GENERAL PHILIP HENRY
SHERIDAN
~ Civil War ~
After the start of the Civil War, (April 4, 1861) Phil was promoted to Captain and in
September of 1861, was called east to St. Louis for duty with the
Union Armies of the West, the first step in his journey to
greatness. Sheridan was assigned to supply under Gen. Halleck but
eventually convinced him he would be of better service in the
field and was reassigned to Gen. Curtis who was preparing to
drive the Confederates out of southern Missouri. At this point
Sheridan, who had met up with General William T. Sherman, was
recommended by Sherman to be given command of one of Ohio's
volunteer regiments but was turned down. Then Gen. Gordon Granger
requested Sheridan be given command of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry
vacated by Granger's promotion. He was accepted and jumped from
Capt. to Colonel overnight. (May 25, 1862)
Two months later Sheridan was stationed at a forward post near
Booneville, Mississippi. The Confederates pressed forward with
5,000 to 6,000 troopers to wipe out Sheridan's annoying outpost
of only 827 men. Phil was equipped with repeating rifles and
pistols which gave him some advantage but in repelling the enemy
he proved his military genius. By loading troops on a train and
discharging them noisily at Booneville, silently marching them
back up track and reloading and discharging them time and again
he deceived Confederate General Chalmers into thinking he was
being reinforced. By this and other tactics Sheridan was able to
rout a much larger force and because of this action Phil was
commissioned Brig. General. He was at this time only 31 years
old. After this engagement Sheridan was ordered to the town of
Rienzi, Mississippi, and it was here a friend, Colonel Campbell
of the 2nd Michigan, gave Phil a large Morgan horse which he
promptly named Rienzi, and which later carried him to fame at the
battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia.
Sheridan's next engagement was under Gen. Rosecrans at
Murfreesboro on Stones River south of Nashville Tenn. He played
an important part in holding back the Confederates under Gen.
Bragg. In later years Grant stated that in this battle Sheridan
saved Rosecran's army. He should have also added Gen.
"Pap" Thomas' name. It was principally for Phil's
services at Stones River that he was promoted in April, 1863 to
Major General. During the battles of Chickamauga,
Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga, Tenn.,
Phil fought with Generals Grant and Sherman. Sheridan's division
was one of the forces which swept to the top of Missionary Ridge
and with his division pursued the enemy and captured much
equipment and prisoners.
On March 12, 1864 Gen. Grant was appointed General-in-Chief of
the Union Armies, he soon called Phil to join him in Washington.
Here Sheridan was appointed Chief of Cavalry, Army of the
Potomac. As aides-de-camp Phil chose his brother Mike and Lieut.
T. W. C. Moore, Capt. James W. Forsyth, an old friend, was a
staff officer. Sheridan's main area of operation was the
Shenandoah Valley. Here he contested Gen. Early's Confederate
troops, destroyed crops which were the breadbasket of the
Confederate army, defeated and killed Gen. J.E.B. Stuart (famous
cavalry leader of the south) and eventually, in the battle of
Cedar Creek, drove Early out of the valley. As the war neared its
end Sheridan was the leader in forcing Gen. Lee out of his
Petersburg, Va. defenses and eventually cutting off his retreat
at Appomattox Court House.
~ Compiled by Bob Miller, Somerset, Ohio
