He never commanded in a major Union
victory and his military career had repeated ups and downs,
but William T. Sherman is the second best known of Northern
commanders. His father had died when he was nine years old,
and sherman was raised by Senator Thomas Ewing and eventually
married into the family. Through the infuluence of his
patron, he obtained an appointment to West. Point. Oly five
cadets of the class on 1840 graduated ahead of him, and he as
appointed to the artillery. He recieved a brevet for his
services in California during the Mexican War, but resigned
in 1853 as a captain and commissary Officer.
The years until the Civil War were
not filled with success. Living in California and Kanasas, he
failed in banking and las. in 1859 he seemed to have found
his niche as the supertintendent of a military academy with
is now Louisiana State University.
His assignments during the war:
Colonel, 13th Infantry (1861)
Commanding 3rd Brigade, 1st Divison Army of Northeastern
Virginia, (1861), Brigadier General, USV (1861), Commanding
Brigade Divison of the Potomas (1861) Second in Command,
Department of the Cumberland (1861), Commanding the
department (1861), commanding District of Cairo, Department
of the Missouri (1862) Cp,,amdomg 5th Divison Army of the
Tennesse, (1862), Major General USV (1862) Commanding 5th
Division, District of Memphis, Army of the Tennessee, (1862)
commanding 1st Divison of District of Memphis, Army of the
Tennessee (1862), Also commanding District of Memphis, 13th
Corps Army of the Tennessee (1862) commanding Yazoo
Expediton, Army of the Tennessee (1863) commanding 2nd Corps
Army of the Mississippi, (1863) commanding 15th Corps Army of
the Tennessee (1863) Brigadier General, USA (1863) commanding
Army and Department of the Tennessee (1864), Commanding
Military Divison of the Mississippi (1865) Major General, USA
(1864), Lieutenant General, USA (1866), General USA (1869)
and Commander In Chief, USA (1869-1883).
He led the Meridian expediton and
then succeeded Grant in overall command in the west. Facing
Joseph E. Johnson Army, he forced at all the way back to
Atlanta were the Condeferate was replaced by John B. Hood who
launched three disatrous attacks against the Union Troops
near the city. Eventually taking possession of Atlanta,
Sherman ordered the population evacuated and the military
value of the city destroyed. He then embarked on his march to
the sea.
Taking Savannah, he announced the
city as a Christmas gift to the president and the country.
Marching north to aid Grant in the final drive against
Richmond, he drove through the Carolinas and accepted
Johnsons surrender at Durham Station. His terms were
considered too liberal and touching upon political matters
and they were dissapproved by Secretary of War Stanton. The
surrender was agreed on the basis of the Appomattox
surrender.
After the war he remained in the
service, replacing Grant as commander in chief and retiring
in 1884. He was noted for his absolute refusal to be drawn
into politics.