esulted in the capture of more than six thousand
prisoners.

On April 8th Sheridan again engaged the Confederates at Appomattox
Station. Early on the morning of the 9th the enemy endeavored to break
through, but abandoned the attempt when Sheridan, moving aside,
disclosed the infantry behind. Sheridan mounted his men and was about
to charge, when the white flag betokening surrender was displayed in
his front. This brought the war in Virginia to a close, though in
Alabama and other districts the conflict continued to a somewhat later
period. The Confederate power, however, was broken by the surrender at
Appomattox Court-house, which practically ended the Civil War.

Sheridan subsequently conducted an expedition into North Carolina. On
June 3, 1865, he took command of the Military Division of the
Southwest, at New Orleans, and was appointed to the Fifth Military
District (Louisiana and Texas) in March, 1867. President Johnson,
being dissatisfied with his administration, relieved him of his
appointment during the reconstruction troubles in Louisiana, and
transferred him to the Department of the Missouri. He continued in
command until March 4, 1869, when he was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant-general, and assigned the command of the Division of the
Missouri, with head-quarters at Chicago.

During the Franco-German War of 1870-71 General Sheridan visited
Europe, and was present as a spectator with the German forces at
several celebrated engagements. He was held in high esteem by Prince
Bismarck and Count Von Moltke. After the sanguinary battle of
Gravelotte, which Sheridan witnessed, Bismarck returned with the King
to Pont-a-Mousson, and on the evening of the next day the German
Chancellor entertained at dinner General Sheridan and his American
companions, "with whom he talked eagerly in good English, while
champagne and porter circulated." At one point of the Franco-German
War, when Bismarck was at Versailles, anxiously desiring a French
government with which he could conclude a durable peace, "it almost
seemed," says Mr. Lowe, in his "Life of Bismarck," "as if he had no
other resource but to pursue the war on the principles laid down by
General Sheridan." The American soldier had said to the Chancellor:
"First deal as hard blows at the enemy's soldiers as possible, and
then cause so much suffering to the inhabitants of the country that
they will long for peace and press their government to make it.
Nothing should be