The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-05-19
HIS TITLE NOW
MAJOR SHERIFF.
Son of State Librarian M. @.
Sheriff. Winning High Rank
in The Army

- L VI 1L' - ~ l
Raleigh, has been promoted to Major
in the Engineer Corps Of the United
States Army. A recent issue Of a New
Orleans paper had this in announce
ment Of Major SherrilIs promotions:
Salute Major Clarence O.. Sheriff.,
L. S A. corps Of engineers.
This brillian young army engineer,
Of whom New Orleans AND all
Louisiana are proud, because of the
efficient service that he has rendered
the city and State as chief Of the
engineering corps in charge OF the
fourth levee district Of the Mississippi
river, has just been promoted from
the rank of captain to that OF major.
"Oficial notice Of his promotion was
received Friday (the 18th Of March)
in an announcement that President
Wilson had sent to the senate a list
of army promotions which included
that Of Captain Sheriff.. The promo
ton is made effective from febru-
airy 9th.
major Sheriff. was sent to New
Orleans in January, 1912, and placed
at the head of the army engineering
force that was within a few weeks
destined to face the greatest flood
stage ever recorded in the lower
| Mississippi. He had been engaged or
important engineering work for the
government in this country and in
the Philippines but never before had
he tackled the job of holding the
raging flood waters Of a great river
in check. Heavy snoW banks at the
headwaters Of the Mississippi were be-
ginning to break up and %torrential
rains were daily adding to the rapid
ly rising water in the lower Mississippi
when Captain Sheriff. was placed in
command OF the flood-fightin forces
Of the fourth district. Levees all the
way from Vicksburg south almost to
the gulf were admittedly weak, and it
did not require many days for the
young captain Of engineers to learn
that he had before him the hardest
fight he had ever undertaken. He went
at It with a determination to Win and
the federal levees were intact when
the big 1912 flood had passed into
history. He not only held the levees
constructed by the federal govern
meHt but his large force Of engineers
and workmen, the engineers fleet Of
vessels and big supplies Of materials
were used effectively in Strengthening
the levees constructed by the State
and parish authorities"
A further account is given OF his
Intelligent and brave direction of a
flood fighting campaign. The follow
ing was stated concerning his career:
Major Sheriff. was born at New
ton, n. c., May "a, 1877. His father,
Judge NJ. O. Sheriff., at present State
Librarian Of North Carolina, was a
member Of the Confederate army,
having enlisted at the age Of II. He
lost a leg in the battle Of Spottsylva-
MIA Courthouse.
"After finishing the high schoo]
course, Major Sheriff. entered Trinity
, College, Durham. n. c.. He spent
fhroo anI npo half - T,:..A,
leaving there in 1897 TO take an ap-
p%ointment to West Point. He was
. graduated from West Point in 1901
being second in a class OF IL. He was
made secon lieutenant Of engineers
on his graduation. Immediately he
/ was assigned to engineering work il
the Philippines. He was stationed
in northern Luzon during 1901 ani
1902, where he was engaged in The
construction Of highways and bridge:
and IN making surveys for military
posts. He was then transferred Il
Manila and later to Mindanao in tn.
| hostile fhoro country. where he wa.
. under fire several times by small
! bands Of Moro. He spent nearly H;
+ year in that section of the PhiIippine:
/ surveying roads, planning bridges ant
: building wharves at iligan, Mandanao
+ In January, 1908. he was promoted t,
| frs. lieutenant and transferred /.
= w "I~21 < 81 tdl nc vi
n military aid 10 President Roosevelt. 4.
. then entered the infantry and cayair,
school for OfiCers-a st Fort Leave.
worth. and in 1905 was one OF the fix.
Q honor graduates. In 1907 he Wa
graduated from the amy otah COLLEGE
and q YEAR lat"r was promoted To III
rank "f captain. Tor three wears i
was 81 in~StruCto III tna offcers
s"hool a. Fort l-eayenwotth. II fa1
he V&s made CHIEF eig3aeeE ar II,
i" serarcte brigade o. United Stat
II t:oop stationrh It Galveston iaG-nos
1ible service il MeX4co. La4-- liza
e Eear h wa assigned % eno.oeo~i,
II ditty 81 Mob:.e asa carr from las
H{tE - Ne, Gr'E"ns d fcr ea.a.I
j. 'Gter.
q Major Sa@rs;H H,.rried Ms q,
. dlhe layioc- GrGa'G6s- si,cr- OF form
20 = ! hlted Et"teS Srnt.3r A3a-aa1~
Caldwell. O. Earre1. - 80 -
q lave one cl.iio. q Dos. WHO - -