THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 109 



from Winchester to Appomattox, he was always at the 

 front, urgent, skilful, tireless, unyielding and always vic- 

 torious. After the surrender of Lee, in April, 1865, he 

 was sent to Texas to take a post on the Mexican border. 

 When Grant became president, March 4, 1869, Sheridan 

 was made lieutenant-general. In 1884 on General Sher- 

 man's retirement he became general-in-chief with head- 

 quarters at Washington. He died August 15, 1888, at 

 Nonquit. 



In his personal bearing and habit Sheridan was anything 

 but the dashing, roistering character usually associated 

 with a trooper. His success was due not to noisy dem- 

 onstration on the battle-field, but to careful and diligent 

 preparation, then to rapid and skilful action. He was 

 quiet, reserved and painstaking ; studying always how 

 best to supply, care for and use his army so as to gain 

 victory. So far from being high-tempered, he was gen- 

 tle and considerate unless some great emergency or some 

 shortcoming demanded corresponding expletives. The 

 service he rendered his country was invaluable. 



Monday, Jan. 26, 1891. Mrs. Kate Tannatt Woods 

 lectured on "Old Moravian Customs in America." It is 

 said this lecture presents a portion of our national his- 

 tory which has not been fully described before, except in 

 a few works printed by the Moravians themselves. The 

 Moravians came to this country in 1747, as missionaries 

 to the American Indians. They had been persecuted in 

 Germany and Austria for their religious belief and were 

 at last given a home on the estate of Berthelsdorf, the 

 property of the ancestors of the late Dr. DeGersdorf for 

 several years a practising physician of Salem. The first 

 settlement was made in Georgia where the Indians cruelly 

 murdered many of the colony, and the remnant went to 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN, VOL. XXIII 8 



