Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-10-21
GENERAL PHIL. SHERIDAN.

A little Of the history of this illus
trious gentleman and great soldier is
due at this time:
Major General Philip Henry Sher-
idan is a full-blooded Irishman by
descent, though American by birth.
He was born in poverty. So large a
share of American eminent men have
been born poor, that it might almost
be said that in our country poverty
in youth is the first requisite for sue
cess i'm life.
Sheridan's parents, after remaining
few years at the east, moved to
Ohio, where their son grew up with
very little schooling, and under the
useful necessity of working for a
living. There is a story current of
his having been put upon a spirited
horse when boy OF five, by some
mischievous mates, and run away
with to a tavern some miles off. He
stuck fast to the horse, though with
out saddle or bride, and without
size,or strength to use them if he had
them. 1t was by mere chance that
he arrived safe, and when lifted off
by the sympathizing family of the
inn, the little fellow admitted that
he was shaken and sore with his
ride, but he added, "I'll be better
tomorrow, and then I'll ride back
home" The incident is OF no gre At
importance in itself, but it shows
that even then the boy was already
constitutionally destitute of fear. He
seems to have been made without
the peculiar faculty which makes
people take danger into the account,
and try to keep ut a distance from it.
The full possession of this deficiency
(if the phrase is not too direct con-
tradiction in terms,) is quite uncom-
mon.
When young Sheridan received his
appointment to cadetship at West
Point, he was driving a water cart in
Zancsville, Ohio. The person who
actually procured the appointment
was Gen. Thomas p. Rltchey,
member of Congress from Sher-
idan's District. The candidate
was very young for the ap-
pointment, and very small Of
his age, insomuch that his friends
considered it extremity doubtful
whether he would be admitted. He
was, however, and passed through
the regular West Point course, in the
same class with Generals Mcpherson I,
Schofeld, Terrill, Sill and Tyler, anu
with the rebel general Hood who
was so fearfully beaten by Thomas
at Nashville. His scholarship was
not particularly remarkable, and as
is often the case with pupils who
have no particular want of courage,
high health and spirits, or Of the
bodily and mental qualities for do
ing things rather than for thinking
about 1t, he experienced various col
lisions OF one and another kind, with
the strict military discipline of the
institution.
He graduated in June, 1858, and
as there was at the moment no
vacant second lieutenancy, he was
given brevet appointment, and
set out in the next autumn to Fort
Duncan on the River Grande, at
the western edge of Texas, and in
the region haunted by two of the
most ferocious and boldest of the
tribes sometimes called on the
frontier the " Horse Indians"-the
Apaches and Camanches.
From this time until the rebel
lion, Lieutenant Sheridan was
serving. not exactly his apprentice
ship to his trade Of war, but what
would in German be called his
wanderjahre"--his year as wan
dering journeyman. 1t was an
eight years of training in hardships
and dangers. more incessant and
more extreme than perhaps could
be crowded into any life except this
OF the American Iudian fighter /;
doubtless it's wild experiences did
much to develop the bodily and
mental endurance and the GOODNESS
and swift energy which have char.
acterized Sheridan q . commander
For two years sheridan was At Fl
Duncan. and was then promoted t.
first lieutenant, transferred to the
Fourth Re2imsat and after delay