The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-11-26

witnessed the unwilling today Is tina
the statue Of the famous cavalry lead
er is a worthy memorial Of his fame
1t represents the general at the clos
of his famous ride when, coming fror
Winchester, twenty miles away" h
rallied his men at the battle OF Ceda
Creek and turned their rout by the Con
federate General Jubal A. Early into
Federal victory.
Statue True to Life.
The bronze general sits his bronz
steed like q centaur. hat In hand, ure
Ing his men TO greater exertion. III
efigy Of the man is a true representa-
ton Of Fighting Phil" as be was
the flesh. and the metal horse show
70 the life his famous charger, Rlenz
sometimes known as Winchester, VIII
bore the general from Winchester o.
the stored ride. The sculptor of tn
statue, Gutzon Borglum Of New York
has caught TO the life the expression
Of the generals face, according I
Mrs. Sheridan and her son, Lieutenan
Philip IL. Sheridan. The horse Is
correct facsimile Of Rienzi, according
TO careful measurements Of his skin
preserved at the army post on Gov
errors island, New York, and photo
graphs.
The clothing and accouterments o
General Sheridan shown IN the STATUE
are modelled after garments actual.
worn by him. He is depicted wearing
a service uniform, with sword ant
spurs.
The statue Is fourteen feet high ant
stands on plinth Of granite. Tn
upper part Of the statues base i
rough, indicating the earth torn up b!
Sheridan's horse as he is refined up b.
his rider.
Record Bronze Cast.
The horse is the largest piece o.
bronze ever cast in a single piece II
this country and perhaps in the world
More than 6,OO0 pounds Of DqHC
bronze were poured into the mold t
form the horse. The casting was done
alta foundry near Providence, X. l.
Preceding the unwilling Of the statue
there was q military parade in which
all the regular troops, sailors and ma
rines stationed in and near Washing
ton as we'll as the national guard OF
the District of Columbia took part.
In addition TO President Roosevelt's
speech an address was delivered by
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, whC
euloglzed 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 common.
grated here at the national capital, and
1 am glad indeed to take part in the
unwilling of this statue to General
Sheridan. His name VIII always stand
high on the list Of American worthless.
Not only was be 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 a 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 be
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 be was first
class army commander both rs sub
ordinate Of Grant and when in indie
nendent command. His record I'm the