Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-08-10

made the day n trying one and the General
was more than usually restless, but up to
nightfall no unfavorable symptoms devel-
oped. At 0:2O Col. Michael Sheridan bade
his brother good night and left his cottage
Ten minutes afterward the doctors noticed
10 their dismay recurrence Of the dread
full heart failure. They Immediately ap
piled the remedies which had proved sue
cessful in all similar previous attacks, but
this time they were without effect, and
despite all that could he done, the General
gradually sank into condition of complete
unconsciousness.
a sketch of Gen. Shcridnu'- Life.
Accounts have differed as to the place Of
Gen Sheridan's birth but according to his
own statement he was born in Albany, y
| y the family removing to Ohio soon at
ter He entered West Point at the age Of
1 : and graduated in 1853 He was first as
signed to frontier duty in Texas and after
ward served for two years in Oregon.
A month after the fall of Sumter Sheri-
dan received a commission as captain Of
the Thirteenth United States infantry and
was at once appointed chief quartermnster
Of the army Of southwestern Missouri.
year later Gen Ilallcck made him quarter
master in his Mississippi campaign. May
! -, 1862. he was made colonel of the Sec.
ond Michigan cavalry regiment. Five
| days after he was aiding vigorously in Hal
leck pursuit of Bcaurcgard from Corinth.
/ July / be- fought at Bonneville and here,
in less than two months from the date Of
| hi, commission "a. a colonel Of volunteers,
] l - a.
was assigned to the command of the lth
| division of the Army of the ohio. He met
and aided iu the defeat of Bragg at Perry
/ willie. October = lSG2 and subsequently
| marched tn the relief of Buell. at Nashville.
Then Sheridan was transferred to the Army
! of the Cumberland and fought with RpS"
| Grams at Murfreesboro. again defeating his
old antagonist Bragg Chattanooga, Chick
nmauga Lookout Mountain aud Missionary
| Ridge followed At the end of this cam
| paisu hc was los Grau,- request placed in
| command of the cavalry corp, of the Army
of the Potomac Ills services in the long
drawn and bloody battle of the Wilderness
| were notably brilliant.
/ Ia August, 1864. wc find him in command
Of an army corp, the Army Of the She
nandoah, and soon after he was given the
command of the middle military division
/ He met aud defeated Early ou the Opc1uan
! and thus won the star Of brigadier general
in the regular army, having mp to this time
held only the commission Of a captain Of
regular troops He fought at Fisher hill,
September -, lSGl He was now in the
valley of the Shenandoah he rapidly won
his enduring fame Maryland rebels. 90
says Mai Evan Rowland Jones in his Lin
coin. Stanton and Grant" "were rejoicing
at the near approach Of their deliverers.
Toward the middle Of the month the vari-
Gus dctachments from Early's army were
| converging ON Washington, expecting to
take it at n cauter. Crippled and feeble
soldiers from hospitals and offices were
/ formed into Home Guards, and 10y the
side If faithful citizens aud the garrison
they manned the defences As best they
could until finally the Sixth corps arrived
from Petersburg These old soldiers from
the front were loudly cheered as they
marched up llth street to meet Early.
Early retired with over 1000 horses and
cattle before the superior force of Gen.
Wright The campaign in the valley was
frebly conducted on the side of the Union
until Grant, growing heartily tired of the
situation on the Potomac and Shenandoah,
placed Sheridan upon the scene at the head
Of 81, 100 men and gave him the brief por-
the mandate and sent Early 'whirling down
the valley, first from Ope luan creek and
next from the strongest position in the val
ley, on Fishers hill, where the rebels were
routed with loss Of nearly all their artil-
lery. The pursuit was vigorous and relent-
less, and Early and his scattered fugitives
were compelled Ia take TO the mountain,
for safety.
Believing the enemy to be now complete
ly whipped, Sheridan encamped his army
near the scene of his victory. and went on
flying visit to Washington. Meanwhile
Early. strongly reinforced and emhittercd
by his recent disasters again advanced, de
termned on revenge. Having taken every
precaution that all should be done as noise
lessly as possible his army was moved
stealthily over rugged paths. along the hill
sides while the federal troops were peace
fully sleeping, not even dreaming that al
enemy was within miles Of Fisher hill
Sheridan had returned as far as Winches
ter, little suspecting that Early had crep
like IA panther around his army. This wa
the state Of affairs, when, with thunder
ing volley, the enemy was hurled agains
our hauks, taking possession of the riff
pits, and capturing many prisoners befor
Sheridans men were out of their tents
The favorable breeze in the earl
morn had brought tu Shrridun's experience
ear the sound of canuou--thc evidence %
battle. He was Immediately on his horse
making all haste for the front, where h
arrived at 10 O'Clock
What was done what To do. "a glance told hh
both:
Then striking his spur, with a terrible oath.
lIr dashed dawn the lime mid a storm of hul1aS
Aud the wave of retreat was checked thrrc. lie
catlSr
The sight Of the master compelled it to pause
The men were electrified 10y his appear
ance ; he was a host within himself, &C. Fac
the other way, boys, said Sheridan, goo
naturedly, I'VE are going back to our ol
camps This would not have happened if
had been with you. And this the trooI
firmly believed. The enemys fir,
!, line was soon driven in. Now came II ger
eral charge and the lines moved ON with
loud cheer in the face of 30 pieces of arti
ery including nearly all the Union gun
captured in the morning, and a perfe,
sheet Of infantry fire The rebel lines WEI
u broken and hurled back in dismay, whe
u our cavalry came down like a torrent upO
i the retreating foe and the rout was con
= plete Thus did Sheridan, without any n
Inducements, turn decided defeat into
+ complete and brilliant victory. Sheridan
fame for all time was won, and had NJ
4 this famous ride and victory over defel
=. been immortaliled in undying verse, sti
/ his fame would have been secure. III
backbone of the rebellion was broken, an
Sheridan now had only to ride on to victor!
Il In March and April, 1868, we hear of hi
u aiding in the operations about PetersbuI
!, and Richmond, closing more surely the III
= about those doomed cities. He fought Il
' battle of Five Forks and the fall of Peter
II Ia, lal -, .
pursuit Of Lee and followed him In App
% mattox where the rebel general laid dow
l. his arms.
General Sheridan will he a figure sad
J. missed, About his career there alwa,
h hung that romantic interest which attache
Is to a dashing military leader, and combin,
with this was steady admiration for soldio
.o w qualities of no less brilliant although le
= glittering quality. He was prominently
~ fighter, but he was also possessed Of judi
N ment and stragetic power.
n tIe remained bachelor until ten yea
" after the close of the war, when, in i
forty fifth year, he married Miss Rucke
daughter of one of his most devoted sta
'f officers, His married life was one Of Il
90 very happiest. He leaves four children
b., In religion he was a Roman Catholic, I
q naming true TO the traditions of his lri
g. ancestry. In politics he was a stanch r
III publican.
IL Those who knew him hest say he did n
y deserve the reputation Of a profane ma
y. ~ that he was quite the opposite, and only i
70 dulged in strong words ON great occasion
10 when the ordinary vocabulary would II
do Justice to the subject On the famo
Ig ride from Cedar Greek tn Winchester, VIII
y, Reid in his poem makes him swear "witl
On terrible oath, there were with Sheridan T.
r. staff officers, Brig Glen. George A. FC
nd sythe and Col. O'Keefe. This is what Sh,
at idan said according To Gen. Forsyth
". when he rode up and met his soldiers fl
ay ing from the enemy Boys, those of y