SHERIDAN, PHILIP HENRY, an American military officer; born in Al bany, N. Y., March 6, 1831; was grad uated at the Military Academy at West Point in 1853. Entering the United States artillery, be served in Texas and Oregon till 1855, when he sailed for San Francisco in command of an escort to the expedition for surveying the proposed branch of the Pacific railway between San Francisco and the Columbia river. Afterward he commanded a body of troops among the Indian tribes till 1861, when he was promoted captain. On the break ing out of the Civil War he was ap pointed quartermaster of the army in Southwestern Missouri; in 1862 became chief quartermaster of the Western De partment, and colonel of the 2d Michigan Volunteer Cavalry. He cut the railroads S. of Corinth; defeated two separate forces of cavalry at Baldwin and Gun town in June, 1862, and fought at Boone ville; was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers; took command of the 11th Division of the Army of Ohio; distin guished himself at Perryville and at Stone river or Murfreesboro, Dec. 31 and Jan. 3, 1863, for which he was promoted major-general of volunteers. He was en gaged at Chickamauga, Sept. 19 and 20, 1863, and in the operations around Chat tanooga; was appointed, in April, 1864, to the command of the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac; took part in the battles of the Wilderness, Meadow Bridge, and Cold Harbor, in May; in June, led a cavalry expedition into the heart of the Confederate country and was given the command of the Army of the Shenandoah; defeated General Early in several engagements in the Shenandoah valley. On Oct. 19 occurred his famous ride from Winchester. Under orders
from Grant he devastated the valley. He was appointed to the chief command of the cavalry, which branch of the Federal forces, under his able and energetic di rection, acquired an efficiency and gained a reputation such as it had never borne before. Sheridan was promoted briga dier-general, U. S. A., Sept. 20, 1864, and major-general, Nov. 8 of the same year. On Feb. 9, 1865, the thanks of Congress were tendered to him for "the gallantry, military skill, and courage displayed in the brilliant series of victories achieved by his army in the valley of the Shenan doah, especially at Cedar Creek." After the capture of Staunton, he pressed on to Columbia, laying waste the country in every direction; gained the battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865; assisted in com pelling the Confederate forces to evacuate Petersburg and Richmond, and near Ap pomattox Court House encountered Gen eral Lee, who surrendered April 9. General Sheridan was in command of the Military Division of the Southwest from June 3 to July 17, 1865; of the Military Division of the Gulf, July 17, 1865, to Aug. 15, 1866; of the Department of the Gulf, Aug. 15, 1866, to March 11, 1867; of the District of Louisiana and Texas, March 11 to Sept. 5, 1867; and of the Department of the Missouri, Sept. 12, 1867. On March 4, 1869, he was pro moted lieutenant-general, and Nov. 1, 1883, succeeded Sherman in command of the army. Congress revived the grade of general, to which he was appointed, June 1, 1888. He died in Nonquitt, Mass., Aug. 5, 1888.