The Irish standard., 1895-06-01
GALLANT Phil, SHERIDAN
The Parents of the Gallant Hero of
Winchester Came From the
lrish County OF Cavan.
Gen. Rcsecrans, in His Report,
Said He Was Worth His
Weight in Gold.
In His Boyiiood Days He Often
Served FIass For the Do
minican Fathers.

rninican Fathers.
The idol of the army because OF the
fiery energy and bravery he displayed ON
the battlefield, Phil Sheridan-to call the
rider Of Winchester by his most tamil
lar name--won warm place in the heart
Of every American citizen by the modest
manliness and true worth which he SO
often exhibited in more peaceful times,
and when the tidings of his death was
announced from the Massachusetts ham
let, the South as well as the North and
the East and the West, mourned for his
loss and wept above his bier.
From his personal Memoirs we learn
that Gen. Sheridan, the third child Of his
family, was born at Albany, N. Y, March
6, 1881. His parents came to this coun-
try from the Irish County of Caven The
year before, and settled first in Albany,
but, In 1882, transferred themselves and
their children to Somerset, in Perry
county, Ohio, where, on a small farm
just outside the village, the elder Sher-
idan died 20 years ago. The youth of
the future famous general was that OF the
average Buckeye boy in those days. He
attended the village school, from whose
sessions, however, he admits that he was
not adverse to "hooking-jack up to his
14th year, when he became a clerk in
one Of the village groceries. at the muni-
ficent salary of $24 a year. Twelve
months later another employer bid $50
annually for his services and secured
them, and in less than II months an
other merchant offered him double that
sum yearly to become a clerk in his dry
goods store. Young Sheridans bright
ambition, excited by the Mexican war,
was to 20 to West Point and become a
soldier. BY good luck he secured from
Hon. Thomas Ritchey, the congressman
Of the district, an appointment to enter
the class Of 1S4S, studied for and Sue
cessfully passed his examination, and in
due season started for West Point, going
by way of Cleveland, across the lake to
Buffalo, and then by sail to Albany,
where an uncle of his resided, with whom
he spent few days. He entered the
military as one of the 63 members Of
the class of lS48, had for a room mate
Henry w. Slocum, since distinguished in
many ways, and got along famously until
the fall of 1851 when fit of temper,
which caused him to quarrel with anoth-
er cadet who, he thought, had treated
him unfairly, led to his suspension for
year and delayed his graduation until
July, 1858.
Commissioned at his graduation
brevet second lieutenant in the First
RGSment, U. S. r, young Sheridan was
rrytn hn
had the usual experience of officers at
military outposts, barely escaping cap
ture by the Indians on one occasion. In
1854 he was promoted to a. second lieu
tenancy in the fourth infantry and order
ed to Fort Reading, Cal, connected with
which command he remained up to the
outbreak of the civil war and his return
to the East His experiences on the Pa
cifc slope during these seven years wera
varied. He participated in the Yolzi'na
campaign, was specially mentioned il.
one of Lie1lt.-Gen. Scott's general orders:
for gallantry; learned to speak Chinook,
and, in his memoirs" he refers; to the
wanton destruction Of Catholic mis-
sion directed by Father Pandozu in the
Yokima valley, as a 'disgraceful plum
dering' of which the officers were un-
aware until it was ended.
At the time of his transfer to the East,
In September, 1851, Sheridan was ap-
pointed captain OF the 18th infantry, the
colonel being then w. T. Sherman: and
to reach that command, which was sta
toned at Jefferson Barracks, Mo-, he
sailed from Portland, Ore, for. New
York, whence he went by sail to St.
Louis, stopping at Somerset for a day
and a night, and on his arrival at St.
Louis he was made chief Quartermaster
and commissary of the Army OF South
west Missouri, by Gen. Halleck. His
immediate commander was Gen. Samuel
r. Curtis, with whom he subsequently
had a difference, because Of Sheridan's
refusal to sanction some roguery, and the
outcome of the dispute was that brief
period in which he acted in the capacity
of purchasing agent, with Chicago as his
headquarters, Sheridan was ordered to
report to Gen. Halleck; did SO at Pitts
burg Landing, and was assigned for duty
in the Typographical corps. His real act
i've service may be dated from May 25,
1852, when general order named him
the colonel Of the 2nd Michigan cavalry,
and ordered to take command at once.
This he did, finding his regiment near
Pennington. Miss, and two days after
his appointment he participated in the
battle of Bonneville, where, in the man
ner in conducted himself and handled his
men may be judged from what Gen.
Rosencrans said in his report, when ask
ing Sheridan's promotion to a brigadier-
generalship, that commander added: ''He
is worth his weight in gold. His Ripley
expedition has brought us captured let
ters of immense value, as well as pris-
oners, showing the rebel plans and dis
positions"
To follow Phil Sheridan in every action
in which he took part from Bonneville
on to the close Of the war, and to do
even the scantiest justice to his intrepid
daring, consummate skill and mastery
strategy, would require volumes. Rosen-
Grams commentator won him the straps
Of q brigadier, his promotion dating from
the day of the Bonneville battle; and his
next important engagement was at Per-
ryville, Ky.,Oct. s, 1862, where he again
distinguished himself. "Old Rosy" as
sumed command of the department the
same month, and Sheridan contributed
greatly to the magnificent victory which
he won at Stone River, and was again
q = mended that generous leader
a