Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-01-17

tOreeonian.l

General Sheridan in his Memoirs
dilates upon the unfailing heartiness
and unquailing courage with which he
was supported in the chief command
in the Shenandoah campaign and in
the last struggle with Lee by his corps
and brigade commanders, many of
whom were his seniors at West Point.
Sheridan, when he took command OF
the army OF the Shenandoah, was but
33 years old, and had graduated from
West Point in 1858. He found the
Sixth corps commanded by Wright,
who graduated in 1S41; the Nine
teenth corps commanded by Emory,
who graduated i'm 1891; the Eighth
corps by Crook, who graduated in
1852. Among his division command
ers, David A. Russell, Sheridan's old
capt ain in Oregon, graduated in 1S45;
Seymour in 1s46, Ricketts,, 1889,
Grover in 1850, Getty in 1910. The
chief of his horse artillery was his
classmate, La Rhett Livingstone, and
among his cavalry officers was Briga-
dier General Alfred Gibbs, who gradu-
ated in 1916. At Stone river among
his brigade commanders was his class
mate, Gen. Sill. In the last campaign
against Lee, Sheridan commanded
Warren, who graduated in 1850;
Ayers, who graduated in 1S47; and
Griffin who graduated in 1s47. Hum
phreys, who supported him with the
utmost zeal, graduated in 1881, and
Early, whom he defea ed so completely,
graduated in 1897. OF all these dis
tinguished soldiers, his seniors in ago
and army service, the only man who
seemed to be disgruutled was Warren.
Gan. Sheridan says nothing bears
finer testimony to the absolute purity
and unselfishness OF the patriotism OF
his corps, division and brigade COM
manders than the fact that coming to
the army from the West, with nothing
but the laurels of division COM
mander Of infantry. he was at 80
years OF age enthusiastically well
coined and supported by these able
and experienced soldiers, some OF whom
like General Emory, were gray-hared
veterans, old enough to be his fat her.
Sheridan seems to take n genuine pride
in this fact, and cOngratulares himself
that in his whole career he had to
relieve but two subordinates. Warren
and Averill
Gems. Emory and Wright were among
the brilliant scholars of West Point,
one OF them twenty years Sheridan's
senior and the other AT least ten; and
yet, unlike that brilliant military
scholar, Warren, they never mani
Tested a particle OF GOODNESS toward
the brilliant young soldier who had
been appointed to command them.
Massena was nearly fifty when Bona
parte at twenty-six was placed over
him. and he and Augereau sneered at
the pale-faced boy general appointed
to command the army of Italy, but
after his first battle they were the
boy generals warmest admirers. But
sheridan had n warm welcome from
the start from his seniors, and Win
chester won the hearts OF his men.
Had Grant been as ably and Loyalty
supported as Sheridan by all his sub
ordinates the campaign from the Will
dsrness to Petersburg would have
been less costly and victory would not
have been deferred beyond November,
1864; but while no man had better
subOrdinates than Grant found i'm
Meade. Hancock and Gibbon, he had
some like Smith and Burnside that
were not equal to the occasion. Sun
pose Mcclellan had supported Pope
as Loyalty and as energetically as
Hancock did Grant and Wright did
sheridan, how different would have
been the result OF the barren, destruc-
tive battles OF August 1862 Sheri-
dan was fortunate not only in his
genius but in the exceptional patriot
ism Of his subordinates, old and
young.