Military officer; born in
Mansfield, O., Feb. 8, 1820; graduated at
West Point in 1840.
His father died in 1829, when he was adopted by
Thomas Ewing, whose daughter Ellen he married in 1850.
He served in the
Seminole War, and in September, 1850, was made commissary, with the rank of captain.
In 1853 he resigned, became a broker in
California, and, practising law for a while in
Kansas, was made superintendent of a new military academy established by the
State of Louisiana.
When the convention of that State passed the ordinance of secession,
Captain Sherman resigned; was made colonel of United States infantry in May, 1861; and commanded a brigade at the battle of
Bull
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Run, having been made brigadier-general of volunteers in May.
In October, 1861, he succeeded
General Anderson in the command of the Department of Kentucky.
The
Secretary of War asked him how many men he should require.
He
answered, “Sixty thousand to drive the enemy from
Kentucky, and 200,000 to finish the war in this section.”
This estimate seemed so wild that he was reputed to be insane, and was relieved of his command; but events proved that he was more sane than most other people.
After the capture of
Fort Donelson he was placed in command of a division of
Grant's Army of the Tennessee, and performed signal service in the
battle of Shiloh. “To his individual efforts,” said
Grant, “I am indebted for the success of that battle.”
There he was slightly wounded, and had three horses shot under him. In May he was made a major-general.
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From July to November, 1862, he commanded at
Memphis; and throughout the campaign against
Vicksburg (December, 1862, to July, 1863) his services were most conspicuous and valuable.
How fully
General Grant appreciated the services of both
Sherman and
McPherson can be seen from the following letter:
I would most respectfully but urgently recommend the promotion of
Maj.-Gen. W. T. Sherman, now commanding the 15th Army Corps, and
Maj.-Gen. J. B. McPherson, commanding the 17th Army Corps, to the position of brigadier-general in the regular army.
The first reason for this is their great fitness for any command it may ever become necessary to intrust to them.
Second, their great purity of character and disinterestedness in anything except the faithful performance of their duty, and the success of every one engaged in the great battle for the preservation of the
Union.
Third, they have honorably won this distinction upon many well-fought battle-fields.
I will only mention some of his services while serving under my command.
To
General Sherman I was greatly indebted for his promptness in forwarding to me, during the siege of
Fort Donelson, reinforcements and supplies from
Paducah.
At the
battle of Shiloh, on the first day, he held with raw troops the key points to the landing.
To his individual effort I am indebted for the success of that battle.
Twice hit, and (I think three) horses shot under him on that day, he maintained his position with his raw troops.
It is no disparagement to any other officer to say that I do not believe there was another division commander on the field who had the skill or experience to have done it. His services as division commander in the advance on
Corinth, I will venture, were appreciated by the (now) general-in-chief beyond those of any other division commander.
General Sherman's management, as commander of troops in the attack on Chickasaw Bluff, last December, was admirable.
Seeing the ground from the opposite side of the attack, I see the impossibility of making it successful.
The conception of the attack on
Arkansas Post was
General Sherman's. His part of the execution no one denies was as good as it possibly could have been.
His demonstration on Haines's Bluff, in April, to hold the enemy at
Vicksburg while the army was securing a foothold east of the
Mississippi; his rapid march to join the army afterwards; his management at
Jackson, Miss., in the first attack; his almost unequalled march from
Jackson to
Bridgeport, and passage of that stream; his securing
Walnut Hill, on May 18, and thus opening communication with our supplies—all attest his great merits as a soldier.
The
siege of Vicksburg, the last capture of
Jackson, and the dispersion of
Johnston's army, entitle
General Sherman to more credit than it usually falls to the lot of one man to earn.
General McPherson has been with me in every battle since the commencement of the rebellion, except
Belmont.
At
Henry,
Donelson,
Shiloh, and the siege of
Corinth, as a staff officer and engineer, his services were conspicuous and highly meritorious.
At the second
battle of Corinth his skill as a soldier was displayed in successfully carrying reinforcements to the besieged garrison when the enemy was between him and the point to be reached.
In the advance through
central Mississippi, last November and December,
General McPherson commanded one wing of the army with all the ability possible to show, he having the lead in advance and the rear in return.
In the campaign and siege, terminating in the
fall of Vicksburg,
General McPherson has borne a conspicuous part.
At the
battle of Port Gibson, it was under his immediate direction that the enemy was driven, late in the afternoon, from a position that they had sueceeded in holding all day against an obstinate attack.
His corps—the advance always under his immediate eye—were the pioneers in the advance from
Port Gibson to Hankerson's Ferry.
From the
North Fork of
Bayou Pierre to the
Black River it was a constant skirmish, the whole skilfully managed.
The enemy was so closely
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pressed as to be unable to destroy their bridge of boats after them.
