The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-14
PHIL. SHERIDAN AT HOME.

Chicago News.
| When asked what State he halls FROM the
man in search of information concerning the
birthplace of General Phil H. Sheridan is
very liable to be misinformed, unless he
searches the record. 1t is a little singular
that the man who is about to become the
head of the army has been claimed by two
States-Massachusetts and Ohio-while Ire
land put in her title when his star began to
dazzle. Two American authors give him to
Massachusetts. The gentleman himself
never bothered himself about the
mistake. There is good old
mother eighty-th years of age, down in
Perry, Somerset county, Ohio, who is occu-
plying the same house to-day that she did
when her boy Phil. came into life. She is
modest mother In the light which her
sons fame has created she has never intrud-
Ell. From the demonstrations that have clus-
tered about him she has stood aloof There is
no one else to share with her this quiet con-
temptation save three sons. 1t is the
humblest sort of home and about its
hearthstone, once q year, the man who
charmed old King William is to be seen chat
ting to his mother. Nothing deters him
from these annual pilgyimages where he sees
the cradle in which he was rocked The
father is asleep out in the field beyond The
eldest son and sister are near by. John L. is
a lawyer by profession and a cattle-trader in
the Indian Territory. Philip is fifty-two
years old, and is soon to step into the shoes
OF William Tecumseh Sherman. Michael is
Northumberland on the staff and private
secretary.
The average biographer's weakness is the
boyhood of his hero in detail Not SO with
the writer's of the life of General Sheridan.
This failure has not annoyed the man who
lives at 2, 007 Michigan avenue, in this CITY,
Inc peace which surrounds the private life
OF the occupant seems to be too perfect to be
broken by his contemplated removal. Tie
house where he lives is simple i'll its
construction, plain in its exterior.
The furnishings are plain. One would
know, as he wanders about it, that its
master had been a soldier at some time. The
pictures on the wall, the statuary, the books
in the library, indicate the character of the
man. There is one room that is filled with he'll
NETS, bonnets, swords, spears, shells, and the
various implements OF war used by civilized
and savage nations. He has gathered store
house of these. And when he saunters about
them, or when he looks at his pictures or his
books twins toddle after him, get tangled in
his feet, and tug at the tails of his coat until
he picks them up, one in each arm, and goes
rollicking about the lawn with them if it is
as bright in the sky as it is under his own
roof. Two others, boy and girl, the first
Phil. Sheridan jr., come in for recognition.
and get it. 1t doesn't take any fathoming to
discern that the wife and mother of this
home is just the happiest in Chicago. This
is all the more pleasant to think about when
one is reminded that she is not much more
than half way up to him in years.
They all sit down to the table together,
when nobody's there to intrude Those
twins get served first. They get helped as
off nc haty xri5I, inch 1rt,r h IL
ter holds out, They know there is a ride for
them, and they know that no circus can ever
come to town and get away without their
presence guarded by the same man who at
tracted the eye of Grant at Missionary Ridge
They have their little parties and their little
entertainments. They shout and roll about
| and play, and sometimes go to the matinees.
The General plays eucre with his guests
the only game he does play-and these
cherubs never disturb him, though they
| may crawl between his legs and steal his
cards.
II don't know what he wants with a car
riagefor himself" said one of his friends; The
never gets into it when he can helpit. If the
| day is fine he likes to walk down town, and
| if it isn't, he had rather come in horse
| car" By the way, it is little curious that
a man who is as fond of horseAesh as he,
| and who is so superb when mounted, should
never be found in the saddle any more.
When his last war horse, Winchester, died,
a few years ago. this love for the possession
of that sort of flesh went out with him.
| One who knows him well vouches for the
truth of the story that the first time Phil.
| Sheridan was ever on horse was when Bill
| Seymour, boy in Perry county, Ohio, put
him on frey animal, unsaddled, unbridled,
| ana Told him to hold on with his knees And
| he did until the horse had galloped about
| two miles across an open country, when the
beast came to halt. Phil was still on his
Il IL 1-.1l 4, Il
the talk of the country. Gossip was scarce
| in those days.
He was an errand boy and the driver of a
water-cart in GAINESVILLE. His elder brother
| had some influence with the congressman of
the district and in 1913 had Phil appointed
as cadet to the United States Military
Academy. No need to follow him from the
graduating class to the close of the war. In
| school he was a student. The honor of dis
covery OF his merits as a soldier lies between
General Grant and the late Edwin NJ. Stan
ton. The two latter and President Lincoln
were talking one evening about the cavalry
being without head or leader. Buford was
dead.
How would Sheridan do?. asked the Sec
rotary of War.
That's the very man." answered. Gen.
Grant.
do you know him? asked President Lin
coin,
81 do" replied Gen. Grant. II watched
him at Missionary Ridge"
"Send for him." responded the President
He is one of the best-dressed men on the
streets OF Chicago. His tailor lives here, and
says he has the best figure of any customer
he has. His fits are of the glove pattern, and
as he walks down the street with a cigar,
switch cane in his hand, a white hat and his
apparel without wrinkle, he is as graceful
figure as appears in the passing show"
| He is most respectful in his pew at St. Ma
RVS, where he can be found nearly every
| Sunday. His nearestapproash to aristocratic
bearing is his chest.
He is to leave Chicago in September for
Washington to succeed General Sherman
This reminds one that he was one of the
| first captains in Sherman's regiment. His
| going will rob Chicago of one of its most