Civil War General Sheridan comes to Chase County

    Attendees at Saturday’s Chase County Historical Society banquet met Civil War General Philip Henry Sheridan.
    Wayne Mintling of Culbertson, appearing in Civil War military dress, took on the persona of Sheridan as he talked of the general’s experiences in the war and other events in his military career.
    Thirty-five attended the banquet and program at the Champion Community Center.
    Quoting often from Sheridan’s memoirs, the crowd learned that his parents came to the states from Ireland. Sheridan was born in 1831 in New York.
    While attending West Point, his roommate was George Custer, who would later be one of Sheridan’s most trusted lieutenants and friends.
    Sheridan graduated from West Point in 1853. His first assignment after being commissioned a 2nd lieutenant was to fight Indians in Texas, and later was assigned to Oregon.
    Quoting directly from his memoirs, Mintling reviewed Sheridan’s service including several of the battles he fought.
    He was promoted to Major General in 1865 after winning several Civil War battles.
    “At every chance we attacked,” he said, adding he never “sent” his men into battle, he “led” them.
    Much of Sheridan’s success came in his efforts to cut off supplies and food to General Lee’s men, a tactic he used later in his battles against the Indians.
    The south surrendered on April 15, 1865.
    As Sheridan moved up the ranks after the war, one of his assignments led him to the Hayes Center, Nebraska area in 1872, when he was asked to be one of the hosts for the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, who was on a goodwill visit to the United States.
    Sheridan was charged with arranging a buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke. He recruited the help of Custer, now a decorated General, and Buffalo Bill Cody, the latter one of the guides for the hunt held Jan. 13-15, 1972.
    During the hunt, a total of 80 buffalo were killed before the group returned to North Platte, and the Grand Duke continued his tour of the U.S.
    The reenactment of the Grand Duke’s visit to the area was a 10-year project of the Hayes Center Lions Club, which raised money for service projects. At one of the reenactments, one of Sheridan’s great-great grandsons attended, Mintling said. He portrayed General Sheridan at many of the reenactment events in rural Hayes County.
    Sheridan was made a four-star general shortly before he died in office at the age of 57 on Aug. 5, 1888.
Business meeting
    After the program, Historical Society President Charley Colton conducted the business meeting that included a review of the past year and officer elections.
    He said 514 visitors signed the Chase County Museum’s guest book this year, which dropped a bit from the previous year.
    While crowds were light for programs early in the summer, attendance picked up as the season progressed, he noted.
    Colton said one of their biggest challenges is finding individuals or groups to give the Sunday afternoon programs during the summer.
    He said it doesn’t have to be a collection. Hobbies can be presented or other types of programs. People can contact him with program ideas at 308-883-8584.
    Upcoming efforts include painting of the old school house on the museum grounds and plans for their seventh annual Historical Society calendar for 2023 which will feature “town views.”
    One of the new displays added the past year was a cattle drive map donated by the Marvin Large family. To accommodate the large map and welcome addition to the museum, Colton said officers have done some rearranging of displays.
    The Burke family also donated items from the former Farmers & Merchants Bank, he added. He thanked Becky and Doug Carman for the hours they spent organizing the museum’s research area.
    Officers reelected were Colton, president; Becky Carman, vice president; Diann Schilke, secretary; and Vickie Beard, 3-year director.
    Other officers are Manette Brown, treasurer, and directors Kelen Fortkamp and Jeannine Cox.