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William T. Sherman was born
Lancaster, Ohio -
Period: to
Early years in the Army
Graduated from Westpoint in 1840. He was put in Florida to fight Seminoles.He didn't have a great career, many called him insane and he showed emotional problems But in 1853, he left the army to become a banker in San Francisco because of the gold rush. -
Back in The Army
He came back to the military in 1861. He commanded a regiment in the First Battle of Bull Run which ended as a horrible loss for the Union. He and others felt he was unfit to command. -
Battle Of Shiloh
Sherman fought alongside Ulysses S. Grant in the Battle of Shiloh. This was his first battle as a commander and a test for him. He didn't crack under pressure, and him and Grant beat the confederates there. Sherman redeemed himself after the disastrous Bull Run Battle, and got promoted to Major General. Him and Grant became friends and fought in many battles in the future. -
Chatanooga Campaign
After finally capturing Vicksburg, Grant started the Chattanooga campaign. Sherman was given command of the Army of Tennessee. Sherman came in as reinforcements for Grant as they won The Battle Of Lookout Mountain. -
March to The Sea
A very risky move as Sherman cut part of is army away from their supply line and other Union Forces. He was moving from Atlanta to Savannah and destroying everything on the way again using his Total War method. This way he'd cut Georgia in half. This also weakens the Confederacy's military resources. -
Commander of the Western Army
Sherman became head of the Mississippi Division making giving him command of the Western Theatre of the Union Army. Sherman Then launched the Atlanta Campaign. Sherman and Grant worked together to try and push back the Confederate armies. Grant went for Lee, and Sherman went for Joseph E Johnston. Sherman managed to push Johnston back to Georgia leaving a path of destruction in the way. -
Atlanta
Jefferson Davis felt Joseph E. Johnston couldn't handle Sherman's army so he made John Bell Hood commander. However, this didn't make a difference as Hood and his troops were forced to evacuate Atlanta and Sherman had captured it. He ordered the city to be evacuated, and then completely destroyed. This created a famous "Total War" military strategy. -
Savannah
Sherman successfully marched to Savannah and crushed the remains of Hood's troops and captured Savannah. He wrote a letter to Lincoln giving the captured city as a Christmas gift. -
South Carolinia
Grant ordered Sherman to come to Virginia to help stop lee, but Sherman decided to attack South Carolina instead. He felt this would hurt Southern morale since South Carolina was the first to secede. Grant took over Columbia the capital and burned it to the ground. He then went to Goldsborough North Carolina. -
Surrenders
Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. Joseph E. Johnston surrenders to William Tecumseh Sherman on April 26, 1865. -
Commanding General
Ulysses Grant became president in 1869, and he made Sherman Commanding General of the U.S Army. -
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Later Life
William Tecumseh Sherman retired from the army in 1884. Many people wanted him to become the president, but he responded, "If drafted, I will not run; if nominated, I will not accept; if elected, I will not serve." -
William T. Sherman
Sherman dies on February 14, 1891 in New York from pneumonia.
