The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-11

rush, breaking it, driving the cavalry
back through the infantry lines. and,
in the words Of Sheridan's report. sent
the enemy whirling through Winches-
ter" For his service in this battle
and at Fishers Hill, one month later.
Merritt became brevet major general
of volunteers from Oct. 49, 1864.
In the following spring occurred the
battle of Five Forks, In which Merritt
and Fitzhugh Lee fought on opposing
sides. Some of the fieTcest fighting Of
the whole war occurred here and Cen
eral Merritt was in the thick of it
His cavalry command distinguished it
self by its gallant work on ground as
unsuitable for the operations of mount
ed troops as any that could well be Sc
lected. 1t charged through woods and
of artillery and carried everything be-
fore it. Merritts bravery was again re-
warded, this time by a brigadier general
IN the United States army, dating from
March 1S. 1865.
AT THE SURRENDER OF LEE.
In the days succeeding this conflict
Merritt'S command was in almost daily
collision with the forces of the enemy
down to the 9Th of April when Lee sur
rendered the remnant of his defeated
army. General Merritt was one Of those
present at that memorable conference in
McLean's house which marked the prac-
teal end of the attempt to disrupt the
Union. He received the exceptional honor
for gallant and meritoriOuS services dur
ing the campaign ending with the sur
render of the army of Northern Vir-
ginia. This was one of the rare in
stances in which a division commander
was rewarded for services during an
entire campaign. At the same time he
was appointed to a major general of vol
unteers with rank from April 1, 1860
AT the close of the war, says Gen.
eral RodenbOugh Merritt was regarded
by most of those who had served with
y Is. no Iler1fse
He was young and overlooking with vi
tally of youth Trained in the school
of the gallant Buford. ne was as dashing
a caValryman as ever drew a saber, yet
as cautious and cOOl-headed as Sheridan
himself d man of healthy instincts, jolly
and cOmpaniOnable, but as strict as dis
cfplinarian as ever buckled SWOrd-belt
about his waist. He was a good fighter
and a good leader, if one may accept the
Judgment of that best of courts, the Opin-
ION of his own men. He was always pop
ular with them. To my mind there is no
better example of the capable American
officer than Merritt. He represents that
high conservatism which, from Washing
ton 5 time until now, mas made our great
generals successful in administrative DO
sitions as well as on the battlefield
ENJOYS CARD PLAYING.
In connection with General Merritt's
reputation as a disciplinarian. a charac-
teriStic incident is related by an officer
who served under him after the war.
"
post at st. Louis.
Colonel Merritt used to enjoy friend
~ game of cards, says this officer and
one night at my quarters we sat up to q
late hour playing. As a result i over
slept the following morning and was not
on hand for the daily inspection or
course L was hauled up for this and
asked to give q reason for my non-ap-
pearance- Thinking that / had a pretty
good excuse, L said boldly:
/ was sitting up last night playing
cards with the commanding officer
Merritt d1dn move an eyeldSn or q
muscle as he answered brusquely;
No excuse, sir; no excuse.
Il had to take my dose Of medicine,
which was the usual one OF oetention IN
quarters. But that night Merritt came
around again for another game of cards.
Such an officer commands q soldier adj
miratiOn and respect.
General ROdenbough expresses the be-
lief that Merritt was the most trusted of
Sheridan division commanders, and this
opinion seems to be borne out by the
following remark which Sheridan is said
to have made in the course Of the Shen-
andOah campaign:
L have one division commander who is
always equal to any task L can impose
upon him. That is Merritt. Others are
just as brave and just as well fitted for
certain kinds Of work, but Merritt seems
to be able to cope with any emergency.
He has the genius of calculation and can
get himself out OF a. tight place as we'll
as he can put the enemy into one.
Since the time when these words were
uttered, General Merritt mas justified the
opinion which Sheridan pronounced. He
has been equal to every task. whether it
involved the carrying of rebel positions
the trailing Of Indian renegadss. or deal
ing with an army Of Philippine inSur-
gents; and it is this record which augurS
well for his success in the difficult post
OF military governor Of the Philippines,
to which, probably, he will soon be as
signed.