The Irish standard., 1888-06-16

1855. two years after his graduation,
out in Oregon and Washington Terri.
tory. Apart from occasional brushes
with the hostile redskins, who would
persist on going on the warpath occa-
sionally, there were long marches to be
made, deep rivers to cross and dense
woods to penetrate. and these things
had often to be accomplished in the
winter season when the snow lay deep
on the ground or blew thickly through
the air. 1t is related of the young lieu
tenant, however. that he never asked
any of his men to perform duty which
he could not do himself. If there was
danger to be faced, he was first to con-
front it, and it is told Of him that ON a
certain occasion, having need to investi-
gate canoe that he saw beached on an
island in klamath lake, the young COM
nander, without waiting to order any
Of his dragons to follow him, waded
through the water to accomplish his
purpose.
When the civil war broke out Sher-
idan, then captain, was acting as
quartermaster out in Missouri, and, by
lucky incident, he chanced to quarrel
with one OF his superiors, and threw up
his appointment in consequence.
Michigan was then raising regiment
Of cavalry for service in the Union army,
and the colonelcy being offered TO Sher-
idan, he at ohce accepted it and went to
the war as the commander of the Second
Michigan cavalry. The confederate
guerillas were busi]y engaged in raiding
through Missouri in 1882, and it was il
conflict with one of these raiding bands,
that of General Elliott, who descended
on Bonneville. that Captain Sheridan
Won his first distinction. Rosecrans
was the commander OF the Union forces
in Missouri, and he lost no time in COM
plimenting the young cavalry leader ON
his coolness and gallantry, while he
recommended him to Washington for
promotion, a recommendation which
speedily resulted in Sheridan $ appoint
ment to a brigadier-g generalship. It
may be here mentioned that it was to
another famous general, Halleck, that
Sheridan owes his appointment to the
command of the Second Michigan
cavalry, for it was Halleck who, when
asked by the governor Of Michigan to
name him a person fit to be colonel Of
that command, mentioned young Sher-
idan and praised him highly for the
work he had performed out On the Pa-
cific slope in the latter half Of the ffties.
Halleck again it was who induced Grant
to call Sheridan to the East in 1861,
when he wanted cavalry commander
to help him bring his grand campaign
against Lee to successful close, though
no sooner had Ha!leck mentioned Sher-
ida,l's name than Grant, who always
kept sharp lookout for promising
lieutenants, at once exclaimed: "Ihat's
the very man I want for cavalry
leader! Send him to ne without delay"
General Sheridan saw some hard fight
ing in the West, however, before he
came East to ride soutAward from the
Rapjdan and to win his famous victory
at Winchester. He Was with Rosecrans
in The three days hghs at Stone river,
where, according to one account, he
held the Confederates at bay for hours,
and where he lost no less than 1900 Of
his brigade. He was aC Chickamauga,
when General Lytle, the author Of that
remarkable poem.
II am dying. Egypt, dying,
Ebbs the crimson life blood FAST
fell under the rain of the Confederate
batteries. He was at Missionary Ridge.
where his division reached the crest first
and swept the enemy down the farther
hillside before them, and it was at the
close of this brilliant victory that the
orders reached him commanding him to
report to Grant and assume command
of the cavalry of the army OF the Pcto-
mac. 1t is hardly necessary to detail
here General Sheridan's splendid per-
formances in Virginia. These are suf-
fciently we'll known to every American,
who has read time and again the &C
count of his glorious campaign IN the
Shenandoah valley, with its famous
victory at Winchester standing out in
bold relief above all his other successes.
AS long as Buchanan Reads poem
lives, and that is seemingly destined to
last as long as the English language is
spoken, the world will not need to be
otherwise told that
s'There is road from Winchester town,
4 good broad highway leading down;
And there, through the flash OF the morning light,
A steed as black as the steeds of night
Was seen to pass as with eagle fight,
As if he knew the terrible need,
He stretched away with the utmost speed;
Hills rose and fell-but his heart was gay,
With Sheridan fifteen miles away
Neither is there any necessity OF re-
counting to the present generation, at
least, what happened when the coal
-, Dora I