Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-09
Biographical.

Biographical.
General Philip Henry Sheridan was
born at Somerset, Perry county, Ohi0,
March 6, 1881. A few years at the village
school, followed by salvice in the village
store, furnished him his education and
training until a fortunate application to
the Congressman of his district made
him, i'll 1913, cadet at West Point. He
| should have been graduated in 1852, bat
| a years suspension, the result of a quar-
rel with fellow-stndent, transferred him
to the class of 1853, in which he ra2ked
thirty-foUrth among its ifty-two mem
| bers. He was appointed a brevet Second
Lieutenant of Infantry July l, 1858; in
the following year was assigned to the
First Infantry, in Texas, and on Novem-
Der %, 1854, received his commission as
| second lieutenant of the Fourth
| Infantry. With the latter regiment he
served during the next six years in Wash
| ington Territory and Oregon. In one of
| Gen. SCOTS orders this mention of him
is found: "ApriI %, 1856, Brevet Lieut..
Col. E. j. Steptoe, Ninth Infantry, com
manding com panies A, E, F, and I, same
regiment, and detatchments of company
E, First Dragons, and company L., Third
Artillery, in all 200 men, at the Cascades,
W. T., repulsed the Indians in their at
tack on that place. The troops landed
under fire, routing and dispensing the
| enemy at every point X X X Second
Lieutenant Philip II. Sheridan, Fourth
Infantry, is especially mentioned for his
gallantry."
| THROUGH THE RESIGNATION
of Southern officers and the creation of
new regiments on the outbreak of the
civil war, Sheridan secured a first lieu
tenancy in March, 1861, and May 14th he
was made a captain in the Thirteen tn
Regiment. The day before Christmas he
was appointed quartermaster on the staff
of General Curtis, comman ding the army
of southwest Missouri. Being recom
mended to the Governor of Michigan, he
was commissioned May, 25, 1862, as col
onel of the second Michigan cavalry, then
near Cornith, and took part with it in
Elliot's raid against the railroad. July
he fought brilliant battle at Bonneville,
and his appointment of brigadier general
of volunteers was dated from the action.
During the autumn of 1862 Sheridan
was transferred to Kentucky, there re-
ceived command of the Eleventh Division
of the Army of the Ohio, under Buell.. At
the battle of Perryville he maneuvered
his division with conspicuous skill and
effect, and at the bloody battle of Muir
freesboro he held the key point for sever
al hours in the first days fighting, dis
playing superb tactical skill and the
greatest gailantry. On the recommends
| tion of Rosecrans, VINO had succeeded
Buell., he was made Major General of
volunteers.
Advancing from Murfreesboro and
Tullahoma across the Cumberland Noun
tains and Tennessee, Sheridan, Sept. 10
and 20, distinguished himself again in
the battle at Chickamauga with Bragg.
At the storming of Lookout Mountain
| Sberidan's division was the first to cross
the crest. This battle was the culminat-
| ing point of his career in the West.
In the spring of ga Sheridan took COM
mand of the cavalry corps of the Army
of the Potomac, under Grant, and when
the May CAM aign opened he pioneered
the army on its path
| THROUGH THE WILDERNESS,
and thence to Spottsylvania. May 7, ne
| fought battle at Todd's Tavern, and
two days later he made a cavalry expe-
dition within the eneny's lines, dashing
upon the outworks of Richmond itself,
when he took hundred prisoners. The
return to the army May "a having de-
stroyed many miles of railroad track and
recaptured 375 Union soldiers on their
way to Libbey Prison. During June and
July Sheridan was engaged in number
of minor battles, serving with the great
est distinction. Toward the end of July
he moved north of the James to aid Gen
eral Hancock's Operations at Deep Bot
tom, and July % he was engaged at
| Darby town.
On the 7th of Aug ust, Grant put Shsri
| dan In command of the middle Military
Division, and for six weeks he was kept
on the defensive near Harper's Ferry, his
forces opposing those Of General
Early. Sept. 10, however, as Early's
forces had been diminished, he crossed
the Aupequon, and after a severe battle
completely defeated the Confederates.
Tne next day, at Grants recommends
ton, President lincoln appointed Sheri-
dan brigadier general in the regular
army. Pursuing Early up the valley turn
pike, Sheridan again defeated him and
forced him to withdraw to Browns Gap.
He then withdrew, and, at the re-
quest of Secretary Stanton for consulta-
tion, went to Washington, Oct. Is. On
returning, when at Winchester, he heard
the noise of battle
DOZEN MILES AWAY.
Early, aided by fog, had sur prised the
left of the Union army, and, III Sheridan's
absence had driven it back beyond Mid
dletown. With an escort of only 20 mel
Sheridan rode to the scene of battle, and, !
in lull or a few hours, succeeded in raj
lying his forces. He then ordered an adj |
vance, and swept the enemy from the |
field IN one of the most overwhelming
route Of the war. Congress, in recogni- !
ton of his services, passed vote of |
thanks to him and his troops for the |
brilliant series of victories in the val |
ley"
Sheridan was also appointed By the
president major general in the regular
army for personal gal,antry, military
skill, and just confidence in the courage
and patriotism of your troops, displayed
by you on the 18th day of October"
Feb. 81, 1865, General Sheridan moved
his cavalry, 10000 strong, up the valley to
Wsynesboro, where, March 2, it over