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

In Short

This volume captures the final, kinetic weeks of the American Civil War and the subsequent, grueling years of Reconstruction. Beginning with the tactical brilliance displayed at the Battle of Five Forks and the relentless pursuit that forced Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, the narrative transitions into the complex political challenges of the post-war South. It is a stark, professional account of military command—both on the battlefield and in the volatile, lawless districts of New Orleans and Texas—providing a window into the mind of a commander tasked with enforcing an uneasy peace.

The Story

The narrative opens with the tactical urgency of the Appomattox campaign in the spring of 1865. The author details the meticulous positioning of cavalry and infantry, specifically the maneuvers that led to the capture of the vital crossroads at Five Forks. The prose emphasizes the friction of command: the frustration of communication delays, the physical toll of the mud-drenched marches, and the author’s own uncompromising decision to relieve General Warren of his command after the battle. What follows is a relentless, high-stakes pursuit of the retreating Army of Northern Virginia. The author describes the logistical race to cut off Lee’s escape route toward Amelia Court House, the skirmishes at Sailor’s Creek, and the final, exhaustive efforts to position troops before the ultimate surrender at the McLean house.

Once the military objective is achieved, the focus shifts to the immediate aftermath of the war and the geopolitical anxieties of the era. The author details his assignment to the Southwest, driven by Ulysses S. Grant’s broader strategic vision: to neutralize the French-backed occupation of Mexico, which was viewed as an extension of the Confederate cause. The account outlines the delicate balance of power, the suppression of "colonization" schemes by former Confederates seeking refuge under Maximilian’s empire, and the eventual collapse of the French-backed regime.

The final, largest portion of the narrative turns to the domestic chaos of the Reconstruction era. As a district commander in the South, the author recounts the brutal reality of the New Orleans riot of 1866 and the systematic efforts by local civil authorities to disenfranchise freedmen. The author documents his intense, escalating conflict with President Andrew Johnson, who attempted to censor his reports and undermine his enforcement of Congressional Reconstruction laws. The narrative describes a period of institutional paralysis where military officers were forced to navigate a landscape of local violence, judicial corruption, and executive interference. The author justifies his dismissals of recalcitrant civil officials as necessary actions to protect the rights of the newly enfranchised, framing his tenure as a struggle to uphold the rule of law in a society still reeling from the collapse of the plantation order. The book concludes by reflecting on the necessity of the Reconstruction Acts and the author’s steadfast refusal to bow to political pressure, maintaining that his actions were strictly dictated by his duty to execute the laws of the land.

How It Unfolds

The final campaign The narrative establishes the tactical intensity of the spring of 1865, focusing on the maneuvers around Dinwiddie and the capture of Five Forks. This section highlights the logistical challenges of moving large bodies of troops through terrain turned to mud by heavy rains.

The pursuit and surrender The story follows the rapid, grueling chase of the Confederate army, culminating in the surrender at Appomattox. The author provides a cool-headed description of the meeting between Grant and Lee, emphasizing the stark contrast in their appearances.

The Mexican border The narrative shifts to the post-war assignment in Texas and Louisiana, where the focus turns to international threats. The author outlines his efforts to block former Confederates from fleeing to Mexico and his support for the Liberal forces resisting Maximilian.

The struggle for Reconstruction The final movement details the author’s tenure as a military administrator in the South. This section documents his clashes with President Johnson over the suppression of local riots and the enforcement of voting rights for freedmen.

The People

The author, Philip Henry Sheridan, serves as the central, unwavering observer—a man who prioritizes tactical efficiency and adherence to orders above personal reputation or political favor. Ulysses S. Grant emerges as the steadying influence, a commander who trusts his subordinates and shares a clear, uncompromising vision for the Union’s future. In sharp contrast, Robert E. Lee is depicted as a dignified but defeated figure, while General Warren becomes the primary object of the author's professional censure, representing the failure of initiative at critical moments. President Andrew Johnson is presented as an antagonist whose efforts to subvert Reconstruction policy force a direct, bitter confrontation with the author. Lesser-known figures, such as the local officials in New Orleans—Judge Abell and Mayor Monroe—appear as symbols of the entrenched, post-war resistance to the new legal order, representing the "lawless" elements the author seeks to contain.

In Its Own Voice

"Our success was unqualified; we had overthrown Pickett, taken six guns, thirteen battle-flags, and nearly six thousand prisoners."

The author describes the immediate, decisive result of the hard-fought Battle of Five Forks.

"General Lee was dressed in a new uniform and wore a handsome sword."

The author observes the appearance of the Confederate commander during the final surrender at the McLean house.

"Many of these persons were active and open opponents of mine, while others were spies, doing their work so secretly and quickly that sometimes Mr. Johnson knew of my official acts before I could report them to General Grant."

The author reflects on the climate of surveillance and political hostility he faced while administering the Reconstruction laws in New Orleans.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this is a study of the transition from martial necessity to civil order. It explores the tension between military authority and civilian governance in the aftermath of a total war. The author is preoccupied with the question of whether the peace won on the battlefield can be sustained through the bureaucratic and legal mechanisms of a government divided against itself. It is also an argument for the necessity of federal intervention in protecting the rights of the newly freed, suggesting that without the "vigorous" application of military law, the societal structures of the Old South would have effectively nullified the results of the war.

Why Read It Today

Readers with a keen interest in military history and the administrative mechanics of state-building will find this volume particularly rewarding. The narrative offers a rare, first-hand account of the high-stakes friction between the military command and the executive branch during the Reconstruction era. It is not an intimate or introspective memoir; the prose is clinical, focused on logistical precision, troop dispositions, and the legal justifications for administrative acts.

Readers should be prepared for the author’s blunt, occasionally abrasive professional assessments, particularly regarding his contemporaries. The text does not shy away from the intense racial and political volatility of the South in the 1860s, reflecting the period's stark divisions. While the length and the inclusion of full-text legal documents—such as the Reconstruction Acts—might prove challenging for some, they serve as a testament to the author’s commitment to grounding his narrative in the hard facts of his service. What lingers after reading is the portrait of a man who viewed his duty as a moral imperative to solidify the Union’s victory, regardless of the political costs. It is an essential, if unvarnished, look at a commander who navigated the transition from battlefield victory to the messy, unresolved conflicts of the peace that followed.