The National tribune., 1910-09-22
/ a RecltalS ana a
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Stories Emneny Worth Telling of Experiences and Adventures
in the Great National Struggle.
NO TWO SEE THINGS ALIKE.

NO TWO SEE THINGS ALIKE.
How Comrades Are Liable to Be Ac-
cused of Falsifying When They Re-
port Their Observations Correctly.
Editor National Tribune: If I had
the casting of the ballots for Com
mander-in-Chief of the Grand Army OF
the Republic it would be a unanimous
vote for Comrade McElroy.
Did you ever try to talk seriously
and then have some one charge you
with being a humorist and showing up
the ridiculous side of your subject?
Again, did you ever try to be humor-
Gus and find everybody scowling at you,
and could not see the humor as you
see it? / ask this question to avoid
being misunderstood.
On noticing an article from the pen
of Comrade Theodosius Botkin, point
ing to some Inconsistencies in story
telling from memory, it awakens a
spirit of charity and a smile of amuss-
ment, since / find so many war records
supposed to be written on the spot by
Commanding officers are confusing and
contra dictory.
Even our respected, honored and
loved historian, John McElroy. who has
access to the most reliable historical
matter. is often taken to task for re-
cording what a comrade believes TO be
q mistake. and no doubt was a mistake
of the commanding General, from a
participating comrades point of view.
1t Is almost impossible to get two wit
nesses in court to testify to seeing an
object that did not cover 10 feet square
Just alike, yet in main they will agree,
tho sometimes they contradict each
pther in toto. Now, suppose that OBJ
Ieot be moving and the men be NOV
Ing; it is impossible for them to see it
The same, aye, impossible TO get two
photographs of il just alike.
Now, imagine that object covering
miles of territory, a moving panorama,
keen by thousands of different men at
different points and times. Then, how
ean we blame our comrades for getting
) little mixed in their statements and
observations? 1t is only the other day
1 was taken to task for stating in an
krttcle / wrote that my regiment was
fSten detailed for special work because
bf the unusual Workmanship of the
men, because it is known ov military
nan that the regiments of brigadas and
divisions are supposed 10 take turns in
special work. when the fact is official
EtatementS show the mos; severe han
ding our regiment ever received was
On sortie while on duty out of turn.
am often actually afraid to describe
some of my experiences for fear of be-
Ing charged with eEaggcTatioR, not
withstanding / am naturally a very
close observer, have q wonderful and
tenacious memory and plenty of his
torical data and considerable memor-
Rffda to assist me-
A poet is allowed some license, and
It seems Thomas Buchanan Read in
dulsed in nine miles worth Of that IL
eense when he wrote the famous poem
entitled:
Sheridan's Ride
''Up from the South at break of day,
Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay.
THE affrighted air with shudder bore,
Like herald in haste 10 the chieftain's
door,
The terrible grumble and rumble and
roar,
Telling the battle was on once more,
And Sheridan 20 miles away"
II the poet had said IL miles away,
II might be nearer the truth in miles,
but not in descriptive thrill of battle,
and We all know how miles varied in
length and numbers according TO time
place and condition. ! positively af-
firm 1 have known a half-mile space
between picket post and fort to seem a
great deal longer than a l0-mile trip
walking home with a pretty country
girl.
Now, for Sheridan's black. bay, white
and gray horse:
SBut there is road from Winchester
town..
a good, broad highway leading down;
And there. thru the flush of the morn
ing fight,
"A steed as black as the steeds of night,
Was seen to pass, as with eagle flight
As II he knew the terrible need;
He stretched away with his utmost
speed;
Hills rose and fell, but his heart was
gay,
With Sheridan Is miles away
What would the poet have done for
descriptive matter for seven long STAN
zas of IL lines each had he to divide
IL miles by seven stanZas? That black
horse could not have got much of a
eweat on, much less foam enough TO
make him appear white or even gray
in 11-mile trip.
Here is a clipping taken from the
Detroit Free Press and credited to
home knowledge many many years
ago. long before age began to dim COM
rades memories. It Is supported by
Comments of a writer of National fame
who was himself a comrade of those
days: :.
The Horse Sheridan Rode
HE was a light bay, and not the one
the artist and poet have given US. The
skin is stuffed and on exhibition at
Governors Island, y. Y, and in the
language of Jack Cade's follower we
can say, The bricks are there to testify,
so deny II not" and the nimble little
steed was not only a brick, but nearly
OF brick color
BE it said in letters both gold and
bright:
Here is the steed that saved the day
BY carrying Sheridan into the fight
From Winchester, II miles away"
The date of this faded clipping. as
near as 1 can make out, is September
1872.
Here is another one of the date OF
June :, 1889:
early al Winchesier-He Contradict.
Some of Grants Personal Memoirs.
Winchester. Va, June 7.-Thc
graves of $500 Confederate veteran!
were decorated yesterday. Gen. Juba
Early, the orator of the day. in hi
address, said that when he last saw
Winchester 1t was amid the din of bat
tie. His command was retired after
desperate and unequal struggle II,
contradicted the Personal Memoirs o
Gen. Grant and the Army and Nav,
Journal in reference TO the number o
those engaged in the battle and saiC
that the number of Confederates wa
less than 1900 as compared with So
900 Union troops. He spoke lightly o
Sheridan's famous ride, which he in
sisted was only a 10-mile jog. and tha
II took Phil all forenoon to cover it."
Nobody doubts the bravery and gen