The Irish standard., 1897-08-07
ing Chickamauga, and Chattanooga, de

ing Chickamauga, and Chattanooga, de-
rive value from his associations with
them. At Chickamauga the National
right was driven off the field, and was
in great danger of being cut off. Dur
ing the battle there was msconcap-
tlon or orders. which left gap in the
center of the line, which the enemy at
once entered The right being .hus
thrown out of the fight. the center was
greatly imperiled. For some time the
battle seemed irrevocably lost, but Sher-
1dan alone rallied many of the soldiers
on the retreating center and Joined
Thomas, and in spite of fierce and re-
peated attacks of the enemy. the entire
force fell slowly back in good order.
within the defences of CHATTANOOGA
The fame of "Sheridan's Men" rang
through the South and North alike. and
both sides listened to their tramp with
breathlessness. for they knew that Sher.
ldan's soldiers would either hew their
way or be hewn themselves, every time
the trumpet sounded the march. The
battle of Missionary Ridge. Nov. 1925
aS63, stamped Sheridan's worth in let
tiers of gold both in the army and
Rmong the people. Sheridan's charge
IS thus described: THE men of Sheri-
nan had been kept in suspense at The
hillsides for thirty-six consecutive
hours, waiting the signal. At length
Grants cannon doomed. How quickly
Sherldan's troopers sprung forward!
They wait not for the second flash, but
dash up the steep mountain sides. Sher-
1dan is leading. The crCss-fi fire Of the
Confederates pours down like Il tide of
IRE from the ramparts above. but still
the men Of Sheridan press up, up. to-
WaGd the lofty SUBMITS of the ridge
He is at their head waving his sword
and calling on every man to follow
There's no resisting his words. Twenty
batteries, belch their fiery torrents down
upon them. but up they stride through
the frowning cliffs. with charge after
charge. carrying everything beforJ
them. The leader falls. A groan. n
cheer he's up once more his horse is
dea0. The highest peak is neared, and
Sheridan. sword in hand continues ,he
fight on foot. The first to reach the
conquered parapets. he. swings his
sword in triumph. and his own cheers
mingle with those of his heroic men,
when Sheridan reached tho rifle pits
on the top the Confetlcrates were still
holding fast at Bragg's Headquarters
ana battery there opened fire Wildly
cheering, Sheridan's men advanced and
soon drove the Confedcrates from their
last position. The captured guns were
at once turned on the fleeing enemy
who scattered in all directions. Bragg
thus suffered great defeat. and, driven
from Missionary Ridge. retreatcd 10
Dalton, Ga. In this action Sheridan
first attracted the marked attention 81
Gen. Grant, who saw that he might he
one Of the most useful lieutcnan;s i'm
the future. After this battle which is
deemed the turning point Of his upward
career. as establishing his capacity
as leader Of men without question, 1t
was not long after that he was placed
IN command of all the cavalry in tho
Grand Army of the Potomac. Here hs
seemed in his element; to the instincts
anu talents OF general he Joined The
Op1o fn,,
with Grant upon the overland canpaign
he took part in the battle of the Wild
erness. May 5 and g. 1864. Constantly in
the van or on the wings. he was en-
gagged in raids and threatening the Con-
federate TANKS and rear. His fight MT
Todd's Tavern. May Z. was an impor-
tant aid to the movement of the army:
his capture OF Spnltsylvania Courthouse
May 8 added to his reputation for timely
dash and daring; but more astonishing
was his great raid. from May 8 to the
oath. But the brilliant glory that cir
cles around Sheridan's name, however,
was won by him as the heavy fighter
Of the last days of the war. Early in
"a all attention was directed to the
central field of operations in Virginia.
Grant had assumed control of the army
and was concentrating forces tha"n,
Bearing on it's bayonets the fate Of the
Confederncy. Lees army of Northern
Virginia stood erect and deflanl-de-
Tending Richmond. threatening Wash
ington. fit leader for The cavalry
corps of the great Union army had long
been wanted. This dcsideralum was
fillGa by the appointment of Gen Sher-
idan. Moving down with Grant through
the Wilderness, Sheridan's bold horse
men seemed omnipresent They swept
: in circles around and beyond the Cen.
federate lines, capturing supplies, tut
ting away communications. inilicling
severe blows and defying all attempts
made to capture or crush them. On
May Sheridan moved on Frcdarirl.s-