William Tecumsah Sherman¹ was born on February 8, 1820. Today is his 189th birthday. Sherman, while reviled in the south, would forever have a soft spot in his heart for Southerners.
Born, in Lancaster, Ohio, he was one of eleven children to Charles R. Sherman and Mary Hoyt Sherman. His father was a successful lawyer and would be appointed to the Ohio Supreme Court. Judge Sherman would die, in 1829, leaving Mary to raise the children. Young William would be sent to family friend, Thomas Ewing, to be raised. Ewing was a well known attorney and would serve in the U.S. Senate. He would later be appointed as the nation’s first Secretary of the Interior.
Thomas Ewing would appoint the 16 year old Sherman, to the Military Academy at West Point, from where he would graduate in 1840. While at West Point, Sherman would befriend his roommate, and future general, George H. Thomas. While he excelled in his studies, he was known as somewhat of a “class clown.”
After graduation, Sherman would enter the regular army, as a second lieutenant, in the 3rd U.S. Artillery. He would be active in the Second Seminole war, and would be later stationed in Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. While assigned to duty, in the south, Sherman would become quite enamored with the southern gentry – and the way of life, in the south.
Sherman would be sent to California, while most of the regular army was fighting in the Mexican War. Sherman would be stationed at Monterey, California and would spend much time in Yerba Buena – present day San Francisco. Additionally, he would be involved in surveying land, during the California Gold Rush.
In 1850, after returning to the east, Sherman would marry the daughter of his adoptive parents, the Ewings. In a wedding attended by President Zachary Taylor, William would marry Ellen Ewing. This would forever tie Sherman to his adoptive family – the Ewings.
In 1859, after being president of a failed California Bank, and returning to law practice in Leavenworth, Kansas, Sherman would accept a position as first superintendent at Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy, in Pineville, Louisiana. Sherman was well respected as a university administrator, and was well loved by his students. Colonel Joseph Taylor was noted as saying, “…if you had hunted the whole army, from one end to the other, you could not have found a man in it more admirably suited for the position in every respect than Sherman.” His time spent in Louisiana, increased his devotion, to the Southern way of life.
With the secession of South Carolina, in correspondence with David F. Boyd, of Virginia – a strong supporter of secession - Sherman declared, “You people of the South don’t know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end…” Going on Sherman would presciently state. “…You are rushing into a war with one of the most powerful, ingeniously mechanical, and determined people on Earth – right at your doors. You are bound to fail. Only in your spirit and determination are you prepared for war. In all else you are totally unprepared, with a bad cause to start with. At first you will make headway, but as your limited resources begin to fail, shut out from the markets of Europe as you will be, your cause will begin to wane. If your people will stop and think, they must see in the end you will surely fail.” It is amazing, how correct Sherman was – in all accounts. It was as if he had hindsight as a barometer of the future. However, he did not.
Sherman would be commissioned a colonel, in the regular army with the outbreak of the Civil War. At First Manassas, he would lead the third brigade in US Brigadier General Daniel Tyler’s division. He would be wounded in action, suffering shots to the shoulder, and knee. Although he complained about the actions of the volunteer army, Abraham Lincoln would promote him to brigadier general. After recuperating from his Bull Run wounds, he would be given command of the Department of the Cumberland, based in Louisville, Kentucky. During his time, in Louisville, Sherman was known to exaggerate the strength of the Confederates in his department. After the local press complained of his lack of competency, saying he was insane, he would ask to be relieved of command. His commander, US Major General Henry W. Halleck, would replace him with Don Carlos Buell.
Sherman's Headquarters Monument at Shiloh
Sherman would be given command of a division in US Major General Ulysses S. Grant’s Army of West Tennessee. Commanding the Fifth Division, he would receive the full impact of CS General Albert Sidney Johnston’s attack at Shiloh. His division would be surprised on April 6, as the Confederates swept through his camps. Although given warning, by US Colonel Everett Peabody, that Confederates were just outside their perimeter, in the woods, Sherman discounted the forces as skirmishers. With his division being pushed back, past the Crossroads, Sherman was able to make a stand – again being injured, this time in his hand and shoulder. Speaking to Grant, that evening, Sherman said, “Well, Grant, we’ve had the Devil’s own day, haven’t we?” Grant replied, “Yes. Lick ‘em tomorrow, though.” This was the start of a great friendship, between Grant, and Sherman – one that would continue throughout the war. With their new defensive line, near Pittsburg Landing, Sherman, and Grant, did “lick ‘em” the next day. After Shiloh, Sherman would be promoted major general of volunteers. At Corinth, he again commanded a division under US Major General George H. Thomas.
During the start of the Vicksburg Campaign, Sherman would attack well entrenched lines, north of town, at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou (December 26–29, 1862). A bitter defeat, Sherman would take his troops back to Memphis. Sherman would join US Major General John McClernand’s XV Corps in the assault, and victory at Arkansas Post. This would prove instrumental in the coming Vicksburg Campaign, as it relieved Confederate naval pressure north of Vicksburg. While not concurring with Grant’s operational plans for an assault, from the south of Vicksburg, he provided excellent leadership and was instrumental in the victories at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion’s Hill and the Big Black River Bridge. During the Siege of Vicksburg, Sherman would be sent to protect the rear of the army, from attack from CS General Joseph Johnston’s troops, near Jackson. After Vicksburg, he would receive a promotion to brigadier general, in the regular army.