From Hankerson's Ferry to
Jackson the 17th Army Corps marched upon roads not travelled by other troops, fighting the
battle of Raymond alone; and the bulk of
Johnston's army at
Jackson also was fought by this corps entirely under the management of
General McPherson.
At
Champion Hill, the 17th Army Corps and
General McPherson were conspicuous.
All that could be termed a battle there was fought by two divisions of
General McPherson's Corps and
Hovey's division of the 13th Corps.
In the assault of May 22 on the fortifications of
Vicksburg, and during the entire siege,
General McPherson and his command won unfading laurels.
He is one of our ablest engineers and most skilful generals.
Very respectfully, Your obedient servant,
U. S. Grant,
Major-General.
He commanded one of the three corps in the
siege of Vicksburg.
After the
fall of Vicksburg he operated successfully against
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston.
In October, 1863, he was made commander of the Department of the Tennessee, and joined
Grant at
Chattanooga in the middle of November; was in the
battle of Missionary Ridge (Nov. 25); and then moved to the relief of
Burnside in
east Tennessee.
When he was called to
Chattanooga, he left
Gen. J. B. McPherson in command at
Vicksburg; but soon after
Bragg was driven southward from
Chattanooga Sherman suddenly reappeared in
Mississippi.
At the head of 20,000 troops he made a most destructive raid (February, 1864) from
Jackson to the intersection of important railways at
Meridian, in that State.
His object was to inflict as much injury on the
Confederate cause and its. physical strength as possible.
He believed in the righteousness and efficacy of making such a war terrible, and the line of his march eastward presented a black path of desolation.
No public property of the
Confederates was spared.
The station-houses and rolling-stock of the railways were burned.
The track was torn up, and the rails, heated by the burning ties cast into heaps, were twisted and ruined.
Sherman intended to push on to
Montgomery, Ala., and then, if circumstances appeared favorable, to go south-
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Sherman's troops burning a Railroad Station. |
ward and attack
Mobile.
He waited at
Meridian for
Gen. W. S. Smith to join him with a considerable force of cavalry, but that officer was held back by the Confederate forces under
Forrest and others.
After waiting in vain for a week,
Sherman laid
Meridian in ashes, and returned to
Vicksburg with 500 prisoners and 5,000 liberated slaves.
This raid created great consternation, for
General Polk, with his 15,000 men, made but a feeble resistance.
Sherman's loss was 171 men.
General Grant arranged two grand campaigns for the year 1864. One, under his own immediate direction, was for the seizure of
Richmond, the
Confederate capital; the other was for the seizure of
Atlanta, Ga., the focus of several converging railways.
The latter expedition was led by
General Sherman.
His army numbered nearly 100,000 men, comprising the Army of the Cumberland, led by
Gen. George H. Thomas; the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by
Gen. J. B. McPherson; and the Army of the Ohio, led by
Gen. J. M. Schofield.
When, on May 6,. 1864,
Sherman began to move southward from the vicinity of
Chattanooga, his army was confronted by a Confederate force of 55,000 men, led by
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, and arranged in three corps, commanded respectively by
Generals Hardee,
Hood, and
Polk.
This army then lay at
Dalton, at the parting of the ways —one leading into
east Tennessee and the other into
west Tennessee.
To strike that position in front was, at least, perilous; so
Sherman began a series of successful flanking movements.
When he flanked the
Confederates at
Dalton, they fell back to Resaca Station, on the Oostenaula River, on the line of the railway between
Chattanooga and
Atlanta.
There a sharp battle was fought on May 15.
Johnston took his next position at Allatoona Pass, and
Sherman massed his troops at
Dallas, westward of that post, where a severe battle was fought May 25.
Johnston finally pressed on to
Marietta and
Atlanta, where, towards the middle of July, he was
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succeeded by
Hood.
The latter city was captured by
Sherman, who entered it Sept. 2, 1864.
Late in October
Sherman prepared for a march through
Georgia from
Atlanta to
Savannah.
See
Atlanta.
When he resolved to march through the heart of
Georgia from
Atlanta to the sea, he delegated to
General Thomas full power over all the troops under his (
Sherman's) command excepting four corps.
He also gave him command of two divisions of
A. J. Smith's, then returning from the expulsion of
Price from
Missouri, also of the garrisons in
Tennessee, and all the cavalry of the military division excepting a division under
Kilpatrick, which he reserved for operations in
Georgia.
General Wilson had just arrived from
Petersburg to take command of the cavalry of the army.
He was sent to
Nashville to gather up all the
Union cavalry in
Kentucky and
Tennessee, and report to
Thomas.
It was believed that
Thomas now had strength sufficient to keep
Hood out of
Tennessee, whose force then was about 35,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry.
