Hoofbeats of History: Riding with General Sheridan in Somerset, Ohio

In the heart of Somerset Square, traffic circles around more than pavement—it circles around pride, memory, and a rider forever in motion. The General Philip Sheridan Monument captures the Union general mid-rally, hat raised high, horse rearing beneath  him,
as if the Civil War is unfolding right there in Perry County. It’s a statue that doesn’t just stand still—it gallops through time.

Though history debates his birthplace, Somerset proudly claims Philip Henry Sheridan as its own. Here, he spent his formative years before becoming one of the Union’s most dynamic leaders. His fiery charge at Cedar Creek and his campaigns in Virginia cemented him as a hero whose energy could turn the tide of battle. Somerset sees not just the general—but the hometown boy whose grit began on its soil.

A Monument Built by Community

Dedicated in 1905, this was Ohio’s very first Civil War equestrian statue—and it was powered by hometown heart. Sheridan’s nieces, Nellie and Mary, led the charge to honor their uncle. Nellie Sheridan Wilson, the town’s postmistress and a pioneer in her own right, launched a “penny fund” that drew contributions from neighbors and schoolchildren. Every coin collected became part of the monument’s granite base, rooting Sheridan’s legacy in community effort. 

Artistry in Bronze and Granite

Sculptor Carl Heber gave Sheridan’s likeness a sense of unrelenting motion—horse muscles taut, hat raised, eyes fixed forward. Perched on its granite pedestal in front of the historic Perry County Courthouse, the statue dominates the roundabout. Even as cars circle close, the monument commands attention, insisting that Somerset’s story belongs in the nation’s history books.

A Lasting Echo

Today, the square tells a layered story. Alongside Sheridan’s equestrian monument stands a statue of his niece Nellie, honoring not only battlefield heroics but also the everyday courage of civic leadership. Together, they remind visitors that history isn’t carried by generals alone, but also by families, communities, and the tireless work of those who keep memory alive.

From granite base to raised hat, from hometown roots to national triumphs, Sheridan’s monument is more than bronze. It’s the echo of hoofbeats in a small-town square—a reminder that even the grandest history can have humble beginnings.