The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-07-01
GENERAL PHIL H. SHERIDAN
Admitted One of the Worlds Great
War Geniuses.

Brevet Brigadier-General, U. S. ", in
his Men and Things l Saw in Civil
War Days." thus concludes brilliant
sketch of General Philip H. Sheridan:
OF Lees surrender it is not neces.
sary to speak more here. But it is
the truth of history that in all the op-
erations leading up to it, Sheridan
was literally the right hand of Grant,
hitting like fail or striking like a
battering ram, and what this spring
campaign of 1865 would have been
without him l do not. venture to say.
1t is enough to say that without him
the campaign of 1864 before Peters
burg availed but little, and that with
him the campaign of 1865 resulted
gloriously. He certainly must have a
large share of the credit, whatever is
due to Meade and Grant; and his H.
lustrious commandments would
be the last to deny this. On the whole,
| submit there was glory enough to go
round for all. But all honor to Philip
H. Sheridan.
To conclude, clearly he was not a
popinjay, like Wheeler; nor a partisan
like FOrest-a slave driver turned
soldier-nor Prince Rupert, like Jeb
Stuart; but he was veritable Henry
of Navarro, plumed knight for the
Union, and will rank among great COM
manders, if not of the first rank, yet
well up among the first; and unques-
tionably, would have risen higher had
the war lasted and opportunity occur
red. He had force and fire, and knew
how to lead men and to inspire them
But he had also prudence and pa
thence, and knew how to command
men, and conduct great operations as
we'll, and few soldiers have shown
both qualities in SO large a degree.
He has been compared to Kearny, but
he had more breadth and keenness
than Kearny though less military
learning and culture. He has been
compared to Murat, but that beau
sabrellr had not half of Sheridan's
brains, nor 1.-THE of his integrity and
patriotism. In some respects he was
to Grant what Stonewall Jackson, and
after him Longstreet, were to Lee. But
he was ADLER and nimbler than either,
and Grant did not hesitate to declare
that, take him all in all, he was second
to no general our civil war produced
on either side. LAS a soldier" he
said, there is no man living greater
than Sheridan. He belongs to the very
first rank of captains, not only Of our
army, but of the world. | rank him
with Napoleon and Frederick and the
great commanders OF history" That
was Grants sober opinion, long after
the war closed; and who was or is
better Judge?
Clearly he was one of Providence's
picked men. required then and there
for the salvation of the Republic. His
name was a flag. His opportunity
was large. His duty was great. And
he was equal to both. He began life
as the son of a poor Irish farmer. He
rose to be General OF the United
States army-the very highest rank
in the regular army--in the most criti-
cal period of American history, a rank
attained by Grant and Sherman only.
Nell then, | say:
"Hlrrah. hurrah for Sheridan!
Hurrah for Sheridan, horse and man!
And when their statues are placed on
high
Under the dome of the Union sky,
The American soldiers Temple of
Fame"
Let every American boy study his
great and heroic career: and may we
all profit by his manly life and glori-
Gus example.