William Tecumseh Sherman Research Paper
William Tecumseh Sherman
There were many great generals of the civil war. Grant, Lee, Jackson, all notable names. But one name that stands out is Sherman; William Tecumseh Sherman. W. S. Sherman was born February 8th, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. He was raised by a family friend named Thomas Ewing. He had 10 siblings and was raised as a Christian. However, he was never much of a churchgoer and never used his formal christian name. Instead his friends called him "Cump." He went to school at West Point academy and graduated in 1840 a second lieutenant. He was a general of the Union army. He died in New York City on February 19, 1891.
Sherman believed that the Confederacy's strategic, economic, and psychological ability to wage further war had to be definitively crushed if the fighting were to end (Buck). By using "scorched earth" tactics he decimated the south's ability to fight. This form of warfare involved winning the battles then burning the crops and plantations as they pushed south. This left the southern economy crippled and barely able to supply their armies.
Sherman 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 he was made commander of the Department of the Tennessee, and went with Grant to Chattanooga in the …show more content…
middle of November; was in the battle of Missionary Ridge and then moved to the relief of Burnside in east Tennessee (Gil).
Sherman was perhaps most famous for his March to the Sea, destroying all confederate property in a wide area across the South.
After his capture of Atlanta in 1864, Sherman mobilized 62,000 of his troops and waged war across Georgia, from Atlanta to Savannah (Paul). Unhappy with the killing and maiming of Union and Confederate soldiers in combat blood baths, he decided on complete destruction, hoping to insure fewer casualties while helping bring the war to an end as quickly as possible. He repeatedly promised southerners that he would wage a hard war but would peruse a tender and soft peace once they stopped
fighting.
Sherman was almost as famous for the war as he was after. On June 19, 1879 Sherman delivered his famous "War Is Hell" speech to the graduating class of the MIchigan Military Academy and to the gathered crowd of more than 10,000: "There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell." (Gil) I firmly believe that William "Cump" Sherman was an amazing soldier, gentleman, and tactician. His ruthless yet, understandable, actions extenuated his prowess. The underlying brotherhood of the Union and Confederacy was very prominent in the way he carried out his life and held his southern adversaries with respect. HIs life was well lived and holds a high position of respect within the history of our country.
There were many great generals of the civil war. Grant, Lee, Jackson, all notable names. But one name that stands out is Sherman; William Tecumseh Sherman. W. S. Sherman was born February 8th, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. He was raised by a family friend named Thomas Ewing. He had 10 siblings and was raised as a Christian. However, he was never much of a churchgoer and never used his formal christian name. Instead his friends called him "Cump." He went to school at West Point academy and graduated in 1840 a second lieutenant. He was a general of the Union army. He died in New York City on February 19, 1891.
Sherman believed that the Confederacy's strategic, economic, and psychological ability to wage further war had to be definitively crushed if the fighting were to end (Buck). By using "scorched earth" tactics he decimated the south's ability to fight. This form of warfare involved winning the battles then burning the crops and plantations as they pushed south. This left the southern economy crippled and barely able to supply their armies.
Sherman 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 he was made commander of the Department of the Tennessee, and went with Grant to Chattanooga in the …show more content…
middle of November; was in the battle of Missionary Ridge and then moved to the relief of Burnside in east Tennessee (Gil).
Sherman was perhaps most famous for his March to the Sea, destroying all confederate property in a wide area across the South.
After his capture of Atlanta in 1864, Sherman mobilized 62,000 of his troops and waged war across Georgia, from Atlanta to Savannah (Paul). Unhappy with the killing and maiming of Union and Confederate soldiers in combat blood baths, he decided on complete destruction, hoping to insure fewer casualties while helping bring the war to an end as quickly as possible. He repeatedly promised southerners that he would wage a hard war but would peruse a tender and soft peace once they stopped
fighting.
Sherman was almost as famous for the war as he was after. On June 19, 1879 Sherman delivered his famous "War Is Hell" speech to the graduating class of the MIchigan Military Academy and to the gathered crowd of more than 10,000: "There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell." (Gil) I firmly believe that William "Cump" Sherman was an amazing soldier, gentleman, and tactician. His ruthless yet, understandable, actions extenuated his prowess. The underlying brotherhood of the Union and Confederacy was very prominent in the way he carried out his life and held his southern adversaries with respect. HIs life was well lived and holds a high position of respect within the history of our country.