmed at the reports that
came in and prepared at once to rush 20
the front. With Maj. Forsyth and Capt
C'heefo, Of my staff, and about twenty
men as an escort, 1 dashed away from
my headquarters through the town Of
Winchests- about o'clock in the morn
ing. leaving Coz. Edwards IN command to
/ stop stragglers. could see from the
faces Of the citizens, and particularly
from the action Of the women. that some
thing unusual Of good news had reached
them by grapevine telegraph.
After 7 had crossed over the hill be-
yond Mil Creek, ! beheld the first view
Of my Danic-strickeu army. Hundreds Of
slightly wounded men. Clumps Of fright
ened stragglers. mules. horses. cattle, am
balances. and baggage wagons by the
score blocked UP the road or dashed
about through the fields TO find a way to
the rear.
Turned Back Retreating Army.
As soon as the boys saw me they threw
up their hats. gave some wild cheers,
shouldered-their guns. and paused in their
onward flight. / checked up a moment
amid n mob Of my broken ranks. took of
my hat gave them a loud cheer and i'm
pulsiveIy cried, Boys. If I had been with
you this morning this thing would not
have happened. We must face the other
way We Will 90 back and recover our
camps They gave prolonged cheers. and
7 could see that nay words OF encourage
ment flushed their eyes and faces with
enthusiasm. while the lire officers were
already endeavoring 10 bring order out Of
chaos and reorsanize their men for fight
Il put spurs to Rienzi and onCe more
gali0ped down the pike through strag-
Cling men and broken wagons through
the village Of Newton, often leaving the
chOked-Up road for the open fields and
b..
pealing to them 20 turn back. and 7 must
l say, they halted 10 look after me, and
/ their cheers even 10 this day ring in my
/ ears and thrill my heart.
Among the first Of my generals to
meet me was the gallant Torbet who
/ threw his arms around me and exclaim-
/ ed. My God. I'm glad you've come"
/ About 1870 or II o'clock, I was in the
midst Of my command. and soon com
muniCated with Crook, Wright. Custer
and Emory. the latter holding the enemy
at bay ana Tepelling many of his frantic
dashes. I felt very much Inundated to
think that our morning camps on Cedar
/ Greek and my headquarters at Belle
Grove House and munitions of war were
/ lost; many OF my men unbUried I'm front
and prisoners in the hands of the enemy
Custer and Merritt were forming their
cavalry for immediate fight. Wright
Crook, McMlllen, and Mckenzie, although
wounded. were ralIying their men. BY l
o'clock in the afternoon / was at the
far front and casting my eyes to the
right and left, I could see that various
regiments and brigades were getting into
place and bracinE Up for defense and a
forward movement.
I intended. in my heart. before night
had closed in to retake our camps on
Cedar Creek, and occupy my headquarters
at Belle Grove House. OF boldly sacrifice
the rest of my army. The Nineteenth.
Sixth, and Crooks Corps were IN good
shape at o'clock i'm the afternoon, and
about that time I ordered Custer 10 lead
of in a quick charge 10 the front and
wake UP the Johnnies.' who seemed to be
/ hesitatinC as 10 what they should do with
their morning victory
Regained Lost Ground.
"AIy advance was evidently a surprise
TO Early. and when my infantry got in
their murderous work with the cracking
roar Of musketry, I could see that we re-
gained our lost ground rapidly. To MAKE
a long story short by sunset we had
the enemy on the dead run across Cedar
Greek and far beyond. with thousands Of
prisoners in our hands, many captured
hags, stacks of small arms, transporta-
tion material, and more than forty pieces
OF artillery.
We'll gentlemen, I must say that I
never felt prouder of a days work in my
life than that performed on October 70.
1864. I felt that the power of the rebel
army in the Shenandoah Valley was lost
forever, and that their supply garden
would henceforth furnish food for Union
soldiers or be utterly destroyed.