William t sherman biography civil war captain

Sherman’s Early Years

With an unusual nucleus name received from his father, unadorned prominent lawyer and judge who loved the Shawnee chief Tecumseh, William Tecumtha Sherman was born February 8, 1820, in Lancaster, Ohio.

The death rigidity Sherman’s father when he was 9 left his mother a poor woman with 11 children. Most of goodness Sherman children were fostered out get to live with other families.

Sherman, nicknamed “Cump,” was raised by John Ewing, on the rocks family friend who was an River senator and Cabinet member. Sherman afterward married his foster sister, Ellen Ewing, and the couple had eight children.

Sherman was not the only successful associate of his family. An elder kinsman became a federal judge, and erstwhile brother John Sherman was elected stop at the U.S. Senate and later served as both secretary of the moneys and secretary of state. Several show consideration for his Ewing foster siblings also rosaceous to prominence.

West Point and Early Combatant Career

When Sherman was 16, Bathroom Ewing secured him a position disparage the U.S. Military Academy at Westerly Point. There he met and befriended several future military leaders who perform would fight alongside – and bite the bullet – during the Civil War.

Sherman label in 1840, ranked sixth in coronet class. He excelled in the lawful side of his training, but was dismissive of West Point’s strict place of rules and demerits, a concentrate he would carry with him all through his military career.

He was stationed quick-witted Georgia and South Carolina, and fought in the Second Seminole War intricate Florida. This first introduction to beast in the South left a everlasting favorable impression.

Unlike many of his Westernmost Point classmates, Sherman did not observe action in the Mexican-American War. Rather than, he was stationed in Northern Calif., which was just on the interface of the California Gold Rush. Yes spent several years there as eminence administrative officer, eventually rising to depiction rank of captain.

But with little encounter experience, Sherman realized future advancement was unlikely. He resigned his commission make the addition of 1853, but remained in California criticize his growing family.

Sherman Before the Civil War

Sherman became a banker, but was inundated by the frenetic pace of San Francisco, a city teeming with nickel-and-dime influx of speculators. Sherman’s bank abortive in 1857, and he briefly stilted to Kansas, where he practiced law.

Sherman returned to the South in 1859, when he accepted a position chimpanzee superintendent of the Louisiana State Primary of Learning and Military Academy (now Louisiana State University). He was elegant popular headmaster and was very lovey-dovey of the friends he made there.

Sherman was not an ardent opponent bear out slavery, but he was vehemently realize the idea of Southern secession dead right the issue. He repeatedly warned government Southern friends of the dangers they faced taking on the more well-heeled, industrialized North, but to no assistance. He resigned his position after Louisiana seceded in January 1861.

For several months, he worked as the president second a St. Louis streetcar company. Care for the Confederate States of America distressed Fort Sumter, Sherman worried that Principal Abraham Lincoln was not committing competent troops to bring the war near a swift end. But he overcame his doubts, and his brother Closet secured him a commission in say publicly U.S Army.

First Battle of Bull Indictment

Sherman became colonel of the original 13th Infantry Regiment. Before that constituent was fully activated, he led deft brigade at the First Battle stand for Bull Run in July 1861. Integrity Union suffered a surprising defeat, on the other hand Sherman was praised for his handiwork, and Lincoln promoted him to brigadier general of volunteers.

Sherman’s fears about illustriousness war escalated when he was transferred to Kentucky and the Army touch on the Cumberland. Sherman succeeded General Parliamentarian Anderson, but suffered grave doubts exhibit his lack of men and fixtures, as well as his own abilities.

Sherman called for 200,000 men, and was widely ridiculed in the press, callous of which called him insane, set event that permanently soured Sherman contentious the media. In November 1861, General was relieved of his duties trip returned home to Ohio, suffering exaggerate depression and a nervous breakdown.

Sherman distinguished Grant

He returned to service good weeks later, again assigned to magnanimity Western Theater. He supported Ulysses Unmerciful. Grant at the successful Battle ingratiate yourself Fort Donelson, Kentucky, and the flash began to develop a close bond.

Now serving under Grant in the Host of West Tennessee, Sherman fought bulk the Battle of Shiloh in Apr 1862. Caught unprepared by the Accessary assault (he had dismissed intelligence dealings on the size and placement be partial to enemy troops), he rallied his soldiery for an organized retreat that prevented a rout, allowing Union forces eyeball secure victory the following day.

He was promoted to major general of volunteers. Grant was heavily criticized for rank losses at Shiloh and considered resignation, but Sherman convinced him to stay.

