william tecumseh sherman facts

The press picked up on his troubles and described him as "insane." He led Union forces in crushing campaigns through the South, marching through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–65). Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. William Tecumseh Sherman was a U.S. Civil War Union Army leader known for "Sherman's March," in which he and his troops laid waste to the South. He later served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army from 1869 to 1883. Though Sherman began his part in the campaign with a defeat at Chickasaw Bluffs, his capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas, served to restore his reputation. He is best known for his "March to the Sea" through the U.S. state of … Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Tecumseh-Sherman, HistoryNet - Biography of William Tecumseh Sherman, Spartacus Educational - Biography of William Sherman, History Learning Site - Biography of William Tecumseh Sherman, American Battlefield Trust - Biography of William T. Sherman, Texas State Historical Association - The Handbook of Texas - Biography of William Tecumseh Sherman, The Virutal Museum of the City of San Fransisco - Biography of William Tecumseh Sherman, William Tecumseh Sherman - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), William Tecumseh Sherman - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), American Civil War: Union soldiers wrecking railroads in Atlanta, American Civil War; Sherman, William Tecumseh. In his memoirs, he wrote that his father gave him the name William Tecumseh because he admired the Shawnee chief. In 1859, Sherman was headmaster at a military academy in Louisiana. This was a prelude to Sherman’s “march to the sea” in Georgia and an important milestone in the evolution of strategy in the Civil War’s relentless ascent toward “total war.”, In early September 1864, under heavy siege, Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood and his men were forced to evacuate Atlanta destroying as many supplies and munitions as they could before Sherman took Atlanta and ultimately burned what was left of it to the ground. They settled in St. Louis, Missouri. William Tecumseh Sherman's early military career was a near disaster, having to be temporarily relieved of command. Unlike many of his colleagues who saw action during the Mexican-American War, Sherman spent this time stationed in California as an executive officer. William Tecumseh Sherman (known as “Cump” to his friends) was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on February 8, 1820. By February 1865 he was heading north through the Carolinas toward Virginia, where Grant and the Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee were having a final showdown. When Louisiana seceded from the Union in January 1861, Sherman resigned his post and returned to St. Louis. The prototype of the M4, named for Grant’s subordinate William Tecumseh Sherman, debuted in 1941 and was accepted for production that October.Its designers consciously emphasized speed and mobility, limiting the thickness of the armour and the size of the main gun, thereby compromising on … In 1850 he married Ellen Ewing, daughter of his adoptive father, who was then serving as secretary of the interior in Washington. Corrections? When Grant became president in 1869, Sherman took over as general commander of the U.S. Army. It is believed Sherman suffered from a nervous breakdown. In the following, Sumner explains his vision of nature and liberty in a just society. Ulysses S. Grant served as U.S. general and commander of the Union armies during the late years of the American Civil War, later becoming the 18th U.S. president. One of his duties was to protect the construction of the railroads from attack by hostile Indians. Eventually, Vicksburg fell and Sherman was given command of three armies in the West. Separated from its supply bases and completely isolated from other Union forces, Sherman’s army cut a wide swath as it moved south through Georgia, living off the countryside, destroying railroads and supplies, reducing the war-making potential of the Confederacy, and bringing the war home to the Southern people. Sherman remained in the West, serving with Grant in the long campaign against Vicksburg. Photograph by Mathew B. Brady. Flavor Flav is an American hip-hop artist known for his work with Public Enemy and for his appearances on multiple reality television series. He declined to run for the presidency, saying, "I will not accept if nominated, and will not serve if elected. Sherman graduated in 1840, sixth in his class. He is best known for his actions in the Civil War, where his performance was mixed. Sherman graduated near the head of his class in 1840. Omissions? General William Tecumseh Sherman summary: William Tecumseh Sherman began his Civil War career as a Colonel of the 13th U.S. Infantry Regiment and ended his career as the commanding general of the United States Army. The opposing Confederate forces led by General Joseph E. Johnston retreated slowly ahead of him, and on September 2, 1864, Sherman’s forces were able to occupy Atlanta, a vital industrial centre and the hub of the Southern railway network. Believing the Native Americans were an impediment to progress, he ordered total destruction of the warring tribes. In Grant’s final Vicksburg campaign, Sherman commanded the XV Corps. Billy the Kid was a late 19th-century thief and gunfighter. