Union cavalry general; later Commanding General of the Army
Famous for
The Shenandoah Valley Campaign, 1864
Style
Relentless, aggressive pursuit
Also known for
A leading, controversial role in the Indian Wars
Legacy
One of Grant's most trusted lieutenants
Short, fierce and relentless, Philip Sheridan became one of Ulysses S. Grant's most trusted commanders. He crushed Confederate resistance in the Shenandoah Valley, helped run Lee's army to ground at Appomattox, and after the war carried the same hard hand into the wars against the Native nations of the Plains, a record now remembered with that darkness.
Rise of a fighter
Born in 1831, Sheridan rose rapidly1 in the Civil War through sheer aggression, from an infantry commander in the West to chief of cavalry1 for Grant's armies in the East. Grant valued his drive, and gave him independent command in 18642.
Sheridan and his cavalry generals in front of his tent in 1864; from left, Henry E. Davies, David McM. Gregg, Sheridan, Wesley Merritt, Alfred Torbert and James H. Wilson. Photograph by Mathew Brady. Public domain
The Shenandoah and Appomattox
Sent to clear the Shenandoah Valley, Sheridan defeated Confederate forces there and then systematically destroyed its farms and supplies to deny them to the enemy1, a campaign remembered as 'The Burning.' In the war's final days his cavalry blocked Lee2's line of retreat, helping force the surrender at Appomattox in April 1865.
Robert Knox Sneden's map of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign, covering the valley between Staunton and Front Royal where Sheridan fought Early's army at Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. Library of Congress. Public domain
The Indian Wars
After the war Sheridan rose to command the army in the West and directed much of the campaigning against the Plains nations, endorsing harsh winter attacks on villages3 and the destruction of the bison herds that sustained them1. He became Commanding General of the Army before his death in 1888.1 His Civil War generalship is widely admired; his role in the Indian Wars is judged far more critically today.
Lieutenant General Philip H. Sheridan, engraving by John Chester Buttre after a Brady photograph, published in 1870 while Sheridan commanded in the West. Public domain
Sources and notes
Numbered notes in the text point to the works below.
He was an aggressive Union cavalry general (1831 to 1888), one of Grant's most trusted commanders, later Commanding General of the US Army.
What is Philip Sheridan famous for?
For the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign and for helping corner Lee's army at Appomattox; after the war, for a leading role in the Indian Wars.
What was 'The Burning'?
Sheridan's deliberate destruction of farms, crops and supplies in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864 to deny them to Confederate forces.
How is Sheridan viewed today?
His Civil War record is highly regarded, but his harsh role in the wars against Native peoples, including attacks on villages and the bison, is judged very critically.
Did Sheridan help end the Civil War?
Yes. In April 1865 his cavalry cut off Lee's retreat, helping force the Confederate surrender at Appomattox.
Ride down the valley with Sheridan
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