Show SHERIDAN'S RIDE Up from the South at break of day Bringing to Winchester fresh dis dis- dismay dismay dis- dis dismay may The affrighted air with a shudder shudder shudder der bore Like a herald in haste to the chieftains chieftain's door The terrible grumble and rum- rum rumble rumble t ble and roar roar Telling the battle was on once more And Sheridan twenty miles away And wider still those billows of war Thundered along the horizons horizon's bar And louder yet into Winchester rolled roBed The roar of that red sea uncontrolled uncontrolled uncontrolled trolled Making the blood of the listener cold I I As he thought of the stake in in that fiery fray And Sheridan twenty miles away But there is a road from Win Win- Winchester Winchester Winchester chester town A good broad highway leading down And there through the flush of the morning light I A steed as black as the steeds i of night Was seen to pass as with eagle cagle flight As if he knew the terrible need He stretched away with his ut ut- utmost utmost utmost most speed Hills rose and fell but his heart was gay With Sheridan fifteen miles away Still sprung from those those- swift hoofs thundering South The dust like smoke from a can can- cannons cannon's cannons cannon's cannons cannon's non's mouth Or the trail of a comet sweeping faster and faster Foreboding to traitors the doom of disaster The heart of the steed and the heart of the master Were beating like prisoners as as- assaulting assaulting assaulting their walls Impatient to be where the battle battle- battlefield battlefield battlefield field calls Every nerve of the charger was strained to full play With Sheridan only ten miles away r a 4 k Under his spurning feet the road Like an Alpine river flowed And the landscape sped away be be- behind behind behind hind Like an ocean flying before the wind And the steed like a bark fed with furnace ire Swept on with his wild eye full of fire But lo he is nearing his hearts heart's desire He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray With Sheridan only five miles away The first that the General saw were the groups Of stragglers and then the re reo retreating re- re retreating treating troops What was done what to do a glance told him both Then striking his spurs with a terrible oath He dashed down the line mid a storm of And the wave of retreat checked its course there because The sight of the master com com- compelled compelled it to pause With foam and with dust the black charger was gray By the flash of his eye and the red nostrils nostril's play He seemed to the the whole great army to say I have brought you Sheridan all the way From Winchester down to save the day Hurrah 1 hurrah for Sheridan Hurrah hurrah for horse and man And And- when their statues are placed on high Under the dome of the Union sky The American soldiers' soldiers Temple of Fame There with the glorious Generals General's name Be it said in letters both bold and bright Here is the steed that saved the day By carrying Sheridan into the right From twenty miles away Thomas Buchanan Read |