Gil R.
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Joined: 4/1/2005
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You did a nice job with this. I did rewrite parts, mainly so I could squeeze in some additional information. The only info I took out was that at Missionary Ridge “Sheridan gave chase to the routed enemy, capturing many supplies and prisoners” and that Somerset was where he would “spend his youth, get educated and work as a clerk”. And I changed Stone River to Murfreesboro because the latter is on the FOF map. I did find one mistake, which can be blamed on Wikipedia (where I went to check on what I was reading): July 1, 1862 saw Sheridan participating in a mounted raid at Boonesboro, Miss., not the Battle of Boonville, which was fought on June 17, 1861. (You should definitely read through it to make sure I didn't introduce any mistakes.)
Maj. Gen. Philip Henry Sheridan (b. 1831, d. 1888). Just 5’5” tall, “Little Phil” became one of the Union’s most effective commanders – of both infantry and cavalry forces. Pres. Abraham Lincoln described him as, “A brown, chunky little chap, with a long body, short legs, not enough neck to hang him, and such long arms that if his ankles itch he can scratch them without stooping.” Sheridan was born on March 6, 1831 in Albany, New York, to Irish immigrants, but grew up in Somerset, Ohio. He attended West Point from 1848-1853, graduating 34th out of 52, and as a 2nd lieutenant was assigned to the 1st Infantry Regiment in Fort Duncan, Texas. In 1854 he was sent to the Oregon Territory and participated in the Rogue River and Yakima Wars. Sheridan, by then a captain, was transferred to the Army of Southwest Missouri in late 1861 and served as chief commissary officer and quartermaster before joining Gen. Henry W. Halleck’s staff as an assistant topographical engineer. He was soon made colonel and given command of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry. On July 1, 1862, he participated in a successful mounted raid at Boonesboro, Mississippi, earning promotion to brigadier general in September and a transfer to the Army of the Ohio to take command of the 11th Division. The following month, Sheridan fought at the bloody Battle of Perryville (Kentucky), and on December 31 played a vital role at Murfreesboro by preparing his division to receive a rebel assault. The other divisions, unprepared, were routed, leaving Sheridan exposed, but he shored up his defensive line and halted the rebel advance, only falling back after running out of ammunition. His stalling action would allow the Union to avoid a rout, and eventually to win the battle two days later. For this performance, Sheridan was promoted to major general that April. His next major battle was in September at Chickamauga, where he helped Gen. George Thomas to prevent a total rout. At Missionary Ridge two months later, he led his men on a non-ordered uphill charge, breaking the Confederate line. Impressed by this performance, in the spring of 1864 Gen. Ulysses S. Grant made Sheridan commander of the Cavalry Corps in the Army of the Potomac for the Overland Campaign. He got off to an auspicious start: on May 11 Sheridan’s cavalry defeated and fatally wounded Gen. J.E.B. Stuart at Yellow Tavern. August would bring Sheridan a new command – the Army of the Shenandoah – and orders to clear out the Shenandoah Valley in a campaign that would be known as “The Burning” because of his scorched-earth policy. After weeks of maneuvering, the first big battle was Third Winchester, followed three days later by another victory at Fisher’s Hill, which nearly destroyed Gen. Jubal Early’s forces. Sheridan headed north, destroying 400 square miles of farmland. Early pursued and caught up with his forces at Cedar Creek, attacking on the morning of October 19 and routing two corps. At the time, Sheridan was at Winchester several miles away, on his way back from Washington. Hearing of the fighting, he began his famous ride to the battle, rallying his retreating men along the way and successfully counterattacking that afternoon. After the final defeat of Early in March 1865, Sheridan rejoined Grant to command the cavalry again and was instrumental in forcing the Army of Northern Virginia’s surrender. After the war, he was appointed military governor of Louisiana and Texas. In 1867, he was sent to the Great Plains to command the army against native tribes. It was during these brutal campaigns that Sheridan said, “The only good Indians I ever saw were dead.” He was made commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army in 1883. During these years, Sheridan was an advocate for the preservation of Yellowstone. Sheridan died on August 5, 1888 from heart failure and was buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. (Bio by Andrew Thayer)
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