LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 June Civil War Grand Format Auction #663  / 

72079

Major general Philip Sheridan's Gold Medal Prese

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:20,000.00 USD Estimated At:80,000.00 - 120,000.00 USD
Major general Philip Sheridan's Gold Medal Prese
<B>Major General Philip Sheridan's Gold Medal Presented by General Ulysses S. Grant</B></I> A favorite of General Ulysses S. Grant, Philip Sheridan was promoted swiftly through the ranks during the Civil War. An 1853 graduate of West Point, he had distinguished himself on the frontier and in the Pacific Northwest. He was promoted to captain just after Fort Sumter.<BR><BR>Making influential friends quickly at the start of the war, Sheridan was appointed as colonel of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry. Within six months he would be a major general.<BR><BR>Union commander General Ulysses S. Grant was so impressed with his actions that he brought Sheridan to the east and made him commander of his cavalry of the Army of the Potomac.<BR><BR> Later, General Grant presented this ornate gold cavalry medal to Philip Sheridan as a token of his esteem and admiration for his great cavalry leadership. The medal measures 2” x 2” at its widest and highest points and is hinged at the top. A cavalry saber hilt protrudes from the top of the medal above a bar below which is a pair of crossed cavalry sabers. Immediately below the sabers is a wreath encircling a calligraphied 'S' attached to a blue lapis medallion.<BR><BR>Below the medal there is a flagstaff that slides through four rings for the attachment of a ribbon which survives, but is not attached to the medal. The red and white ribbon is in the form of Sheridan's major general's cavalry guidon with the white and now-purplish stars situated on the red and white bars of the swallow-tailed ribbon.<BR><BR>This is truly a remarkable medal awarded to the Union cavalry legend Major General Philip Sheridan by General Ulysses S. Grant. It is featured prominently on Sheridan's uniform in the famous post-war photographs captured by photographer C. D. Mosher's images of Sheridan in dress uniform as he continued to serve in the United States Army, ultimately rising to the rank of four-star general. A copy of the photograph accompanies this medal. While the gold is in excellent condition, the ribbon is somewhat soiled and is detached from the medal.<BR><BR> <B>Provenance:</B></I> <I>Norm Flayderman, The Tharpe Collection of American Military History</B></I><BR> <BR><B>Exhibited:</B></I> <I>The Liberty Heritage Society Museum</B></I> 16<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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