When, on Nov. 1,
Hood was laying a pontoon bridge over the
Tennessee at
Florence for the invasion of
Tennessee,
Sherman, who had pursued him, turned his forces towards
Atlanta, his troops destroying all the mills and foundries at
Rome, and dismantling the railway from the
Etowah River to the
Chattahoochee.
The railways around
Atlanta were destroyed, and on Nov. 14 the forces destined for the great march were concentrated around the doomed city.
Those forces were composed of four army corps, the right wing commanded by
Gen. O. O. Howard, and the left wing by
Gen. H. W. Slocum.
Howard's right was composed of the corps of
Generals Osterhaus and
Blair, and the left of the corps of
Gen. J. C. Davis and
A. S. Williams.
General Kilpatrick commanded the cavalry, consisting of one division.
Sherman's entire force numbered 60,000 infantry and artillery and 5,500 cavalry.
On Nov. 11 Sherman cut the telegraph wires that connected
Atlanta with
Washington, and his army became an isolated column in the heart of an enemy's country.
It began its march for the sea on the morning of the 14th, when the entire city of
Atlanta—excepting its court-house, churches, and dwellings— was committed to the flames.
The buildings in the heart of the city, covering 200
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Map showing country covered in Sherman's March to the sea. |
acres of ground, formed a great conflagration; and, while the fire was raging, the bands played, and the soldiers chanted the stirring air and words, “
John Brown's soul goes marching on!”
For thirty-six days that army moved through
Georgia, with very little opposition, subsisting off the country.
It was a sort of military promenade, requiring very little military skill in the performance, and as little personal prowess.
It was grand in conception, and easily executed.
Yet on that march there were many deeds that tested the prowess and daring of the soldiers on both sides
Kilpatrick's first dash across the
Flint River and against
Wheeler's cavalry, and then towards
Macon, burning a train of cars and tearing up the railway, gave the
Confederates a suspicion of
Sher man's intentions.
There was wide-spread consternation in
Georgia and
South Carolina, for the invader's destination was uncertain.
Beauregard was sent from the
Appomattox to the
Savannah to confront the Nationals.
He sent before him a manifesto in which he said, “Destroy all the roads in
Sherman's front, flank, and rear,” and, “be trustful in
Providence.”
Benjamin H. Hill, of
Georgia, in the Confederate Congress at
Richmond, wrote to the people of his State: “Every citizen with his gun and every negro with his spade and axe can do the work of a soldier.
You can destroy the enemy by retarding his march.
Be firm!”
The representatives of
Georgia in the Confederate Congress called upon their people to fly to arms.
“Remove your negroes, horses, cattle, and provisions from
Sherman's army,” they
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said, “and burn what you cannot carry away.
Burn all bridges and block up the roads in his route.
Assail the invader in front, flank, and rear, by night and by day. Let him have no rest.”
And
Governor Brown, before he fled from
Milledgeville on the approach of the Nationals, issued a proclamation ordering a levy
En masse of the whole white population of the
State between the ages of sixteen and forty-five, and offering pardon to prisoners in the penitentiary if they would volunteer and prove themselves good soldiers.
But the people did none of these things, and only about 100 convicts accepted the offer.
All confidence in
President Davis and the Confederate government had disappeared in
Georgia, and a great portion of the people were satisfied that it was, as they expressed it, “the rich man's war, and the poor man's fight,” and would no longer lend themselves to the authorities at
Richmond.
The National army moved steadily forward.
At
Griswoldsville there was a sharp engagement (Nov. 22) with a portion of
Hardee's troops sent up from
Savannah, and several brigades of militia.
The Confederates were repulsed with a loss of 2,500 men.
Howard could have taken
Macon after this blow upon its defenders, but such was not a part of
Sherman's plan.
The
Nationals were attacked at the
Oconee River while laying a pontoon bridge, but the assailants, largely composed of
Wheeler's cavalry, were defeated.
Kilpatrick made a feint towards
Augusta to mislead the
Confederates as to
Sherman's destination, also to cover the passage of the army over the
Ogeechee River, and, if possible, to release Union captives in the prison-pen at
Millen.
Kilpatrick and
Wheeler had several skirmishes, but no severe battles.
On Nov. 30,
Sherman's whole army, excepting one corps, had passed the
Ogeechee.
This was a most skilful manoeuvre; and then, having destroyed the principal railways in
Georgia over long distances,
Sherman was prepared to make a final conquest of the
State.
Moving on seaward, the division of
Hazen had a severe skirmish (Dec. 4) at
Statesburg, south of the
Ogeechee.
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The Confederates were dispersed.
On the same day
Kilpatrick fought
Wheeler on the railway between
Millen and
Augusta, drove him from his barricades through
Waynesboro, and pushed him 8 miles, while a supporting column of Union infantry under
Baird were tearing up the railway and destroying bridges.
When
Sherman reached
Millen, the
Union prisoners had been removed; and he pushed on, amid swamps and sands, with the city of
Savannah, where
Hardee was in command, as his chief object.