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman (leaning on the breech of the cannon) and staff at Union Fort No. In 1850, he married Eleanor Boyle Ewing, the daughter of Thomas Ewing. President Benjamin Harrison ordered all national flags to be flown at half-staff. He proved to be an effective administrator and popular with the community. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! He took little precaution shoring up picket lines or sending out reconnaissance patrols. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. On the morning of April 6, 1862, the Confederates struck with Hell's own fury. William Graham Sumner on Social Darwinism (ca.1880s) William Graham Sumner, a sociologist at Yale University, penned several pieces associated with the philosophy of Social Darwinism. William Tecumseh Sherman was a U.S. Civil War Union Army leader known for "Sherman's March," in which he and his troops laid waste to the South. Allied Powers to include the Soviets and British under the lend-lease program. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. He was eventually put on leave, considered unfit for duty. He lost his Kentucky command, but, with the support of General Henry Halleck, he then served as a divisional commander under General Ulysses S. Grant. The Union war effort was not proceeding well in the east, and Sherman’s capture of Atlanta was a much-needed victory that restored Northern morale and helped ensure Lincoln’s reelection that November. The lure of gold in California led Sherman to resign from the U.S. Army in 1853 and join a St. Louis banking firm at its branch in San Francisco. In mid-December 1861, Sherman returned to service in Missouri and was assigned rear-echelon commands. Sherman and Grant rallied their troops and pushed back the rebel offensive by day's end. There, he excelled academically, but had little respect for the demerit system. However, the press was relentless in its criticism of both men. 7, Atlanta, 1864, photograph by George N. Barnard. The tank was also distributed to the other. The … According to his wishes, he was buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. Kaiser Wilhelm served as emperor of Germany from 1888 until the end of World War I. William Seward was a New York governor and U.S. senator before serving as secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He lived in St. Louis before moving to New York in 1886. He returned at the Battle of Shiloh to victory and then gathered 100,000 troops destroying Atlanta and devastating Georgia in his March to the Sea. Lee surrendered to Grant in Virginia on April 9, and Johnston surrendered the remnants of his forces to Sherman on April 26 near Durham, North Carolina. In February, 1864, Sherman launched a campaign from Vicksburg, Mississippi, to destroy the rail center at Meridian and clear Confederate resistance from central Mississippi. One week after Abraham Lincoln's reelection in 1864, William Tecumseh Sherman (above) began his merciless march through Georgia, leaving nothing behind but civilian sorrow and scorched earth. With his lack of combat experience, Sherman felt that the U.S. Army was a dead-end, thusly resigning his commission in 1853. In 1836, Senator Ewing secured Sherman an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Though vilified in the South as a demon who perpetuated atrocities on civilians, historians give Sherman high marks as a military strategist and quick-witted tactician. His father, Charles, was a successful lawyer and an Ohio Supreme Court justice. Time was of the essence, so Sherman’s army cut supply lines from Vicksburg and foraged off the land. William Tecumseh Sherman was a U.S. Civil War Union Army leader known for "Sherman's March," in which he and his troops laid waste to the South. The Confederates, under General Leonidas Polk, put up some resistance, but his 10,000 troops were no match for the 45,000 Union juggernaut. M4 Sherman Tank. Beauregard, found him employment (January 1860) as superintendent of a newly established military academy in Louisiana. After graduation Sherman was sent to fight Seminoles in Florida and was eventually transferred to Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. Three railroad lines intersected at Meridian, which was located between Jackson, the state’s capital, and the cannon foundry and manufacturing center in Selma, Alabama. Lincoln nevertheless sent Sherman to Kentucky as second-in-command under General Robert Anderson. Sherman was soon assigned to command a brigade in General Irvin McDowell’s army, and he fought in the disastrous First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas; July 21, 1861). Though a conservative on slavery, he was a strong supporter of the Union. Named Tecumseh in honour of the renowned Shawnee chieftain, Sherman was one of eight children of Judge Charles R. Sherman, who died when the boy was only nine. Emeritus Professor of History, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. He was raised by a family friend, Thomas Ewing, a senator from Ohio and a prominent member of the Whig Party. There has been much speculation on Sherman's middle name. William Tecumseh Sherman, (born February 8, 1820, Lancaster, Ohio, U.S.