Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-02-07
PHILLIP H. SHERIDAN.


Everything is possible in republic.
This axiom has never been more clearly
Illustrated than in the career of Phillip
II. Sheridan. Less than one hundred
years ago his ancestors were crossing
the ocean; poor Irish emigrants. To-
day their decendant Is at the head OF
the armies of the United States. Such
an elevation would, OF course, be inn
possible in any European country. The
influence and prestige of high birth are
too great there TO allow any such pro-
motion.
Sheridan was appointed to the United
States Military Academy in 1S48, and
graduated therefrom in 1852. Upon
graduation, he entered an infantry reg
lment, and served in that arm of the
service until the Rebellion broke out.
His career before the Rebellion was that
of the ordinary lieutenant of infantry.
He was mentioned in orders for gallant
~ in action against Indians, but, be-
yond his immediate army associates
and his own family, his name was I'M
Known
He took an active partin the war of
the Rebellion from the very start, but
in the early part of it made no great fig
ure. This was probably fortunate for
him; for the military regulations which
blossomed early in that struggle were
,oorIv, oil blasted bof,,va ;ts oloea H.
commanded division at the battle of
Murfreesboro in December, 1862, as also
at Chickamaugua in the following Sep
TENDER, bat neither of these battles
gave much glory to the participants.
At Chattanooga, November, 1868, 'he
was more fortunate; for he command.
ed a division in Thomas Army of the
Cumberland, and participated in the
magnificent charge and capture OF the
Rebel works on Missionary Ridge.
When Grant went to the East ia the
spring of 1S64, he sent for Sheridan in or
der to makeIhim the chief of the cavalry
corps OF the army of the Potomac. This
was Sheridans proper place, and thence
forward his career was one OF almost
continual successes. He tooK part with
his tro 1pers in all the operations of the
Overland Campaign of 1864.
In July, 1884, Lee made an effort to
shake Grant loose at Petersburg by send
ing Et, ly north To threaten Washington.
The Rebel leader almost entered the I'm
ion capital bat was checked just in the
nick of time. He retired into the Shen-
andoah Valley. and so N Sheridan was
sent 10 , oppose him there. The history
sa -lSs
household story. After several hard
battles, Sheridan drove his opponent
out of the Valley, and swept it clean OF
everything that could sustain an aEEay,
1t was a cruel expedient. but it was
necessary to prevent the Valley from
being the highway for the Rebel raids.
Sheridan was engaged in the campaign
around Petersburg III the spring of 1865,
and commanded the Union forces at the
battle of Five Forks, April 1. When Lee
commenced his retreat westward, the
night of the 2, Sheridan also struck west
and when, April g., the fleeing Rebels
reached AppomattOx Court Houses they
found Sheridan's cavalry across their
path: and, Grant coming up in the rear,
there was nothing left for them but eur
render.
At the close of the war Sheridan was
clearly one of its three great heroes. He
was already major-general in the reg
ular army aHd when Grant was eleYat-
ed to the Presidency in 1873, aud Sher-
man became General of the army Sheri-
dan was promoted to be lent-generral
In November last, Sherman retired
from the head of the Army, and sheri-
dan, retaining his rank Of Lieutenant
General, was called to Washington IL
take command of the Army. AS he is
but fifty three years old, he will, IN the
ordinary course of events, retain his
place in command of our military
forces for eleven years. Congress
would do q generous and graceful act e
it were tn give the hero Of
Winchester and Five Forks the
grade of General of the Army. This posi-
ton has been honorably held by Grant
and sherman; and were Sheridan 20 re-
cieve it, it would iall into no unworthy
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