Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, Volume 2, Part 5

"Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, Volume 2, Part 5" by Philip Henry Sheridan is a historical account detailing the experiences of General Sheridan during the closing months of the American Civil War, likely written in the late 19th century after the conflict's conclusion. The memoir focuses on Sheridan's military engagements and strategies, particularly during significant battles such as Five Forks and Sailor's Creek, culminating in the surrender of General Lee, which effectively ended the war. The opening of this memoir introduces several key military engagements, starting with Sheridan's observations and strategic decisions during the battle at Dinwiddie Court House, where General Pickett's forces faced off against Sheridan's cavalry and the Fifth Corps. The narrative dives into the tactical maneuvers and the urgent communications among commanders as the Union forces sought to outmaneuver the Confederates. It sets the stage for the subsequent battles that would lead to the eventual surrender of Lee's army, highlighting Sheridan's leadership, the challenges his forces faced, and the intense combat that characterized these final days of the Civil War. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with General-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant, who transferred Sheridan from command of an infantry division in the Western Theater to lead the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the East. In 1864, he defeated Confederate forces under General Jubal Early in the Shenandoah Valley and his destruction of the economic infrastructure of the Valley, called "The Burning" by residents, was one of the first uses of scorched-earth tactics in the war. In 1865, his cavalry pursued Gen. Robert E. Lee and was instrumental in forcing his surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.