H. Sheridan.]

No matter how trying the situation might be, he never lost self-control
and was always kind and friendly toward those working with him. But
perhaps his finest quality was a stern devotion to duty. He said, in
effect: "In all the various positions I have held, my sole aim has ever
been to be the best officer I could and let the future take care of
itself." Such a man, whether civilian or soldier, is a true patriot.

It was early in August, 1864, that General Grant placed Sheridan in
command of the Union army in the Shenandoah valley, with orders to drive
the enemy out and destroy their food supplies.

Sheridan entered the valley from the north, destroyed large quantities of
supplies, and after some fighting went into camp on the north side of
Cedar Creek, in October. A few days later he was called to Washington.
Returning on the eighteenth, he stayed overnight at Winchester, about
fourteen miles from Cedar Creek.

About six o'clock the next morning, a picket on duty reported to him
before he was up that cannon were being fired in the direction of Cedar
Creek. At first Sheridan paid little attention. Then he began to be
disturbed. He writes: "I tried to go to sleep again, but grew so restless
that I could not and soon got up and dressed myself." Eating a hurried
breakfast, he mounted his splendid coal-black steed, Rienzi, and started
for the battle-field of Cedar Creek, where his army was. This was the ride
that afterward became famous as "Sheridan's Ride."

[Illustration: Sheridan Rallying His Troops.]

As he rode forward he could hear the booming of cannon. Then he saw a part
of his army in full retreat, and fugitives told him that a battle had been
fought against General Early's Confederates and everything lost.

With two aides and twenty men the gallant Sheridan dashed forward to the
front as fast as his foaming steed could carry him. On meeting a
retreating officer who said, "The army is whipped," Sheridan replied: "You
are, but the army isn't."

As he pushed ahead he said to his soldiers: "If I had been with you this
morning this disaster would not have happened. We must face the other way.
We must go back and recover our camp."

As soon as his troops caught sight of "Little Phil," as they liked to call
him, they threw their hats into the air and, with enthusiastic cheers,
shouldered their muskets and faced about. Sheridan brought order out of
confusion and in the battle that followed drove E