SHERIDAN, PHILIP H. 



717 



Deep Bottom, and on the 28th was engaged at 

 Darby town. 



Meanwhile, Early maintained a threatening 

 position in the Valley. Grant, accordingly, on 

 the 7th of August, put Gen. Sheridan in com- 

 mand of the Middle Military Division, with an 

 army comprising two divisions of his own cav- 

 alry, the Sixth Corps, under Wright, a part of 

 the Nineteenth, under Emory, and the Army 

 of West Virginia, under Crook. Six weeks 

 passed without result, as Early had been re- 

 enforced, and kept Sheridan on the defensive 

 near Harper's Ferry. But on September 19th, 

 when Early's forces had been diminished, Sheri- 

 dan crossed the Opequon, and, in a hard battle, 

 completely defeated him, sending him, as Sheri- 

 dan telegraphed, " whirling through Winches- 

 ter." The next day, President Lincoln, at 

 Grant's recommendation, appointed Sheridan 

 a brigadier-general in the regular army. Pur- 

 suing Early up the Valley turnpike, on the 20th, 

 Sheridan found him strongly posted on Fisher's 

 Hill, just beyond Strasburg. Secretly mov- 

 ing Crook's command through the woods, he 

 turned the enemy's left on the 22d, and drove 

 him from his stronghold, capturing 16 guns. 

 The losses of Sheridan and those of Early were 

 almost exactly equal in these two battles com- 

 bined, being about 5,400 each ; but Sheridan 

 had also captured 21 guns and many small-arms. 

 Sheridan continued the pursuit up the Valley, 

 and took post at Harrisonburg, while Early 

 withdrew to Brown's Gap. Believing it im- 

 practicable or hazardous to proceed either to 

 Lynchburg or Charlottesville, Sheridan, with 

 Grant's approval, withdrew down the Valley, 

 burning its mills, barns, and crops on the 

 way. Early followed with his cavalry un- 

 der Rosser and Lomax to Tom's Brook, near 

 Fisher's Hill, where Sheridan's horsemen, un- 

 der Torbert, turned and defeated them, Oc- 

 tober 9th, capturing 11 cavalry - guns, and 

 indeed almost u everything on wheels," and 

 driving them back twenty miles. Sheridan 

 then passed through Strasburg and posted his 

 troops on the farther bank of Cedar creek, 

 while he himself, on the 16th, went to Wash- 

 ington in response to a request from Mr. Stan- 

 ton, for consultation. Before sunrise of Octo- 

 ber 19th, Early, who had been re-enforced, 

 aided by a fog, "surprised the left of the Union 

 army, held by Crook's command, and uncov- 

 ered the position also of the Nineteenth Corps, 

 capturing 24 guns and about 1,400 prisoners. 

 . Gen. Wright succeeded in retaining his grasp 

 on the turnpike by moving the Sixth Corps to 

 its western side and the cavalry to its eastern, 

 but the whole army, in the process, had been 

 driven b.ack beyond Middletown. Sheridan, 

 who was at Winchester, on his return from 

 Washington, hearing the noise of battle, dashed 

 tip the pike with an escort of twenty men, 

 rallying the fugitives on the way, and, after a 

 ride of a dozen miles, reached the army, which 

 received him with great enthusiasm. Having 

 fully prepared his forces, during a lull of sev- 



eral hours, he ordered an advance, and swept 

 the enemy from the field in one of the most 

 overwhelming routs of the war. All of the 

 lost Union guns were retaken, and 24 Con- 

 federate guns and many wagons were capt- 

 ured. Congress passed a vote of thanks to 

 him and his troops for the <k brilliant series of 

 victories in the Valley," and especially the one 

 at Cedar creek. Sheridan was appointed by 

 the President a major-general in the regular 

 army, "for the personal gallantry, military 

 skill, and just confidence in the courage and 

 patriotism of your troops, displayed by you 

 on the 19th day of October." 



On Feb. 27, 1865, Gen. Sheridan moved 

 his cavalry, 10,000 strong, up the Valley to 

 Waynesboro, where, March 2d, it overthrew the 

 remnant of Early's force, capturing about 1,500 

 men. He then destroyed the locks of the 

 James river canal, and broke the railroads 

 toward Gordonsville and Lynchburg. Making 

 his way toward Grant's army, he arrived at 

 White House, March 19th. 



With Sheridan's cavalry at his disposal, 

 Grant now began the final campaign. Cross- 

 ing the Peninsula to James river, March 24th, 

 Sheridan passed to the left of the Union army, 

 and on the 29th occupied Dinwiddie Court- 

 House. Two days later he was attacked by a 

 heavy force of Lee's infantry under Pickett 

 and Johnson ; but the following day, April 1st, 

 being re-enforced by the Fifth Corps, under 

 Warren, Sheridan, by a beautiful tactical move- 

 ment, entrapped and completely routed Pickett 

 and Johnson at Five Forks, capturing thou- 

 sands of prisoners. Petersburg being assault- 

 ed the next morning, Lee abandoned that city 

 and Richmond, and took to flight. The pur- 

 suit was prompt, with Sheridan far in the van, 

 constantly harassing the enemy,, and finally, 

 aided by the Sixth and Second Corps, captur- 

 ing nearly all of Ewell's command, on the 6th, 

 at Sailor's creek. Two days later, Sheridan 

 again fought the enemy at Appomattox Sta- 

 tion, and on the 9th occurred Lee's surrender. 

 Later in April Sheridan conducted an expe- 

 dition into North Carolina, and on June 8d 

 took command of the Military Division of the 

 Southwest, at New Orleans. Relieved by 

 President Johnson, Aug. 26, 1867, during the 

 reconstruction troubles in Louisiana (see " An- 

 nual Cyclopedia" for 1867, pp. 451 to 462), 

 he was assigned, September 12th, to the De- 

 partment of the Missouri. On the 4th of March, 

 1869 he was promoted to the rank of lieuten- 

 ant-general, and on the 16th assumed com- 

 mand of the Division of the Missouri, with 

 headquarters at Chicago. During the Franco- 

 German War of 1870-'71 he visited Europe, 

 and was present as a spectator at ; several fa- 

 mous engagements. On Nov. 1, 1883, by di- 

 rection of President Arthur, he assumed com- 

 mand of the Army of the United States, with 

 headquarters at Washington, in place of Gen. 

 Sherman, who was relieved by request, pre- 

 paratory to retirement in the spring of 1 



