The Irish standard., 1906-01-20
His Dashing Campaigns Against Stuart and
Early Proved Him the Greatest of
Cavalry Leaders.
In the Operations Leading Up to Lees Sur
render Sheridan Was Literally the
Right Hand of Grant.

The following sketch of General
Sheridan taken from "Men and Things
Saw in Civil War Days" by Brig
adler Gen. James l.. Rushing, is re-
produced from the New York Free
mans Journals
1t was not my fortune To serve un-
der General Sheridan. but ] saw somc-
thing of him, and came to esteem him
very highly. He also was Il West
Pointer, and an Ohoan, like Sherman;
but was too young to have served in
Mexico. He had distinguished himself,
however, in our Indian troubles in
Texas, Oregon, and Washington prior
to the war.
In the autumn of 1861 he was Or
dered East from the Pacific coast at
his own request for active duty against
the rebellion. In December, 1861 (be-
ing then captain Of the 18th u. S. In
fantry), he reported to General Hallcck
at st. Louis. and was assigned to duty
as chief quartermaster and chief COM
missary Of the Army of Southwest
Missouri. OF course. this did not last
long. He was too "gamey" and met
tlesOme a man for such routine staff
duties, though he knew much about
horses, mules, wagons, rations, ETC.,
and In due time-as naturally as water
runs or grass grOws-became colonel
Of the Second Michigan Cavalry and
was ordered to the Army Of the
Tennessee (May. 1852. then before
Corinth, Miss.
Here, by changes and promotions in
cident to active service, he soon be-
came commander of n brigade of cav
airy. and handled it so we'll that in
July, 1862, he was appointed briga-
dicr-general on the recommendation
of his associate and superior officers.
and in September, 1862. was trans
ferred to the Army of the Cumberland,
then operating in Kentucky, and as
signed to an infantry division there.
by steady drill and discipline he soon
got this into excellent shape, and at
the battle of Stone River or Murfrecs-
boro, Tenn. December 1862, he
fought it with gallantry and skill, and
certainly shared with Thomas and Ha-
zen the honors Of that bloody field
such as they were. For his good con-
Ilrf hor In, irl,t
appointed major-general of volunteers.
From Murfreesboro to Chicamauga
(september 1863 he served ably and
creditably. His general good conduct
at Chicamauga and elsewhere, and in
the titanic conflict at Chattanooga
(November 25, 1869 he led in the
grand assault on Missionary Ridge
under the immediate eye of Thomas
and Grant, and conducted the attack
so skillfully and spiritedly-with such
alacrity and celerity-that Grant at
once marked him for his own.
Hence. in the spring Of 1864, when
Grant assumed general charge Of the
Army Of the Potomac, and was casting
about for a new chief Of cavalry there,
his mind settled down on Sheridan,
and Little Phil" was promptly or
dered East. He was then in East
Tennessee but he hastened to WASH
ington by way Of Chattanooga and
Nashville. and while elated to go East
and serve with Grant, was full of re-
gret at parting with Thomas and
Sherman-and especially with his old
division. His officers and men spon-
taneously assembled at the station to
see him off, and as his train rolled out
they waved him farewell with every
demonstration of sorrow and affection.
He was then, think, the youngest
and certainly the smallest major-gen-
eral in the service. He had just passed
thirty-three years of age, was five feet
five inches high. and weighed only 115
pounds. He was thin even to emacia-
tion, and on first glance looked more
like lieutenant or a cadet than a ma
jor- general. But a second glance gave
better and more assurance. He had
dark, grayish- blue eyes, that looked
.,ssEa1