The National tribune., 1883-06-28
ROSY ON LITTLE PBIL.
Some Interesting Incidents Concerning
Sheridan'S Early Career.

Spending an evening with General Rosecrans
last week, q representative of THE TRIBUNE
asked him If General Sheridan, while serving
under his command in 1862 and 1863, displayed
any of the qualities that subsequently distin-
guished him as commander of the cavalry of
the Army of the Potomac.
"Yes,n said the General, son several occa-
sions One occurred early in his career as a cav
airy officer in Mississippi, when he was colonel
of the Second Michigan cavalry. Soon after
the evacuation of Corinth by Beauregard, I was
at General Pope's headquarters one day, when a
Confederate officer named Avery, think, was
exchanged for Captain W. III. McMiehael. On
his way to the Confederate lines ] knew that
he would pass an outpost consisting of a cav
airy battalion, at Boonville, and would if he
had his wits about him, when he got back to
his command, report its weakness to General
Beauregard. / mentioned my suspicious to
Pope, but he thought there was no danger and
made no movement in the matter.
'The next day Pope left camp on the leave
of absence that brought him here to command
the Army of Virginia, and my first act on as
Stunning command was to send for Sheridan.
My orders to him were to march at once to
Boonyille and look out for an attack as soon as
he got there. He had just succeeded to the
command of Elliott's brigade, who had been
promoted to brigadier-general, and his two regi-
ments the Second Michigan and Second Iowa
cavalry, were equal to any in the service.
Boonville vas twenty miles from Camp Clear
Creek, where had my headquarters, and Gen
eral Asboth, at Rienzi, within nine miles of
Boonville, was stationed with brigade of in
fantry and a battery Of artillery. Sheridan
reached Boonyille on the night of June 80, and
next morning early, Chalmers division COM
manded, / believe, by Red Haired Jackson,
with eight or ten regiments of cavalry, came
up on a passiar to gobble up the battalion and
inspect the Yankee lines
1.-The pickets of both forces came in contact
two or three miles beyond Boonville, and the
Union picket fell slowly back upon the re-
serves, taking advantage of every tree and
fence to show their skill with their revolving
rifles 1t finally became necessary for the en-
envy to deploy two regiments to flank the
picket who, reserving their fire until they were
close upon them, turned such rapid fire upon
their assailants that they were glad to get out
OF danger as fast as possible. Sheridan disposed
his little force to the best advantage and dis
patched messengers to General Asboth and to
me. at once directed Asboth to move q por-
ton of his troops on q road that would bring
his men in flank and rear of the attacking
party, and to notify Sheridan where he would
strike Meanwhile the enemy succeeded in
bell which had succeeded in holding its position
About this time Colonel Hatch command
ing the Second Iowa, came up, and with his
assistance the picket held out until the little
force was again thanked and compelled to fall
back. 1t was now time to retreat, as the enemy
had developed all his strength but the thought
does not seem to have entered Sheridans head.
When he found them turning his left flank he
determined to turn their left also, and accord
ingly detached four saber companies two from
each of his regiments, under command of Cap
tain Alger, of the Second Michigan, who made
wide detour, passing around their left flank
until he reached the Blackland road, when he
made a vigorous attack upon their rear Just
as they were recovering from their astonish-
ment at this unexpected attack the engine
came In, bearing a message from Asboth, noti-
| flying Sheridan OF his intended movement.
/ The engineer blew his whistle three or four
| times as il he had a heavily loaded train, and
| the Confederates, supposing that the re-en-
| forcements were arriving, and having seen
enough of revolving rifles, turned their faces
the ether way. just at this time Major Coon,
! of the Second Iowa. struck them In flank with
| abattalion. With Campbell III their front, Niger
| in their rear and Coon on their left, and an
! unknown quantity of re-enforcements coming
| in by railroad trains, the odds were too much
| for them, and they concluded TO abandon the
| attempt, which they did leaving their dead
| upon the field. That is what made Sheridan a
! brigadier- general.
People are in the habit Of calling Sheridan
| a dashing officer Ii dash had been all the
| quality he possessed, he would never have got
beyond brigadier generals commission.
| DISH is good dog, but HoIdiast is a better,
| and the combination OF these qualities make a
good commanding officer
Sheridan is 3 good disciplinarian. because
he sets the example of obeying orders. When
/ I assumed command OF the Army of the Cum
berland determined to organize q Topography
! ical bureau in my command that would give
NE good idea of the topography Of the
| country in my front | directed all corps di-
| vision and brigade commanders of infantry, as
we'll as cavalry, to appoint typographical en-
! gineer, whose duty II should be TO enter upon
typographical maps Of the country in orr
front the most minute details regarding the
| roads, water-courses, and lay of the land
These maps Were called in weekly and the
alterations entered upon new ones which were
in turn distributed to the typographical en-
| gineers. had great difficulty in getting the
officers to understand what | wanted, and
| among the few who seemed to grasp the i'm.
portance of the work was Sheridan. He ex-
| tended his information of the country so far to
the front as to thoroughly familiarize himself
with its features. and at a meeting of corps
! commanders that called at my Headquarters
before starting ON the Tullahoma campaign he
was the only division commander invited to be
present
He was not only industrious and accurate
in collecting information, but he was botl
cautious and bold in pushing reconnaissance!
| towards the enemy's lines.
" If | had retained command OF the Army
of the Cumberland, it was my intention K
make him corps commander, and I was no
surprised When | found that he had won ;
high position in the Eastern army"