Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-08-31


der grew. The rare qualities which
came out afterward at the front, were
being formed and developed by that
life on the plains. An occasional Skin
mish with the Indians gave him taste
of war. and his ambition was stirred by
success and honorable mention for gal
lantry. The elements of the great
leader were in the man, and he only
waited that call Of God which men name
opportunity, To fight his way To the fore
most place possible for an American
soldier. The errands OF God came thick
and fast from '6l to IS, and Sheridan
was called to higher things by a series
of brilliant successes, and rapid promo
motions, which would have utterly
ruined "a weaker man, but ii was time
when men lived years in a day, and
they had no opportunity to be spoiled by
popular favor, no leisure to indulge in
personal vanity.
From captaincy in the new 18th In
fantry, Sheridan was appointed Quar-
ter-master on the staff of Gen. Curtis;
then after Corinth. on the recommended
ton of Gen. Halleck, he was appointed
by Gov. Blair as Colonel of our second
Michigan cavalry. After the defeat Of
Early at Opekon by favor of Gen. Grant,
he was made a Brigadier. and little
later after the famed ride at Winches-
ter. he reached the full grade of Major
General in the regular army.
Crowned with laurels, honored and
beloved by the army, and counted 10y
the whole country as among her chief
heroes, Sheridan came out Of that four
years of testing with such a record as
very few military men have ever at
tanned.
In 1869 he became Lieut.. General, and
in 1883 he assumed command of the
army and relieved Gen. Sherman, who
voluntarily stepped aside to give his
admired friend the place. which only
his retirement in 1854 would have made
vacant.
! have just touched upon the salient
points of the story of our hero's life, but
that story is so familiar to the many
who listen here to-day. that no extended
notice from me, would be proper or per-
tinent on this occasion. The struggle
through which our nation passed dur
ing these four years from 81 TO '65. was
of such sort as made every man inn
mortal who did his duty on field or flood.
and to stand among the foremost Of
those who fought for, and gained the
results made sure to us at AppomattOX,
is glory enough for any man. God had
a purpose in that struggle, and the way
toward the righteous end had been
paved. by a series Of events which in the
light of history stand ont now, clear and
distinct as steps toward the final tri-
umph Of right over wrong. The hot dis
cusSions of years in the Senate cham
Der, the occasional scenes Of violence
there, the fiery appeals of Garrison and
Gerritt Smith, the thunderings of Sum-
ner and GiddingS, the fearful tale of
Mrs. Stowe, the telling statistics Of
Helpers Impending Crisis, and the mar
tyr death of John Brown. all these
thrilling events OF our country's story
were as Gods wonders wrought of old
I'm Egypt. Let my people go' was the
great command. and events moved on.
obedient until the exodus, and We.
standing on the safe shore of a score Of
years departure, from the scenes of that
day of triumph, may we'll forget the
bitterness of the past. We may well
join hands and voices now, in praise of
our country's heroes as one by one they
are mustered out.
In our more thoughtful hours 1t is
with hearts full of gratitude we review
the years, and count the mighty men Of
valor whom God raised up for us in our
sore need.
The end was for long months at best
an unknown quantity, and the problem
to the solution Of which our choice men
gave their strength appeared sometimes
quite too hard But God had that So
luton in mind. and though the process
seemed strangely slow, there was pro-
gress as we see to-day, and just as rapid
progress too as was best for our imper-
lied land. God could have solved it
sooner doubtless, but in mercy he held
the forces in check until the time was
ripe. Then the end came, quick and
sharp. There were many grand factors
which combined, grew into that glori-
ous result of '65, but among them few
if any contributed more to bring about
that result than he whom we mourn to-
day. AS we read the story Of his life
we find the man in the boy. The
thoughtless fiery impulse which attack
ed and routed the hated file closer at
West Point. was the root out of which
grew that resistless enthusiasm which
drove Early from the valley. and sent
him "whirling through Winchester. ="
1t was the push and pluck of the Irish
boy of Somerset which drove the squad
rons Of Stuart in mad. fatal chase up
TO the very Entertainments of Richmond.
1t was the self-contrOl the lad learned
by discipline. which kept the man from
doing a daring deed that day, which
would have purchased popularity for
him. at the cost Of the lives of his brave
followers. He could have rode into
Richmond that night, and his praise
would have filled the whole north. but
it would have cost the blood of many
brave heart; and among the multitude
of reasons why we praise our great cap
tain to-day. this one stands chief. He
was unselfshly great. He would not
rise upon the stepping stones Of slaugh-
tered men, nor be counted a hero at
cost of any mans blood. The air is
not filled with wild huzzas to-day. but
in this silent hour many a soldier recalls
with tenderness the way the chieftain
cared for the brave fellows he led. and
many a voice which once rang his
praises at the battles front, tells the
story softly and tenderly to-day-the
fearful story Of the big-hearted, gener-
Gus kindness of our dead hero: and all
the soldiers love for his idoliZed leader
4 l..