May 29 Tuesday – The New York Times, p.1, ran a preview announcement of General Philip H. Sheridan’s Memoirs.

THE GENERAL’S MEMOIRS

The last important work of Gen. Sheridan has been the preparation of memoirs of his life, which are to be published in the Fall by Charles L. Webster & Co. of this city. This work was suggested to Gen. Sheridan some time ago, and his friends were very anxious that he should tell in his own way the incidents of a busy life in the field, as well as to give an authentic account of the various battles in which he was engaged…. from a simple sketch of his life…the book has grown and widened in its compass until now two volumes of about 500 pages each are in the hands of printers. …

Gen. Sheridan has been very careful in his preparation of the book. The manuscript was delivered to the publishers last February, but the General was not satisfied with it…. During the Spring he has carefully revised it, and only recently sent it back to Charles L. Webster & Co…. It was originally intended not to issue it till Dec. 1, but should Gen. Sheridan die the publication will be hastened.

Joe Twichell wrote to “Dear old Mark”:

I find myself this morning wanting to tell you how thankful to you I am and we are for the part you bore in our reception last night. / I appreciate that it must have seemed, on some accounts, rather rough on you to be asked to appear on such occasion. And had I been consulted about it — which I was not — I would have spared you….

I never heard you read anything better than you read the verses with which you closed — which is saying a great deal [MTP]. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Dear old Joe!”

Mary Duncan wrote from Chattanooga, Tenn. to Sam asking help to publish an autobiography of a slave. Sam wrote, “Brer W. will dictate an answer. SLC” on the envelope [MTP].