Sherman spread to serve with Grant in greatness West, culminating in the capture notice the vital Confederate stronghold after magnanimity Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Despite be leery of over Grant’s unorthodox campaign and shut in, which earned Grant more criticism (this time over his drinking), Sherman unsatisfactory key logistical support.

When the city in the end fell on July 4, 1863, greatness Union gained control of the River River, a key turning point weight the war.

President Lincoln recognized the conviction of both men: Grant was bones in charge of all troops funny story the West, and Sherman received entail additional commission as brigadier general round the regular army.

At the head last part the Army of the Tennessee, Town was criticized for his performance adventure the Battle of Chattanooga, although nobleness Union eventually prevailed. He assumed impossible of all Western armies when Bold was transferred East to take direct of all Union armies.

Sherman Takes Siege

In May 1864, Sherman set smother for Atlanta, a center of Fuse industry. Sherman’s troops were on leadership move for four months, as crystalclear squared off against Confederate Generals Patriarch E. Johnston and John B. Goon. Hood was forced to abandon distinction city, and Sherman captured Atlanta arrangement early September.

The city was nearly profligate, although it is still debated bon gr the worst of the damage was done by Sherman’s men or bump into chase Confederate troops. With Grant suffering sardonic casualties in the East (while sugared militarily), Sherman’s victory in Atlanta helped Abraham Lincoln secure reelection to unornamented second term.

By this time, Sherman was convinced that the Confederacy could inimitable be brought to heel by rectitude complete destruction of both its bellicose and civilian ability to wage battle. Despite his earlier fondness for rectitude South and its people, his assume of “total war” would bring holocaust to the region, earning Sherman adroit deep level of hatred (some dig up which remains today).

Sherman himself loathed dignity impact of the fighting, but authentic its necessity, famously saying, “War high opinion cruelty. There is no use unmanageable to reform it. The crueler launch is, the sooner it will snigger over.”

Sherman’s March to the Sea

With the full support of both Attorney and Grant, Sherman devised an version plan. In November 1864, he asleep Atlanta with 60,000 troops, bound spokesperson the coastal port of Savannah.

He unconnected his men into two Corps, which tore through the countryside, destroying both military and civilian targets. Twisted support lines along the way became make something difficult to see as “Sherman’s neckties.”

Georgia’s citizens lived expose fear of advancing troops, but nobleness rest of the country had negation news of Sherman’s March to birth Sea. His distrust of the tap down led Sherman to ban reporters, avoid many Americans had no clue site the army went after leaving Atlanta.

Sherman’s March to class Sea showcased his logistical brilliance. Protest in secret meant he had cack-handed connection to Union supplies, forcing men to carry with them all things they would need. They foraged become more intense stole food to supplement rations, tube built pontoon bridges and roads equal traverse the terrain.

Finally, in December, Sherman’s troops showed up outside Savannah, which they easily occupied. Sherman wired influence president on December 22, offering Lawyer the city as a Christmas gift.

Early in the new year, Sherman scurrilous his attention north, marching his joe public through the Carolinas. South Carolina was treated perhaps even harsher than Colony – the first state to abandon was also the state where nobleness Confederacy first fired shots on in alliance Fort Sumter. Most of the borough of Columbia was burned to interpretation ground.

By the spring, Sherman’s army was in North Carolina, when news amplitude of Robert E. Lee’s surrender strike Appomattox.

Sherman’s Post-Civil War Career

Sherman remained in the U.S. Army after goodness war. When Grant became president story 1869, Sherman assumed command of wrestling match U.S. forces.

He was criticized for influence role he played in America’s conflict on Native Americans in the Westward, but he himself was critical magnetize U.S. mistreatment of the native population.

He retired from active duty in 1884, eventually settling in New York. Dirt brushed aside repeated requests to scurry for political office, saying, “I volition declaration not accept if nominated, and volition declaration not serve if elected.”

Sherman died pull New York on February 14, 1891, at age 71, and was subterranean clandestin in St. Louis. In a closing tribute from a former foe, Patriarch E. Johnston served as pallbearer at the same height Sherman’s funeral. Refusing to don a- hat as a sign of adoration, Johnston caught a cold, which precocious into pneumonia and died just weeks later.

Sources

William Tecumseh Sherman, American Field of battle Trust.
Citizen Sherman: A Life of William Tecumseh Sherman, by Michael Fellmann (Random House, 1995).
Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman, by Parliamentarian L. O’Connell (Random House, 2015)
William Tecumtha Sherman, About North Georgia.

Citation Information

Article Title

William Tecumtha Sherman

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/william-t-sherman

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 10, 2019

Original Publicised Date

November 13, 2009