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Page 18 The Antique Shoppe May, 2019
Memorial Day Souvenir

SHERIDAN’S FAMOUS RIDE: THE SAGA OF “LITTLE PHIL”

by Roy Nuhn
There are many fascinating and beautiful historical brought him to the attention of Grant. Throughout the war
postcards connected to Memorial Day. A top favorite for he assumed increasingly more responsible positions.
over a century has been the “Sheridan’s Ride” set of ten. To his comrades, he was affectionately known as “Little
Possession of all of them is the life-long goal of many Phil,” a sobriquet perpetuated by historians. But most of
collectors. all, Sheridan was much admired and loved by his men,
As interesting as the cards may be, though, the story whose care and well-being he made an important priority.
behind them is even more so. When Grant assumed control of the entire Union
MAJOR READ’S POEM Army, he gave Sheridan the top cavalry job in the Army
The poem found on these cards - one verse per card of the Potomac in April 1864. Sheridan reorganized his
– is a short, historical saga of a Civil War incident of new command and began attacking Lee’s supply lines
legendary proportions. For and communications. He also defeated General Stuart at Sheridan’s Ride
several decades after the ending Yellow Tavern. by Thomas Buchanan Read
of the conflict, the poem was In August of that year “Little
a favorite recitation exercise Phil” took command of both the Up from the South, at break of day,
Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay,
for schoolchildren, a fond Army of the Shenandoah and The affrighted air with a shudder bore,
patriotic remembrance among the Middle Military District. Like a herald in haste to the chieftain’s door,
adults, and an important part His orders from Grant were to The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar,
Telling the battle was on once more,
of many Decoration Day and make the Shenandoah Valley And Sheridan twenty miles away.
G.A.R. reunion celebrations. It of Virginia, the South’s most And wider still those billows of war
also inspired illustrations and important granary, a barren Thundered along the horizon’s bar;
paintings, such as the artwork wasteland and to defeat General And louder yet into Winchester rolled
The roar of that red sea uncontrolled,
done by Thure de Thulstrup Jubal Early, whose army Making the blood of the listener cold,
in 1885 that was used by continued to raid the North and As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray,
Louis Prang for a top selling Several of the postcards in the “Sheridan’s Ride” set by threaten Washington. With Sheridan twenty miles away.
chromolithograph. Commercial Colortype Co., published sometime around 1908. Sheridan admirably fulfilled But there is a road from Winchester town,
Major Thomas B. Read, his instructions, beating Early A good, broad highway leading down:
And there, through the flush of the morning light,
a staff officer at the War four times and scorching the A steed as black as the steeds of night
Department in Washington, wrote Shenandoah. His victories made Lee’s surrender at Was seen to pass, as with eagle flight;
the poem shortly after Appomattox even more inevitable. As if he knew the terrible need,
He stretched away with his utmost speed.
news reached It was Sheridan’s final victory over Early Hills rose and fell, but his heart was gay,
the nation’s that became the basis of the legend With Sheridan fifteen miles away.
capital of showcased by the postcard set. Still sprang from those swift hoofs, thundering south,
Sheridan’s Cedar Creek, Virginia, near The dust like smoke from the cannon’s mouth,
Or the trail of a comet, sweeping faster and faster,
smashing Strasburg, would be the last Foreboding to traitors the doom of disaster.
victory over encounter between The heart of the steed and the heart of the master
Confederate the two opposing Were beating like prisoners assaulting their walls,
Impatient to be where the battle-field calls;
General Early’s generals. Every nerve of the charger was strained to full play,
forces at Cedar Early launched With Sheridan only ten miles away.
Creek (Virginia). The a surprise assault Under his spurning feet, the road
poem instantly on the Union Army Like an arrowy Alpine river flowed,
captured the encamped there, And the landscape sped away behind
Like an ocean flying before the wind;
imagination of panicking them into a And the steed, like a barque fed with furnace ire,
all Northerners. It was not so much the general retreat. Sheridan Swept on, with his wild eye full of fire;
spectacular win over Early that inspired Read and aroused had just arrived in But, lo! he is nearing his heart’s desire;
He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray,
patriotic fervor; it was “Little Phil’s” stirring 20-mile Winchester after a With Sheridan only five miles away.
horseback dash to the front lines, turning an apparent conference in Washington The first that the general saw were the groups
defeat into a route of the enemy, that did it. Now, more when he heard the sounds of fighting to the south. He Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops;
than 100 years later, Americans have forgotten Read’s ode, quickly mounted his jet-black Morgan, Rienzi, and rode What was to be done? what to do?--a glance told him both.
Then striking his spurs with a terrible oath,
and only through postcards is it remembered. furiously down the Pike. He dashed down the line, ‘mid a storm of huzzas,
Almost immediately he began running into disorganized And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because
GENERAL PHILIP SHERIDAN units of his army retreating before Early’s savage and The sight of the master compelled it to pause.
Philip Henry Sheridan, one of the best Union generals bold attack. As he rode the 20 miles from Winchester With foam and with dust the black charger was gray;
and its greatest cavalry officer, was born in Albany, N.Y., southward to the battlefront, Sheridan rallied his dispirited By the flash of his eye, and his red nostril’s play,
He seemed to the whole great army to say:
in 1831, but grew up in Ohio. He left school at the age of men and turned them around. He instantaneously “I have brought you Sheridan all the way
14 to find work to help alleviate the family’s acute financial converted a beaten, terrified mob into a disciplined army From Winchester down to save the day.”
condition. In 1848, he entered West Point and graduated five and soundly defeated Early. Hurrah! hurrah for Sheridan!
years later (the delay of one year being caused by expulsion His actions, the epitome of military leadership, made Hurrah! hurrah for horse and man!
for fighting). The newly commissioned second lieutenant’s “Little Phil” (now called “Old Cedar Creek” by his men And when their statues are placed on high
Under the dome of the Union sky,
first assignment was to the Western frontier, where he took and fellow officers) into an instant hero throughout the The American soldier’s Temple of Fame,
part in many Indian campaigns. North and a legend in his own lifetime. There, with the glorious general’s name,
The outbreak of Civil War found an unhappy After the war he remained in the U.S. Army and in time Be it said, in letters both bold and bright:
“Here is the steed that saved the day
quartermaster reading with his supervisors for combat attained the rank of lieutenant general. In the same year By carrying Sheridan into the fight,
duty. In May of the following year, Sheridan was he died, 1888, Congress gratefully gave Sheridan a fourth From Winchester--twenty miles away!”
promoted to colonel and posted to the 2nd Michigan star. Courtesy: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/union-
Cavalry. His bravery, daring, and superior military skills Continued > generals/sheridan/poem-sheridans-ride.htm