One of the most highly decorated officers in military history, Sheridan stands out for his exploits in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. He is known for his famous ride during the Battle of Cedar Creek and for his implementation of a hard war that scarred the landscape in what some Virginia residents aptly termed "The Burning." Historians typically group Sheridan among the top three generals on the Union side in the Civil War, next to Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. Together the men formed the team that helped defeat the Confederacy and preserve the Union.