The Washington herald., 1914-04-05

AZ st. Louis Sheridan reported to Cen
Halleck. then in command of the Mill
tary Department. of Missouri Halleck
forthwith put him to work on an audit
ing board, to straighten out the accounts
OF the department, which had been left
an great confusion by his predecessor,
Maj. Gen. John c. Fremont
Gen. Halleck next sent Sheridan out as
quartermaster with an army operating In
Southwestern Missouri Here for some
months Sheridan performed a great deal
OF labor that was genuine drudgery. He
was next sent to the Northwest to buy
horses
The slowness with which he was ap-
preaching active service discouraged
Sheridan. He was at Chicago when the
battle of Shiloh was fought april. 1851,
and news from the front decided him ID
go to the army. Proceeding to Pittsburgh
Landing. he found Gen. Halleck in COM
mand, Grant having been displaced. al
though nominafly second in command
Gets n Cavalry Regiment.
HaIleck at once set Sheridan to work
as an assistant to his chief Typographical
engineer. He next gave him a job as
quartermaster at headquarters. Sheridan
was efficient in all these minor posts,
but not satisfied. and when the governor
OF Michigan appeared, seeking a colonel
for the Second Michigan Cavalry, Sheri-
dan accepted the place. on May q. 1852
This command led to active service on
various minor expeditions and eventually
to the command of a small brigade of
cavalry. This was to prove the largest
force OF cavalry that Sheridan was to
command until called to lead the cavalry
corps OF the Army of the Potomac.
Having distinguished himself at an en-
gagement at Bonneville. Miss. on July
l, 1852. Sheridan was promoted to the
rank Of brigadier general His first COM
mand in this grade was a brigade of
infantry in the Army OF the Ohio, operat-
ing In ntucky under Gen. Don Carlos
Buell.. A little later Sheridan was given
a division of infantry With this he
served under Gen. w. s. Rosecrans
throughout the campaign for the re-
possession Of Tennessee. In the battle
OF Stone River. or Murfeesboro CDecem-
ber 81. 1ss2-January l. 1859. Sheridan
distinguished himself by his soldierly
qualities.
when He "Got His Irish Up"
At the battle Of Chickamauga Sheri-
dams division was swept from the field.
with the right wing Of the army, but
rallying its fragments. Sheridan brought
them back to the battle line in another
position. He was highly commended for
his service here, but his greatest achieve
ment In the campaign was the charge of
his division up the side of Missionary
Ridge, In the battle of Chattanooga No
vember g. That charge was without
parallel In the history OF the war, and
Sheridan's men were in the center of it
Grant had seen Sheridan in action for
the first time at Chattanooga and had
been impressed with the fiery impetuosity
Of the little soldier.
When Sheridan, in ordinary times the
mildest of men, in battle got his Irish
up" as he expressed il, he was trans
formed. He was never ashamed OF the
ancestry that gave him his fighting
blood His parents were humble people
from County Cavan. Ireland They had
been in this country but year when
Philip was born, on March 6, 1ssl- In
lSa2 they went. like pioneers. to Somer-
set, Perry County, Ohio. where the father
engaged in the business of contractor.
In his youth Sheridan had been dry
goods clerk When at West Point he
engaged in fisticuffs'' with a classmate
who had given him an order in drill in a
tone he did not like. For this he was
suspended. He occupied himself for nine
months as a bookkeeper. When he went
back to the Academy in August, 1852, he
was obliged to take his position at the
foot of the class. He graduated in 1883,
"a in a class Of fifty-two. of which the
gallant James g. Mcpherson stood at
the head.