October 8: TODAY in Irish History:
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Union General Little Phil Sheridan
Snippets of Irish History by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks 
Conor is a Chicago based Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.
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1862: Little Phil Sheridan
At the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, Little Phil Sheridan is one of the key officers leading Union soldiers against the Confederate forces of Braxton Bragg.
Sheridan’s parents John and Mary Meenagh Sheridan had emmigrated from County Cavan. Sheridan’s diminutive stature of five feet five inches earned him the nickname “Little Phil.)
In his memoirs, Sheridan writes:
“My parents, John and Mary Sheridan, came to America in 1830, having been induced by the representations of my father’s uncle, Thomas Gainor, then living in Albany, N. Y., to try their fortunes in the New World: They were born and reared in the County Cavan, Ireland, where from early manhood my father had tilled a leasehold on the estate of Cherrymoult; and the sale of this leasehold provided him with means to seek a new home across the sea. My parents were blood relations—cousins in the second degree—my mother, whose maiden name was Minor, having descended from a collateral branch of my father’s family. Before leaving Ireland they had two children, and on the 6th of March, 1831, the year after their arrival in this country, I was born, in Albany, N. Y., the third child in a family which eventually increased to six—four boys and two girls.”
Perryville was his first engagement as an infantry leader under the command of Major General Don Carlos Buell. While the Confederate troops won a tactical victory, the action forced them to retreat to Tennessee where Sheridan gained major kudos for his performance at the pivotal Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro)
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- GeneralPhilip Sheridan
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Below: Portrayal of a mournful Philip Sheridan in John Ford’s Rio Grande
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In his wonderful memoir, Ulysses S. Grant writes of Sheridan:
“Sheridan was a first lieutenant in the regiment in which I had served eleven years, the 4th infantry, and stationed on the Pacific coast when the war broke out. He was promoted to a captaincy in May, 1861, and before the close of the year managed in some way, I do not know how, to get East. He went to Missouri. Halleck had known him as a very successful young officer in managing campaigns against the Indians on the Pacific coast, and appointed him acting-quartermaster in south-west Missouri. There was no difficulty in getting supplies forward while Sheridan served in that capacity; but he got into difficulty with his immediate superiors because of his stringent rules for preventing the use of public transportation for private purposes. He asked to be relieved from further duty in the capacity in which he was engaged and his request was granted. When General Halleck took the field in April, 1862, Sheridan was assigned to duty on his staff. During the advance on Corinth a vacancy occurred in the colonelcy of the 2d Michigan cavalry. Governor Blair, of Michigan, telegraphed General Halleck asking him to suggest the name of a professional soldier for the vacancy, saying he would appoint a good man without reference to his State. Sheridan was named; and was so conspicuously efficient that when Corinth was reached he was assigned to command a cavalry brigade in the Army of the Mississippi. He was in command at Booneville on the 1st of July with two small regiments, when he was attacked by a force full three times as numerous as his own. By very skilful manoeuvres and boldness of attack he completely routed the enemy. For this he was made a brigadier-general and became a conspicuous figure in the army about Corinth.”
Sheridan continued in the military following the civil war and proved a brutally effective officer during the Indian Wars allowing Native Americans little or no quarter. He was appointed Commanding General of the United States Army in 1883.
Perryville was his first engagement as an infantry leader under the command of Major General Don Carlos Buell. While the Confederate troops won a tactical victory, the action forced them to retreat to Tennessee where Sheridan gained major kudos for his performance at the pivotal Battle of Stones River.
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FREE Download: Memoirs of Phil Sheridan at Project Gutenberg
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1959: Singer Gavin Friday
Maybe a lesser known figure than his good buddy Bono (maybe??), singer, composer,and founder of post-punk band The Virgin Prunes Gavin Friday is born Fionán Martin Hanvey. He has co-written a number of songs with the U2 frontman including the soundtrack to the Jim Sheridan movie In the Name of the Father, the movie that
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1974: Sean MacBride Nobel Prize Winner
Sean MacBride, along with Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato is awarded a half-share of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on human rights.. Born on January 26, 1904 in Paris, the son of John MacBride (executed for 1916 rising) and Maud Gonne, he took an active part in the War of Irish independence. MacBride went on to become a distinguished jurist and was a founding member of Amnesty International.
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WATCH: A Short History of Ireland
Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
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This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humorist IrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the comment button.
Visit Conor’s YouTube channel IrishmanSpeaks to Laugh and Learn.
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