SHERIDAN
1740
SHERMAN
lie heard the guns 20 miles away. Hurrying forward, he reached the field and met his troops retreating in confusion before the enemy Speedily forming a line to stop stragglers, he rode forward waving his hat and shouting: "Face the other way, boys; we are going back." Confidence was restored, the lines were re-formed, and at 3 P. M, they moved back upon the enemy. The result was the total rout of Early's army, which was pursued up the valley for 30 miles. For this victory he was promoted to be major-general in the regular army, and received the thanks of Congress. Returning to the army of the Potomac in March, 1865, he was conspicuous under Grant in the operations before Petersburg and in the final battles preceding Lee's surrender. It was his superior generalship at Five Forks, where he entrapped and routed the Confederate right under Pickett and Johnson, capturing 5,000 prisoners, which compelled the evacuation of Petersburg. After the close of the war Sheridan was placed in command at New Orleans and, later, of the department of the Missouri, with headquarters at Chicago. When Sherman was made general, Sheridan was made lieutenant-general. When Sherman was retired, a special act of Congress conferred the further rank of general upon Sheridan. As a field-commander Sheridan was unapproachable. Filled with the ardor of battle, so that it was said he raged like a lion, his skill equaled his courage. He never lost a battle; and stood, after Grant and Sherman, one of the greatest of northern generals. Grant said : "As a soldier there is no man living greater than Sheridan. He belongs to the very first rank of captains, not only of our army, but of the world. I rank him with Napoleon, Frederick and the great commanders of history." Shortly before his death, at Nonquitt, Mass., Aug. 5, 1888, Sheridan wrote Personal Memoirs.
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley Butler, a British dramatist, was born at Dublin, Sept. 30, 1751. He made his first appearance in a farce called Jupiter, written in connection with a school-friend. After marriage he settled in London and produced his first and most popular play, The Rivals, in 1775. The School for Scandal appeared at Drury Lane Theater, of which Sheridan had become owner, and brought prosperity to it by its popularity. He entered Parliament, became undersecretary for foreign affairs in 1782 and secretary to the treasury in 1783. His high reputation as a speaker rests mainly on his three great speeches during the impeachment of Warren Hastings. His first speech produced such an effect in the house of commons that the house decided to adjourn without voting, because they were too much under the influence of the brilliant orator to vote impartially. He was in Parliament 32 years,
and was known as a strong speaker, but only equaled this first great speech in a magnificent oration in 1794 on the French Revolution. Drury Lane Theater became too small, and a new one, built in 1794, was burned in 1809, which left Sheridan in great poverty. He died on July 7, 1816, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. See Life by Mrs. Oliphant in the English Men of Letters Series and Sheridan and His Times by Thomas Moore.
Sher'man, Tex., a city, the capital of Grayson County, in a rich grain, cotton and fruit-producing district in northern Texas, 61 miles north of Dallas. It is well-supplied by railways, and is an important shipping and manufacturing center. Its industries include a large cottonseed-oil mill, cotton-gins, flour and lumber mills, brick-works, a bag-factory, several foundries and machine-shops, brick and marble works, planing-mills, carriage, furniture, broom and mattress factories. Here are Austin College for boys, North Texas Female College, Sherman Institute, St. Joseph (R.C.) Academy and other institutions. Population 12,412.
Sherman, James Schoolcraft, Vice President of the United States 1909-1912, was born near Utica, New York, Oct. 24, 1855, and after graduating from Hamilton College began practicing law. He entered the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1887 and served continuously until 1908, with the exception of one term (1891-93), when he failed of election. He was intimately acquainted with public affairs and as a congressman was a member of many important committees. He was the seventh vice president to die in office. In November, 1908, he was elected Vice President and re-nominated in 1912. He died at Utica during the campaign, Oct. 30, 1912.
Sherman, John, an American statesman, brother of. General Sherman, was born at Lancaster, O., May 10, 1823. He was admitted to the bar in 1844, and in 1855-61 he was in Congress as a representative from Ohio and chairman of the committee of ways and means during 1860-61. He was elected United States senator in 1861, and continued to serve Ohio in that capacity, except during the presidency of Hayes, when he was secretary of the treasury (1877-81). In the Civil War he raised a regiment in Ohio, largely at his own
JOHN SHERMAN