In November, with Grant now in command of the Department of the Mississippi, Sherman would command the Army of the Tennessee. With Grant strengthening his forces, at Chattanooga, he ordered Sherman east, on an overland route, to join forces with him. Sherman’s army would arrive in time to assist in taking Missionary Ridge, and pushing the Confederate forces of CS General Braxton Bragg out of Tennessee, and into northern Georgia. Considered one of Grant’s most impressive victories, Sherman would again prove his command capabilities to his commander. After Chattanooga, Sherman would be sent to Knoxville, to assist US Major General Ambrose Burnside, who was being sieged by troops under CS Lieutenant General James Longstreet.
In the spring of 1864, Grant would be promoted commander in chief, with the rank of lieutenant general. He would place Sherman in command of the Department of the Mississippi, while he went east, making his command post with the Army of the Potomac. Grant’s strategy, for the spring 1864 campaign was multi-dimensional. He planned to attack on all fronts simultaneously with Sherman tasked with destroying CS General Joseph Johnston’s (Johnston replaced Bragg when Bragg was brought east to advise President Jefferson Davis) Confederate Army of Tennessee, in northern Georgia.
Throughout May, and June 1864, “Cump” Sherman, with the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by George H. Thomas, the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by US Major General James B. McPherson and the Army of the Ohio, commanded by US Major General John M. Schofield would battle Johnston’s army. Continually moving by the flank, Sherman would defeat Johnston at Rocky Face Ridge (May 7–13), Resaca (May 13–15), Adairsville (May 17), New Hope Church (May 25–26), Dallas (May 26 – June 1), Pickett’s Mill (May 27), Marietta (June 9 – July 3) and Kolb’s Farm (June 22). With Johnston’s army now entrenched, at Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman would unwisely attack. He would suffer a bitter defeat and his army would endure 3,000 casualties during the attacks on June 27. On July 20, Sherman was once again determined, to flank the Rebel forces, at the Battle of Peachtree Creek. This would be the first battle that Sherman would face the new commander of Confederate forces – CS Lieutenant General John Bell Hood. Peachtree Creek would be a tough battle, but the Federal forces would hold, pushing Hood’s forces back into Atlanta.
During the battles of Atlanta, Sherman would continually try to find a weak spot in Hood’s defenses. On July 22, Hood attacked McPherson’s Army of the of the Tennessee. In this fierce struggle, two of Hood’s divisions would attack the Federal army’s left flank and roll up US Major General Grenville Dodge’s XVI Corps’ flank. During the fighting, while examining his lines, McPherson would be killed. Sherman would continue to seek points, in Hood’s lines vulnerable to attack. These would include battles at Ezra Church (July 28), Utoy Creek (August 5–7), Lovejoy’s Station (August 20) and the final battle at Jonesboro (August 31 – September 1). This last battle would sever Hood’s supply lines and force his evacuation of Atlanta.
With the U.S. flag once again flying over the state capitol, in Atlanta, Sherman set his sights on the east. At this point, he believed he had to take the war to the people of the south. After significant communication, with Grant, then at Petersburg, Sherman received permission to start his March to the Sea. Detaching George Thomas’s Army of the Tennessee and John Schofield’s Army of the Ohio, to pursue Hood and protect Nashville, Sherman burned all valuable military targets in Atlanta and cut his own lines of communication. He would leave Atlanta on November 15, stating he would, “make Georgia howl.” Living off the land, and destroying food stuffs and anything that would allow the Confederates to make war, Sherman would push towards Savannah, Georgia. This was, as Sherman stated, “hard war.” He would capture Savannah on December 22. Sherman sent a note to Lincoln, “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah.”
In the spring of 1865, Sherman would receive U.S. Grant’s permission to push north, through the Carolinas, to join Grant at Petersburg. Grant initially wanted Sherman to embark on steamers, to arrive sooner, but realized the distress Sherman caused in the south, during his March to the Sea would benefit his actions in, and around Richmond. Pushing north, on corduroy roads (muddy roads covered with trees) Sherman would make exceptional progress in South Carolina. CS General Joseph Johnston was to have stated, when referring to Sherman’s success in pushing through the swamps of South Carolina, “…there has been no such army in existence since the days of Julius Caesar.” Sherman would capture Columbia, South Carolina on February 17, destroying much property along his route. From March 19–21, Sherman would battle Johnston’s battered troops at Bentonville, North Carolina – the last major battle in the Civil War, for the Western armies. Johnston, learning of CS General Robert E. Lee’s surrender, at Appomattox Court House, would surrender to Sherman on April 18. Unfortunately, Sherman’s terms were too generous, and addressed political terms for the Confederate states to re-enter the U.S. The surrender was not accepted, and Grant would secretly counsel Sherman on terms the Federal government would accept. Sherman would again meet with Johnston, on April 26 and agree to the same terms Grant gave Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.
As his final act, as commander of the western armies, Sherman would lead his army in a Grand Review in Washington, D.C. on May 23–24, 1865.
After the war, Grant would be promoted full general and Sherman would be promoted lieutenant general. Sherman would command the armed forces in the territories west of the Mississippi River. His troops would help protect settlers, and railroad operations. In 1869, while his friend Grant was president, Sherman became Commanding General of the United States Army. He would also serve, for a brief time, as Secretary of War, for Grant. Sherman would die on February 14, 1891. Ironically, his primary foe, during the Atlanta Campaign, and Carolinas Campaign, Joseph E. Johnston would be one of his pall bearers.
While Sherman’s actions, during his March to the Sea, and Carolinas Campaign, would be considered harsh it had become necessary to break the will of the southern populace. He was known to protect civilians during this time, stating that war making material – including foodstuffs – was his primary objective. He would serve his country faithfully, for his entire life, and deserves to be considered a Patriot.
¹ William Tecumseh Sherman at Wikipedia, and BattlefieldPortraits.com were used to research this article.