Kilpatrick and
Baird covered the rear of the wing columns between the
Ogeechee and
Savannah rivers.
There was some skirmishing, but no Confederates in force were seen until within 15 miles of
Savannah.
All the roads leading into that city were obstructed by felled trees, earthworks, and artillery.
These were turned, and by Dec. 10 the
Confederates were all driven within their lines, and
Savannah was completely beleaguered; but the only approaches to it were by five narrow causeways.
They had broken communications, so that no supplies could be received in
Savannah.
Sherman sought to make the
Ogeechee an avenue of supply, oceanward, for his army, and to communicate with the Union fleet outside.
The latter was soon effected.
Fort McAllister, near the mouth of the
Ogeechee, was in the way, and, on the 13th,
Slocum ordered
General Hazen to carry it by assault.
It was a strong, enclosed redoubt, garrisoned by 200 men. It was carried, and this was the brilliant ending of the march from
Atlanta to the sea. It opened to
Sherman's army a new base of supplies.
Sherman communicated with the officers of the fleet, and, on Dec. 17, he summoned
Hardee to surrender.
Hardee refused.
Perceiving the arrangements made to cut off his retreat to
Charleston,
Hardee secretly withdrew on the dark and stormy night of Dec. 20, and, with 15,000 men, escaped to that city.
The National army took possession of
Savannah on Dec. 22, 1864.
On the 26th
Sherman wrote to
President Lincoln: “I beg to present to you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savanah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales
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of cotton.”
On his march
Sherman had lived generously off the country, which was abundantly filled with provisions.
He appropriated to the use of the army 13,000 beeves, 160,000 bushels of corn, more than 5,000 tons of fodder, besides a large number of sheep, swine, fowls, and quantities of potatoes and rice.
He forced into the service 5,000 horses and 4,000 mules.
He captured 1,328 prisoners and 167 guns, and destroyed 20,000 bales of cotton.
Fully 10,000 negroes followed the flag to
Savannah, and many thousands more, chiefly women and children, were turned back at the crossings of rivers.
Sherman appointed Jan. 15, 1865, as the day for beginning his march northward from
Savannah.
The 17th Corps was sent by water to a point on the Charleston and Savannah Railway, where it seriously menaced
Charleston.
The left wing, under
Slocum, accompanied by
Kilpatrick's cav-
alry, was to have crossed the
Savannah on a pontoon bridge at that city; but incessant rains had so flooded the swamps and raised the streams that the army was compelled to cross higher up, and did not effect the passage until the first week in February.
Savannah and its dependencies were transferred to
General Foster, then in command of the Department of the South, with instructions to co-operate with
Sherman's inland movements by occupying, in succession,
Charleston and other places.
Sherman notified
General Grant that it was his intention, after leaving
Savannah, “to undertake, at one stride, to make
Goldsboro an open communication with the sea by the Newbern Railway.”
Feints of attacks on
Charleston kept
Hardee from interfering with
Sherman's inland march.
Wheeler had been putting obstructions in his pathway to
Columbia: but the movements of the Nationals were so mysterious that it distracted the
Confederates, who could not determine whether
Sherman's objective was
Charleston or
Augusta.
His invasion produced wide-spread alarm.
Sherman's army steadily advanced in the face of every obstacle.
They drove the
Confederates from their position at
Orangeburg and began destroying the railway there.
On Feb. 18 they began a march directly to
Columbia, the
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capital of
South Carolina, driving the
Confederates before them wherever they appeared.
Sherman's march was so rapid that troops for the defence of the capital could not be gathered in time.
He was in front of
Columbia before any adequate force for its defence appeared.
Beauregard was in command there, and had promised much, but did little.
On Feb. 17 the Nationals entered
Columbia; and on the same day
Charleston, flanked, was evacuated by
Hardee (see
Charleston). The rear guard of the
Confederates, under
Wade Hampton, on retiring, set fire to cotton in the streets; and the high wind sent the burning fibre into the air, setting fire to the dwellings, and in the course of a few hours that beautiful city was in ruins (
Columbia).
Sherman, after destroying the arsenal at
Columbia, left the ruined city and pressed on with his forces to
Fayetteville, N. C., his cavalry, under
Kilpatrick, fighting the Confederate cavalry led by
Wheeler many times on the way. He left a black path of desolation through the Carolinas 40 miles in width.
Arriving at
Fayetteville,
Sherman opened communications with the
National troops at
Wilmington.
General Sherman was promoted major general, United States army, in August, 1864, and lieutenant-general in July, 1866.
On March 4, 1869, he succeeded
General Grant as general-in-chief of the armies of the
United States.
He was retired on his own request, Feb. 8, 1884, on full pay. He died in New York City, Feb. 14, 1891.
