New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-25
eheYi(luR Mt Home,

writing from Somerset, Ohio, gives the ior
lowing account of the youth Of General
Sheridan:
He was popular among those of his own
age, on account of his genial disposition
and superiority in the sports of the time.
and he was respected by older people on
ness with which he divided the burden OF
poverty with his father. 1t would seem to
be more in accord with the eternal fitness CT
things to have such dashing and success
full officer as Sheridan bad boy when
Young. 1t would make a more romantic
and attractive story, and do just service in
knocking the underpinning from some of
the diluted Sunday school literature OF the
period; but out of respect to the Coolest in
habltants' the writer is compelled to admit
that Sheridan was not a bad boy. He was
not cherub with wings, and the old maids
of the village did not fly at him when they
met him on the street to kiss him for his
mother" but there is no case on record
where he stole watermelOns or tied cow 9
tail to the town bell. He was fond of sport,
but not offensive. He delighted in a wild
horse, and at an early age begun the prac,
| tice which enabled him to make himself
| famous as an equestrian during the war.
For q considerable time he worked in
| dustriously ~ cart driver on turnpike
| improvement in Perry county, along with
| his father and elder brother. There is a
| story which has entered into the history Of
the times that Phil drove a horse and cart
on q railroad improvement near Zanes-
vile. But his entire boyhOod. till he went
| to West Point, was spent in Perry county.
| Old citizens say that when not regularly
employed he was always ready to act as an
errand boy. His prominent boyish charac-
| teristics were lib 4rality, sociability and ill.,
| dustry. His education was such as could
4 be obtained at the public school at Somer-
| set. His younger brothers had the advan-
| tage Of a Catholic college, which was es-
| tablished near Somerset in after years; but
Phil struggled between labor and the com
! mon branches till about the year 1916,
| when he took a situation in the store Ot
Finck g. Dittoe, in Somerset, and for two
years dispensed TO the surrounding com
munitv dry goods, groceries, nails, bar
| iron. Yankee notions and the thousand
other lines Of goods which are kept IN a
| country store. It was while in this store
his good fortune struck him. 1t was here
| that his attention was directed, after some
resistance on his own part, in the direction
| of West Point.
Thomas Richie was the Congressman
| from the Perry county district. Two or
l three boys who had been nominated to fill
| vacancy at the Military Academy had
| failed, either on account of deficient educa
! ton or physical disabilities. Congressman
| Richie was much vexed, because he could
| not get the place filed, and while "loafing'
| in Finck & DittOe's store one evening
| while on visit to Somerset, asked if Perry
| county couldn't send boy who could pass
| the examination. There was a moment of
silence in the little knot of village loafers
who had been drinking in the greatness of
q live Congressman. Some person broke the
quietude by asking, "Why not send Phil r
Perhaps those four words gave the country
one of her greatest Generals. They were
taken up and repeated by every one in the
room. There was such unanimous in
dorsemont that Richie offered to make the
nomination. Phil blushed and said it was
impossible for him to 60, naming, among
enough money TO give himself an outfit
and carry him 20 the academy.
James Gallon asked how much money
would be- required. Phil sevolyed
the proposition in his mind for
few moments, and then named $50,
| with the air of 4 boy who didn't have any
very lively expectations of ever acquiring
that much wealth. Mr.. Gallon by this
time had become enthusiastic and promptly
furnished the $50. Philip then went into
training for the coming ordeal When he
received brief of the examination he
would have TO pass TO secure ad mission to
the academy he expressed TO MIR. Brumer
ian old citizen OF Perry county, who is now
near his centenuia al anniversary, the opinion
that he would not be able to pass. He
placed himself, however, under the tutor!
ship of William I. Clark. gentleman OF
education, who kept . nursery near Somer
set. He worked night and day at his studies
for about six weeks. He passed. and entered
the academy in 1913 This ended Phil
Sheridan's residence in Somerset. he being
then seventeen years old. His Ion gest visit
TO his home subsequently was in 1851, when
some FRANKS at West Point resulted In sew
eral months suspension. Since MS entry
into the service a. officer his visits have
been short-frOm three days TO q week
Sheridan at home after he had achieved
military eenOwn, was no more cOnseNuen-
tai ia his manner than the cash boy and
village salesman; in fact, the villagers seem
20 be on familiar tefmS with the wboie Shey-
idan family. They ignore titles, and speak
of Phil and Mike and John W tn repub!i-
can simplicity That has an odd SOUND o. one
who has never seen the distinguished Gen
era} through rural spec,acles. When in
store where he formerly supplied the village
maidens with thread and needles. He
makes the distance between the public
square and tho suburban home of his pare I
on foot, and has many friendly greeting
with old acquaintapces. On the occasion
of General Sheridan's first visit TO Somerset
after the civil war party OF his friends Sc
cured band and, proceeding to the cottage
where he was stopping, with his father,
made formal demonstration. The Gen
eral made his appearance, rebuking his
! friends for the fOrnalities of the OCCASION,
and mingled with them in such hospitable,
| everyday style, that they felt ashamed Of
having projected anything more than a
neighborly call.