The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-12-23

\ from Cedar creek, and not ~ miles
as stated by Thomas Buchanan
Read in his celebrated poem. Gen.
Sheridan rode his horse, Rienzi, a
big black gelding with three white
! fet, that had been given him by
Capt. Archibald P. Campbell, of
the I'd Michigan cavalry. Rienzi
could walk five miles an hour. He
bore Sheridan on his back through
the war, although wounded several
times, and lived in honorable retire
ment until his death.
Word had come to my brother
that all was quiet at Cedar Creek,
so he went to bed at ten O'Clock.
About daylight the following morn
ing an officer told him that artillery
fire could be heard to the south. 1t
had been planned that Gen. Courier
Johnson was to feel the enemy that
day, and Sheridan supposed that the
noise of the cannonS could be thus
chDidluCu llo"SNC1 IS VI uClSu LIE
breakfast and his horse, and left for
cedar creek between and o'clock.
"At the edge of town he heard
continuous artillery firing, and then
knew that battle was in progress.
He soon came upon his army in
flight thousands of frenzied men
walking or running as fast as they
could and baggage wagons on the
gallop. The road was so chokea,
that at times Sheridan went through
the fields.
"He was soon recognized, of course
and word was passed along that he
had returned. The men stopped, look
ed, and then fell in behind, cheering
their general and carrying their mus
kets on their shoulders, instead of in
their hands. They We're soldiers,
again, you understand, and ready to
fight.
Sheridan" l remarked, "had al
ready shouted to his men, face the
other way boys, we're going back"
Histories and standard books of
reference have put the words into
General Sheridan's mouth, but an
officer of the regular army never
says boys when addressing his men.
Years afterward General Sheridan
stated in writing his recollection of
what was said, If ! had been with
you this morning, he wrote from
memory, this disaster would not
have happened. We must face the
other way, we will go back and re-
cover our camp
II was not with General Sheridan
at the time as / have explained, but
Major George A. Forsyth was pres
ent, being an aid on his staff. For
syth said sheridan called on those
who We're not towards to follow him,
declaring that he meant to sleep on
Cedar Creek that night or in a
much hotter place."
mo matter what language he
used, he rallied his men and they
did face the other way"
Eyes. He met William Mckinley,
member of Gen. George Cooks
staff, and afterward president of the
United States, and carried the news
into the fields along the road that
Sheridan was back. Other men,
later prominent in public life, were
officers in Sheridan's army at that
time. Rutherford B. Hayes COM
manded the Second division. ]. War
rem Keller, now member of cong
ress from Ohio, commanded the
Third division, and Henry A. Du
Pont, one of the present senators
from Delaware, commanded a bri-
gade of artillery. Some of the troops
had not retreated very far. Indeed,
one division and the cavalry were
still fighting. Sheridan reformed
his men and then rode down the line
bareheaded, that all could see him.
1t was then about 1890 O'Clock in
the morning. Sheridan left Winches-
ter before 9 o'clock. He had lost
time in the fields, however, and in
stopping to give orders.
While he was preparing to at
tack the Confederates, they attacked
him, but he drove them back. At 8
O'Clock in the afternoon | reached
Cedar creek, having left the Ohio
commissioners at Winchester. 1t
was the most exciting moment of my
life. Sheridan's army had been sur.
prised by EARLY and defeated. 1t
had been reformed and had repulsed
second attack. And now Sheridan
was getting ready to charge the
enemy and turn disaster into vic
tory. ! don't want to praise my
brother or go beyond the bounds of
propriety, but it was a remarkable
situation. Nor could We know what
would happen. The Confederates
were whipped. Everything we had
lost was recovered. Besides, we cap