Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1908-11-29

OF Famous Ride to Cedar Creek From
! Winchester, Twenty Miles Away"
Washington, Nov. 25.-In one of the
most beautiful parts of the national
capital he helped to save, the magnifi-
cent equestrian statue of General Phil
lip III. Sheridan was unveiled today
Among the throng of notable persons
who gathered to do honor to the mem
ory Of the great soldier were the presi-
dent of the United States, who deliv-
cred an address; the army and navy Of
ficers resident or stationed In and near
Washington, the heads Of the executive
branches of the government, diplomatic
representatives Of foreign countries and
others of note.
The statue stands In Sheridan circle,
named after the general, at the juno
ton of Massachusetts avenue and
Twenty-third street. 1t Is the heart of
one of the best residence sections of
the national capital.
The universal opinion of those who
witnessed the unwilling today is that
the statue of the famous cavalry lead
er is a worthy memorial of his fame.
1t represents the general at the close
of his famous ride when, coming from
Winchester, twenty miles away" he
rallied his men at the battle OF Cedar
Creek and turned their rout by the Con-
federate General Jubal A. Early into a
Federal victory.
Statue True to Life.
The bronze general sits his bronze
steed like a centaur, hat In hand, urg-
ing his men to greater exertion. The
effigy OF the man Is true representa-
ton of Fighting Phil" as he was In
the flesh. and the metal horse shows
to the life his famous charger, Rienzi,
sometimes known as Winchester, who
bore the general from Winchester on
the stored ride. The sculptor of the
statue. Gutzon Borglum of New York.
has caught to the life the expression
of the generals face. according to
Mrs. Sheridan and her son. Lieutenant
Philip II. Sheridan. The horse is a
correct facsimile of RienZi, according
to careful measurements of his skin,
preserved at the army post on Gov
ernors island, New York. and photo
graphs.
The clothing and accouterments of
General Sheridan shown In the statue
are modelled after garments actually
worn by him. He is depicted wearing
service uniform. with sword and
spurs.
The statue is fourteen feet high and
stands on plinth of granite. The
upper part of the statues base Is
rough, indicating the earth torn up by
Sheridan's horse as he is refined up by
his rider.
Record Bronze Cast.
The horse is the largest piece of
bronze ever cast in single piece In
this country and perhaps In the world.
More than 6,000 pounds of liquid
bronze were poured into the mold to
form the horse. The casting was done
at foundry near Providence, X. |.
Preceding the unwilling of the statue
there was military parade In which
all the regular troops. sailors and ma
rines stationed in and near Washing
ton as well as the national guard OF
the District of Columbia took part
In addition to President Roosevelts
General Horace Porter, who was chief
Of staff to General Grant and is presi-
dent of the Grant Monument associa-
ton. The principal address was de
livered by President Roosevelt, who
eulogized General Sheridan's army ca
reer both in the civil war and in the
fighting on the western plains with
the Indians. The presidents address
was as follows:
The Presidents Address.
1t is eminently fitting that the ma
TONS illustrious men, the men who
loom as heroes before the eyes OF our
people, should be fittingly commem-
GRATED here at the national capital, and
l am glad indeed to take part In the
unwilling of this statue to General
Sheridan. His name will always stand
high on the list of American WORTHLESS.
Not only was he a great general, but
he showed his greatness with that
touch of originality which we call
genius. Indeed. this quality Of bril-
lance has been in one sense disad-
vantage to his reputation, for 1t has
tended to overshadow his solid ability.
We tend to think of him only as the
dashing cavalry leader, whereas he
was In reality not only that, but also a
great commander. OF course the fact
in his career most readily recognized
was his mastery in the necessarily
modern art of handling masses OF
modern cavalry so as to give them the
fullest possible effect not only in the
ordinary operations Of cavalry which
precede and follow battle. but in the
battle itself. But In addition he show
ed In the civil war that he was first
class army commander both as a sub
ordinate of Grant and when in indie
pendent command. His record In the
Valley camnaipu and again from Five