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dissatisfaction that so little had hitherto been accomplished by that

arm of the service; and I was selected as chief of the cavalry corps

of the Army of the Potomac; receiving on the night of the 23d of

March from General Thomas at Chattanooga the following telegram:



〃MARCH 23; 1864。

〃MAJOR…GENERAL THOMAS; Chattanooga



〃Lieutenant…General Grant directs that Major…General Sheridan

immediately repair to Washington and report to the Adjutant…General

of the Army。



〃 H。 W。 HALLECK;

Major…General; Chief…of…Staff。〃





I was not informed of the purpose for which I was to proceed to

Washington; but I conjectured that it meant a severing of my

relations with the Second Division; Fourth Army Corps。  I at once set

about obeying the order; and as but little preparation was necessary;

I started for Chattanooga the next day; without taking any formal

leave of the troops I had so long commanded。  I could not do it; the

bond existing between them and me had grown to such depth of

attachment that I feared to trust my emotions in any formal parting

from a body of soldiers who; from our mutual devotion; had long

before lost their official designation; and by general consent within

and without the command were called 〃Sheridan's Division。〃  When I

took the train at the station the whole command was collected on the

hill…sides around to see me off。  They had assembled spontaneously;

officers and men; and as the cars moved out for Chattanooga they

waved me farewell with demonstrations of affection。



A parting from such friends was indeed to be regretted。  They had

never given me any trouble; nor done anything that could bring aught

but honor to themselves。  I had confidence in them; and I believe

they had in me。  They were ever steady; whether in victory or in

misfortune; and as I tried always to be with them; to put them into

the hottest fire if good could be gained; or save them from

unnecessary loss; as occasion required; they amply repaid all my care

and anxiety; courageously and readily meeting all demands in every

emergency that arose。



In Kentucky; nearly two years before; my lot had been cast with about

half of the twenty…five regiments of infantry that I was just

leaving; the rest joining me after Chickamauga。  It was practically a

new arm of the service to me; for although I was an infantry officer;

yet the only large command which up to that time I had controlled was

composed of cavalry; and most of my experience had been gained in

this arm of the service。  I had to study hard to be able to master

all the needs of such a force; to feed and clothe it and guard all

its interests。  When undertaking these responsibilities I felt that

if I met them faithfully; recompense would surely come through the

hearty response that soldiers always make to conscientious exertion

on the part of their superiors; and not only that more could be

gained in that way than from the use of any species of influence; but

that the reward would be quicker。  Therefore I always tried to look

after their comfort personally; selected their camps; and provided

abundantly for their subsistence; and the road they opened for me

shows that my work was not in vain。  I regretted deeply to have to

leave such soldiers; and felt that they were sorry I was going; and

even now I could not; if I would; retain other than the warmest

sentiments of esteem and the tenderest affection for the officers and

men of 〃Sheridan's Division;〃 Army of the Cumberland。



On reaching Chattanooga I learned from General Thomas the purpose for

which I had been ordered to Washington。  I was to be assigned to the

command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac。  The

information staggered me at first; for I knew well the great

responsibilities of such a position; moreover; I was but slightly

acquainted with military operations in Virginia; and then; too; the

higher officers of the Army of the Potomac were little known to me;

so at the moment I felt loth to undergo the trials of the new

position。  Indeed; I knew not a soul in Washington except General

Grant and General Halleck; and them but slightly; and no one in

General Meade's army; from the commanding general down; except a few

officers in the lower grades; hardly any of whom I had seen since

graduating at the Military Academy。



Thus it is not much to be wondered at that General Thomas's

communication momentarily upset me。  But there was no help for it; so

after reflecting on the matter a little I concluded to make the best

of the situation。  As in Virginia I should be operating in a field

with which I was wholly unfamiliar; and among so many who were

strangers; it seemed to me that it would be advisable to have; as a

chief staff…officer; one who had had service in the East; if an

available man could be found。  In weighing all these considerations

in my mind; I fixed upon Captain James W。 Forsyth; of the Eighteenth

Infantry; then in the regular brigade at Chattanoogaa dear friend

of mine; who had served in the Army of the Potomac; in the Peninsula

and Antietam campaigns。  He at once expressed a desire to accept a

position on my staff; and having obtained by the next day the

necessary authority; he and I started for Washington; accompanied by

Lieutenant T。 W。 C。 Moore; one of my aides; leaving behind Lieutenant

M。 V。 Sheridan; my other aide; to forward our horses as soon as they

should be sent down to Chattanooga from Loudon; after which he was to

join me。









CHAPTER XVIII。




AT WASHINGTONMEETING SECRETARY STANTONINTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT

LINCOLNMADE COMMANDER OF THE CAVALRY CORPS OF THE ARMY OF THE

POTOMACITS OFFICERSGENERAL MEADE's METHOD OF USING CAVALRY

OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGNSPOTTSYLVANIA C。 H。A DIFFERENCE WITH

GENERAL MEADEPREPARING TO FIGHT STUART'S CAVALRY。



Accompanied by Captain Forsyth and Lieutenant Moore; I arrived in

Washington on the morning of April; 4; 1864; and stopped at Willard's

Hotel; where; staying temporarily; were many officers of the Army of

the Potomac en route to their commands from leave at the North。

Among all these; however; I was an entire stranger; and I cannot now

recall that I met a single individual whom I had ever before known。



With very little delay after reaching my hotel I made my way to

General Halleck's headquarters and reported to that officer; having

learned in the meantime that General Grant was absent from the city。

General Halleck talked to me for a few minutes; outlining briefly the

nature and duties of my new command; and the general military

situation in Virginia。  When he had finished all he had to say about

these matters; he took me to the office of the Secretary of War; to

present me to Mr。 Stanton。  During the ceremony of introduction; I

could feel that Mr。 Stanton was eying me closely and searchingly;

endeavoring to form some estimate of one about whom he knew

absolutely nothing; and whose career probably had never been called

to his attention until General Grant decided to order me East; after

my name had been suggested by General Halleck in an interview the two

generals had with Mr。 Lincoln。  I was rather young in appearance

looking even under than over thirty…three yearsbut five feet five

inches in height; and thin almost to emaciation; weighing only one

hundred and fifteen pounds。  If I had ever possessed any self…

assertion in manner or speech; it certainly vanished in the presence

of the imperious Secretary; whose name at the time was the synonym of

all that was cold and formal。  I never learned what Mr。 Stanton's

first impressions of me were; and his guarded and rather calculating

manner gave at this time no intimation that they were either

favorable or unfavorable; but his frequent commendation in after

years indicated that I gained his goodwill before the close of the

war; if not when I first came to his notice; and a more intimate

association convinced me that the cold and cr

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