Show PHILIP HENRY SHERIDAN r Successor to General Sherman as Commander in Chief of U S A On February 9th 1865 the thanks of the United States Congress were tendered to a man for the gallantry military skill and courage displayed in a series of victories achieved by his army in the Valley of the Shenandoah andoah especially at Cedar Run This man was Philip Henry Sheridan Sheri-dan who is familiarly known as Little Phil He was born in Somerset Perry county Ohio in 183f was educated lat West Point and was admitted to the Military Academy in 184S where he graduated gradu-ated in 1853 Entering the United Un-ited States Artillery he served in Texas and Oregon until 1855 when he sailed for San Francisco in command of an escort to a United States surveying expedition expe-dition From this time until 1861 he commanded a body of troops among the Indian tribes when he was promoted to the rank of captain cap-tain Upon the breaking out of the civil war he was appointed quartermaster quarter-master of the western department and colonel of the Second Michigan cavalry At Booneville in July 1862 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general of volunteers and took command of the third division of the army of Ohio distinguishing dis-tinguishing himself by his de ten se of Louisville and again winning distinction on the banks of the Stone river December 30th at which time he was promoted to the rank of majorgeneral of volunteers volun-teers He was appointed in April 1864 to the command of the cavalry corps of the army of ttoe Potomac In September 1854 he was appointed ap-pointed brigadier general and in November of the same year major general of the United States army He was in command of various military of the army from June 3 1864 Until September 12th 1867 On March 4tb 1869 be was appointed lieutenantgeneral of the United States army and the same month took the command of the military division of the Missouri Mis-souri He was in command of the western division with headquarters at Chicago until 1879 and commanded com-manded the forces jhich were sent to quell the Louisiana difficulties The cavalry branch pf the Federal forces under his able direction acquired ac-quired an efficiency and gained a reputation such as it hadL neyer borne before Being the3ranking lieutenantgeneral Sheridan day succeeds Sherman as commander in chief of the United States army |