—died February 14, 1891, New York, New York), American Civil War general and a major architect of modern warfare. The U.S. M4 Sherman was the predominant tank used by the Americans during the Great War. On February 11, 1864, Sherman’s army attacked and destroyed the railroad center at Meridian, then dispersed detachments in four directions destroying railroad tracks, bridges, trestles and any train equipment in their way. He changed the nature of war and recognized it for what it was: "War is hell.". Sherman distinguished himself at the Battle of Shiloh (April 6–7, 1862) and won promotion to the rank of major general. The following month, Sherman was assigned to serve with Grant in the Army of West Tennessee. He was reportedly killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who later burnished the legend of the Wild West outlaw. Though afterward promoted to brigadier general, he was convinced by his experience at Bull Run that he was unfit for such responsibility, and he begged President Abraham Lincoln not to trust him in an independent command. Buffalo Bill Cody earned his nickname by hunting and killing over 4,000 buffalo, and his status as an Old West legend was cemented with his traveling Wild West show. Updates? He never got himself into deep trouble, but had numerous minor offenses on this record. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's troops bombarding Atlanta during the American Civil War. William Tecumseh Sherman was a Union general during the Civil War, playing a crucial role in the victory over the Confederate States and becoming one of … Sherman understood that to win the war and save the Union, his Army would have to break the South's will to fight. Sherman's early military career was anything but spectacular. He led Union forces in crushing campaigns through the South, marching through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–65). He was then sent to Kentucky and became deeply pessimistic about the war, complaining to his superiors about shortages while exaggerating the enemy's troop strength. Grant had a calming influence upon Sherman. The British were actually the first to name the tank “Sherman” after U.S. General William Tecumseh Sherman. He used the influence of his younger brother, Senator John Sherman, to obtain an appointment in the U.S. Army as a colonel in May 1861. After the firing on Fort Sumter, he asked his brother, Senator John Sherman, to arrange a commission in the Army. The Mexican-American War, in which so many future generals of the Civil War received their experience, passed Sherman by; he was stranded in California as an administrative officer. In February 1884, Sherman retired from the Army. Assembling about 100,000 troops near Chattanooga, Tennessee, in May 1864, he began his invasion of Georgia. William Tecumseh Sherman (8 February 1820 – 14 February 1891) was a United States Army general during the American Civil War.He succeeded General Ulysses S. Grant as commander of the Western Theater of that war in the spring of 1864. One of 11 children, Sherman was born to a prominent family in Lancaster, Ohio, on February 8, 1820. His devotion to the Union was strong, but he was greatly distressed at what he considered an unnecessary conflict between the states. Founder and lead singer of Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose is a celebrated but controversial figure in the world of rock. He fought in the First Battle of Bull Run, in which Union troops were badly beaten. When Sherman was 16, Ewing obtained an appointment to West Point for him. As one newspaper complained, the "Army was being ruined in mud-turtle expeditions, under the leadership of a drunkard [Grant] whose confidential adviser [Sherman] was a lunatic." William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court, becoming the only person to have served as both a U.S. chief justice and president. In March 1864, when Grant became general-in-chief of the Union armies, Sherman was made commander of the military division of the Mississippi, with three armies under his overall command. From famous battles to infamous generals, test your knowledge of the American Civil War in this quiz. Author of. Despite his harsh treatment of Native Americans, Sherman spoke out against unscrupulous government officials who mistreated them on the reservations. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. With reinforcements arriving that night, Union troops were able to launch a counter-attack the next morning, scattering Confederate troops. The Panic of 1857 interrupted his promising career in business, however, and after several more disappointments, his old friends, the Southerners Braxton Bragg and P.G.T. Fractured by ideology and economy, this war sought to unify a divided nation. Union soldiers wrecking railroad lines (making “Sherman's neckties”), Atlanta. When Louisiana left the Union, Sherman resigned and moved to St. Louis, wanting nothing to do with the conflict. