Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-01-09
RECoTf.EcrIoSs OF SHERIDAN.
why the Soldiers Liked Him-Hem-
iniscenses OF Chaplain

WHY the Soldiers bfkeu fHthn-
iniscenses OF Chaplain
Within the last two or three years
death has been uncommonly busy IN cut
ting down the leading men who TOOK
part in the Civil War. Among those
who have fallen within the year has been
Genl. Sheridan, who had attained the
highest military rank in the Army OF
the United States. propose TO give
some personal recollections OF him while
commanding the Army of the Shenan-
doah. !,
InJuly, 1864, General Grant suggested
TO President Lincoln to place under one
commander all the forces operating IN
the vicinity OF Harper's Ferry and IN
the Shenandoah Valley. To the prop
ostion to form one military depart
ment, the Presidents consent was readily
given and Grant was asked to nominate
the commander. He proposed General
William Buel Franklin. But the mill
tary officials Of Washington had sought
to force upon this gallant officer the re-
sponsibility of Burnside's great failure
at Fredericksburg. They had no sym
pathy in Grants generous proposal to
reinstate him in high position, so a sec
ond nomination was asked. Grant
named General George G.. Meade. but
the President objected to taking hum
from the command of the Army OF the
Potomac. Grant then made third
nomination, that of Philip II. Sheridan,
his chief of cavalry. He only proposed
to spare him for brief time and sug-
gested that the command should be given
him as temporary measure.
Sheridan was sent TO Washington,
and Grant himself followed the next
day, going as far as Monocacy Bridge to
meet General Hunter. When Hunter
asked to be relieved, Grant sent to Hal
lock instructions, August 9th: 'Send
Sheridan by morning train to Harper's
Ferry. Give him orders to take general
command of all the troops in the field
within the division" Sheridan met
Grant at Monocacy Bridge that after
noon, and the next morning crossed the
Potomac River and assumed his com
mand. Grant returned to Washington
and thence to City Point.
Sheridans command consisted of the
Sixth, Eighth, and Nineteenth Army
Corps, with Cavalry force, making a
total OF Sixty-eight thousand troops.
The new Department Commander had
been transferred from the West,
and was personally unknown to the
members of the Sixth Corps. to which
belonged the New Jersey Brigade. We
had only heard of him MS an officer Of
some dash and in high estimation with
General Grant.
The Sixth Corps was soon moving
again up the famous Valley. One day
a mounted troop forced its way through
our infantry column very much to the
of Colonel Campbell of the
18th n. J. Regiment. The Colonel put
spurs to his horse AM dashed towards |
The intruder who was leading, to remon-
strate, and just in time saw the two stars
upon the shoulders of the ''little chap"
md recognized the headquarters flag
IF General Sheridan. 1t was the first 1
lime we had ever seen him, and the word 4
passed from man to man, THAT is Gen I
sral Sheridan.
From that day we became more famil-
ar with the personal appearance of the
lew commander l will not say he was I
He was below medium
Iize, with a red face, and rode large /
horse of dark color. But the rider and
horse grew in our estimation, as day
.fter day they passed us on the march,
" visited the camps. Sheridan was
much more atfable towards the officers
md men of his command than most
and he lost nothing by pleas
al a,.1 II l. Z
Don got to calling him "Phil. Sherry"
or the soldiers had name of their own
'oining for every general they served
lnder.
The choice by Sheridan of General
rorbert, our old brigade commander, as
lis chief OF cavalry, was also pleasing to
he First n. j. Brigade, and we almost
ook the selection as q compliment to
ourselves.
General Grant paid q second visit to
he Army Of the Shenandoah on the 10Th
# September. Sheridan gave his plans
n his own enthusiastic way to the 1t
ieneral, who added nothing except his
learty approval, and afterwards said,
The result was such that have never
ince deemed it necessary to visit
ieneal Sheridan before giving him or
lers"
The BATTLE OF OPEoUAN, as officially
allied, but more commonly known as
hat of WINCHESTER, was fought on
Monday, Sept 10th, 1864. There was
ONE severe fighting all the morning
With varying success. At one time the
Corps was driven back in
disorder, and Sheridan dashed in among
hem himself to bring them back into
inc. When his forces had all come up,
Sheridan rode along the front, speaking
TO the men, and telling them
what he expected them to do. He
oused the troops to the greatest enthus-