SHERIDAN. 77 SHERIDAN. Grant to Virginia and placed in command of the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac, and during Jlay, June, and -Inly, besides protecting the thinks of the army and reconnoitring the enemy's position, 'as engaged in eighteen dillcrent actions, including the battles of the ilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. His reputation for dash and daring was further increased by a raid lasting from the 9lh to the 25th of May, in which he destroyed the railroad eomniunications of the Confederates, captured Beaver Dam, and at the battle of Yellow Tavern defeated the Confed- erates under Gen. J. E. B. Stuart (q.v.), who was killed in the action. In August, 1864, General Sheridan was placed in command of the Army of the Shenandoah, which was soon constituted the Middle Military Division. With this command he defeated Gen- eral Early at Opequan Creek, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek (October 19, 186'4), and captured 5000 of his men and several guns. His dashing ride of twenty miles from Winchester to Cedar Creek (q.v.), to save his army from defeat, was one of the most brilliant exploits of his career. On September 10th Sheridan was made briga- dier-general in the Regular Army, and in No- vember was promoted to the rank of major-gen- eral. An act for which Sheridan has been widely censured was his terrible devastation of the Shenandoah Valley as a means of weakening the resources of the enemy. During the re- mainder of the war he continued to serve under Grant in Virginia, doing great service as a raider and destroyer of bridges, railroads, etc. He fought the battles of Waynesboro, ilarch 1, 1865; Dinwiddie Court House, March 31st; and Five Forks, April 1st, which compelled Lee to evacuate Richmond and Petersbvirg, in all of which he displayed his usual military skill and courage. He participated in various minor ac- tions, and was present at the surrender of Lee. In July, 1865, he received the thanks of Congress. At the close of the war he assumed conmiand of the Department of the Gulf, and upon the in- auguration of the recon.struetion policy was ap- pointed commander of the Fifth Military Dis- trict (Louisiana and Texas), where he was kno«n for his stern and vigorous enforcement of the reconstruction acts. With the election of General Grant to the Presidency and the pro- motion of General Sherman to be commander of the Army, Sheridan was raised to the rank of lieutenant-general. In 1870 he visited Europe to witness the Franco-Prussian War. and later commanded militai-y divisions in the West and Southwest. During the political disturbances of 1875 in Louisiana, he was sent to New Or- leans to maintain peace and order, in which capacity he maintained his reputation for severity and rigor as a military ruler. Upon the retire- ment of General Sherman in 1883. he succeeded to the chief command of the Army. He died at Nonquitt, Mass.. August 5, 1888. He pub- lished Personal Memoirs' {'New York, 1888). SHERIDAN, Richard Brinsley (1751- 1810). An Engli.sh dramatist and statesman, born in Dublin. He was the son of Thomas and Frances Sheridan (q.v.). In 1762 he was sent to Harrow, where he remained till 1768. Hav- ing won no distinction at school, he continued his studies with more zeal under private tutors, Sheridan had fallen in love with Miss Elizabeth Linley, a professional singer. Disliking the at- tentions of a Major Jlalhew.s, this young and lovely person made up her mind to seek refuge in a French convent. Sheridan took ship with her as a guardian. The pair were married by a priest in a village near Calais. On returning to England Sheridan had a duel with the furi- ous Major, whose ill luck it was to have to beg for his life and afterwards to publish an apology in the lidth CItronide. In a second duel on July 2, 1772, Sheridan was gravely Avounded. Both his father and Mr. Linley objected to the newly made union, so Sheridan was sent otT to Waltham Abliey in Essex, to study undisturbed. For a while he worked hard, being especiallj' eager to master French and Italian, though he meant to be a barrister. On April 6, 1773, he was entered at the Middle Temple, and a week later he mar- ried Miss Linley, with the consent of her father, but the elder Sheridan called the alliance a dis- grace. In conjunction with a friend at Harrow, Sheri- dan had already published a metrical translation of the epistles of Aristfenetus, had written fugi- tive verse of his own, and a comedy called Jupi- ter, which was refused by Garrick. Settling in London with his wife, he now turned to litera- ture for support. The Rivals was first per- formed at Covent Garden Theatre on .January 17, 1775, and it failed. Carefully revised, it was again put on the stage eleven days later, and it succeeded. This fine comedy was followed at Covent Garden by a farce called Saint Patrick's Day, or the Scheming Lieutenant (May 2, 1775), and the comic opera called The Duenna (Novem- ber 21, 1775), which ran for seventy-five nights, a popularity until them unprecedented. In 1776 Sheridan, helped by his father-in-law and a com- mon friend, bought out Garrick's share in Drury Lane Theatre, and two years later the share of Willoughby Lacy, Garrick's partner. The money for these purchases was raised mainly on mort- gage. On September 21, 1776, Drury Lane was opened under Sheridan's management. The next year he produced an adaptation of Vanbrugh's Relapse, under the title of A Trip to Scar- borough (February 24th), followed by his great- est comedy. The School for ScancM (May 8th). His later plays are The Critic (October 29, 1779). and Piznrro (May 24, 1799), adapted from Ivotzebue (q.v.). Though not wholly ad- mirable in structure, The Rivals and The School for Scandal are among the best comedies in Eng- lish since the Elizabethan age. Sheridan's wit and attractive personality had long made him conspicuous in London society. In 1777 he was elected to the famous Literary Club of Johnson and Burke. Through the influ- ence of J'ox he began a Parliamentary career in 1780. For his services to the opposition dur- ing the first two years, he was appointed Under- Secretary for Foreign Aflairs under the Rock- ingham Ministry (1782), and Secretary to the Treasury under the coalition Ministry of the Duke of Portland (1783). For his speeches against the American war, the Congress of the ITnited States wished to present him with £20,- 000. The gift was gracefully declined. His greatest speeches were against Warren Haet-