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's army in Washington, D.C., May 1865, during the American Civil War. William Tecumseh Sherman. He settled in Kansas to practice law, but without much success. General William Tecumseh Sherman was to plunge into the heart of the South, inflicting as much damage as he could against their war resources. The experience bonded Sherman and Grant to a lifelong friendship. Together they fought brilliantly to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi (1862–63), shattering the Confederate defenses and opening the Mississippi River to Northern commerce once more. In October 1861 Sherman succeeded to the command in Kentucky, but he was nervous and unsure of himself, and his hallucinations concerning opposing Confederate forces led him to request so many reinforcements from his superiors that some newspapers described him as insane. There he devoted his time to theater, amateur painting and speaking at dinners and banquets. https://www.biography.com/military-figure/william-tecumseh-sherman. Bill O'Reilly hosted the popular cable news program 'The O'Reilly Factor,' which began airing on Fox News in 2001. Sherman's March to the Sea (also known as the Savannah Campaign or simply Sherman's March) was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 until December 21, 1864, by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army.The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta on November 15 and ended with the … William … As Sherman moved west from Vicksburg, he employed feint tactics to keep Polk’s forces at bay protecting Mobile, Alabama. Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman (centre) and staff (from left): Generals Oliver O. Howard, John A. Logan, William B. Hazen, Jefferson Davis, Henry W. Slocum, and Joseph Mower. Sherman reached Savannah in time for Christmas and “presented” the city to Lincoln with 150 captured cannons and 25,000 bales of cotton. Thomas Ewing, a family friend and a Whig political force in Ohio, adopted the boy, and his foster mother added William to his name. His first test as a commander in combat came at Shiloh. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. He stayed in California during the glory days of the gold rush as a banker, but that ended in the Panic of 1857. He was fired from the network in 2017 after reports surfaced of his settlements for sexual harassment allegations. When Grant was placed in supreme command in the west, Sherman succeeded to the command of the Army of the Tennessee and in that capacity took part with Grant in the Chattanooga campaign in November 1863. (1820–1891) Person. In Kentucky, he provided logistical support for Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant's capture of Fort Donelson in February 1862. In May 1861, Sherman was appointed colonel in the 13th U.S. Infantry, and was assigned command of a brigade under General William McDowell in Washington, D.C. He first saw action against the Seminole Indians in Florida and had numerous assignments through Georgia and South Carolina, where he became acquainted with many of the Old South's most respected families. Sherman’s star, along with Grant’s, was now in the ascendant, and their careers were thenceforth closely linked as they worked together to bring about a Union victory in the war. Often credited with the saying, "war is hell," he was a major architect of modern total war. When Sherman was 9 years old, his father died suddenly, leaving the family with few finances. The opposing Confederate forces led by Johnston could offer Sherman only token resistance by now. As sectional tensions rose, Sherman warned his secessionist friends that a war would be long and bloody, with the North eventually winning. ", Sherman died on February 14, 1891, in New York City. Everything was ordered to be destroyed in this military strategy, known as "total war.". Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. With 60,000 men, he began his celebrated "March to the Sea," ripping through Georgia with a 60-mile-wide path of total destruction. Likely fearing renewed criticism of appearing overly alarmed, Sherman initially dismissed intelligence reports that Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston was in the area. Union superiority in manpower was now having its effect, and Sherman was able to detach part of his army and lead the remaining 62,000 troops on the celebrated “March to the Sea” from Atlanta to Savannah on the Atlantic coast. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. William Tecumseh Sherman, (born February 8, 1820, Lancaster, Ohio, U.S.—died February 14, 1891, New York, New York), American Civil War general and a major architect of modern warfare. Ewing obtained an appointment to West Point for him began airing on Fox news in 2001 in crushing through... Up on his troubles and described him as `` insane. from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high students! Was headmaster at a military academy in Louisiana spoke out against unscrupulous government officials who mistreated them the... Slavery, he wrote that his father died suddenly, leaving the family few... Rear-Echelon commands Washington, D.C., May 1865, during the Great War. `` and to. Of Fort Donelson in February 1884, Sherman died on February 8, 1820 Fort! Subscription and gain access to exclusive content include the Soviets and British under the program... Ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article leaning on the lookout for your newsletter. 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