sm:i;:i>A\. 



railroad at Trevilliun, loaving the main object of the 

 expedition unaccomplished. 



(i<-ii. Sheridan was now transferred to another 

 eene of action, in which he was to win new fame as 

 the leader of au inde|iciid. nt command. Early had 

 assumed a threatening attitude in the Shenaudoah 

 y.dley, and on Aug. 7 Sheridan was put in command 

 i'f tin- Middle Military Division, constating of some 

 30,000 mm, including 8000 cavalry. His career here 

 has been described in the article SHKSANDOAH VALLEY 

 (/- v.). After engagements on the Opeqnan, at Fish- 

 er's Hill, and on Cedar Creek at which last place 

 Early had victory in his grasp, to be snatched from 

 it and converted' into a Union triumph by the famed 

 " ride from Winchester " which made Sheridan a 

 major-general in the regular army he finally drove 

 Early up the valley, and, after scattering the rem- 

 nant of the Confederate forces at Waynesboro' and 

 holding the valley for some mouths, ho made his 

 way to Grant's army at the White House on the 

 Paiuunkey, which he reached, March 19, 18G5. 



With Sheridan's cavalry at his disposal. Grant 

 now began his final campaign. Sheridan crossed 

 the Peninsula to the James and occupied Dinwid- 

 die Court-house. Immediately on his arrival there 

 Grant sent him word that, instead of raiding on rail- 

 roads, he should ''push round the enemy and get 

 on his right rear." " I now feel," he added, "like 

 ending the matter." So soon as Lee detected this 

 purpose, he gathered up all available forces from 

 his intrenched lino and placed thorn under Pickett 

 ami Johnson, who on March 31 attacked Sheridan 

 at Diuwidilie with a heavy infantry force. Next day, 

 having been re-enforced by Warren's corps, he, by a 

 masterly tactical movement, entrapped and com- 

 pletely routed Pickett and Johnson at Five Forks, 

 capturing several thousand prisoners, 4 gnns, with 

 many colors. This overthrow of Lee's right, fol- 

 lowed immediately by the carrying of all the outer 

 line of inlrenchmeuts at Petersburg, made the evac- 

 uation of this place and the abandonment of llii-li- 

 iiionil imperative, Lee's only line of retreat being 

 that of the Appomattox river. Next morning the 

 blowing up of the Confederate iron-dads and the 

 firing of the tobacco warehouses by Swell's rear- 

 guard gave intimation to the Union troops of " the 

 beginning of the end." Lee now began his ret, 

 to Appomattox, Grant pursuing on the south of the 

 river, with Sheridan on the van. On April t; Sher- 

 idan, supported by the Second Corps, struck Ewell 

 at Sailor's Creek, capturing l(i puns and 400 wagous, 

 and detained him till the Sixth Corps came up, when 

 a combined attack resulted in the capture of 6000 

 prisoners. This was the last serious right in the 

 war. On the 8th he captured four supply-trains at 

 Appomattox Station, and at the Court-house the ad- 

 vance of Lee's army was resisted till dark. On the 

 morning of the 9th the enemy endeavored to break 

 through his dismounted cavalry, when, drawing aside, 

 lie disclosed the infantry behind. Mounting his 

 men, Sheridan was about to char.,''', when the white 

 flag was displayed, and the war iu Virginia was at 

 an end. 



Sheridan was not permitted to participate in the 

 pageant of march and review of the Union armies 

 at Washington on May 30. Immediately on Lee's | 

 surrender lie was despatched with a cavalry and in- 

 fantry force to Sherman in North Carolina, but was 

 recalled on Johnston's capitulation. He was next 

 pnt in command of the forces west of the Mississippi. 

 and despatched to Texas, where Kirhy Smith was 

 keeping np a show of resistance. Here Smith's 

 surrender did away with the need of his services. 

 In 18G5 he was appointed to the command of the 

 Military Division of the Gulf, embracing Florida. 

 Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, with headquar- 

 ters at New Orleans, with command of a corps of ob- i 



serration on the Rio Grande to watch the war in 

 Mexico. 



In his Ftrtonal Memoir* Sheridan asserts tim- 

 ing beyond the letter of his instructions and per- 

 haps eren beunid their spirit, he made such demon- 

 strations of hostility against the Austrian Archduke 

 Maximilian, whom the French emperor was thrust- 

 ing upon a reluctant people, as compelled the with- 

 drawal of Marshal Bazaine. The dismal tragedy of 

 Quere'taro, on June 19, 1867, brought to a tcni!.l,i 

 end the vain dream of the European adventurers. 

 Sheridan returned to New Orleans to take up the 

 task of supervising and directing the reconstruction 

 of civil government among a people still inf. .-'..I 

 with rebellious notions. The President and Con- 

 gress were at hopeless feud over the methods of 1 1 - 

 storing civil order. Though the foi mcr was his mili- 

 tary superior, Sheridan's love of the Union for which 

 he had dared and wrought so much made him in- 

 stinctively recoil from aiding to restore power to 

 those who had sought to divide the nation. 11 o 

 therefore obeyed the directions of Congress, and 

 ruled with a rigid hand. He removed from their 

 offices the mayor of New Orleans, the governor of 

 Louisiana, and the governor of Texas. Finally, in 

 August, 18C7, Pres. Johnson, finding his policy 

 thwarted by his subordinate, removed Sheridan 

 from the command of the Fifth Military District, 

 and transferred him to the Department of the Mis- 

 souri, with headquarters at Leaven \\ or; h. Hero 

 Sheridan was brought into contact with another prob- 

 lem of government, of which he had had somecxpcii- 

 i nee at the outset of his military career the Indian 

 question. Ho solved it in the way which has com- 

 mended itself to the judgment of most military men 

 by insisting on the complete submission of tho 

 Indians. The tribes on the plains had been left 

 much to themselves during the long civil war, and 

 were greatly disturbed by the rapid westward move- 

 ment of white adventurers at its close. Conflicts 

 were frequent, and both parties were in the wrong. 

 But Sheridan, after a year's experience, determine d 

 on tho most effective coin-so to settle the troubles. 

 In October, 1868, calling to his aid the gallant cav- 

 alry general, George A. Custer, he Rent him against 

 the villages of the Cheyennes and other tribes on 

 the Washita. There, on Nov. 27, Cnster, with the 

 Seventh Cavalry, amid a heavy snow-storm which 

 impeded the movement of the Indians, almost totally 

 annihilated their bands. This expedition, though 

 sternly denounced by many, put a stop to the Indian 

 troubles for a time. 



Sheridan continued in command at Leavenworth 

 till, on Grant's inauguration, March 4, 1869, he was 

 promoted to lieutenant-general, and given com- 

 mand of the Division of the Missouri, with hcn.l- 

 qnarters at Chicago. During the Franco- Prussian 

 war Sheridan visited Kuiope and was received with 

 high distinction by King \\ illiam. witnessing ncvrr.il 

 battles, including Gravclottc and Sedan. In Chi- 

 cago, in 1874. he was married to Miss Jane Uucker, 

 daughter of Maj. Gen. llncker. who had just left 

 her convent-school in Philadelphia. During the po- 

 litical disturbances in Louisiana, in 187. r >, Sheridan 

 was ordered t.> New Orleans, when- he exhibited Iho 

 same courage and prompt decision which chtirac- 

 teri/ed his whole career. On quiet being rest. >n -.1 

 he returned to his command at Chicago. 



On Nov. 1, 1883, Gen. Sherman was, by his own 

 request, relieved of the command of the Anny of 

 (he I'nited States, and General Sheridan, being ap- 

 pointed to succeed him, removed to a home in 

 Washington purchased for him by Chicago friends. 

 In May, 1888, Congress passed a bill reviving tho 

 rank of General, thus enabling the President to con- 

 fer this rank on him. which was forthwith done. 



Already iu that month the illness, heart-failure. 



