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Sherman's ancestors arrived in America about 1634. His father, a lawyer and jurist, died suddenly in 1829, leaving 11 children, among them future politician John Sherman. William was sent to the family of Thomas Ewing, a U.S. senator and cabinet member, for upbringing. After receiving his early education in Ohio, Sherman, called "Cump" by his friends, obtained an appointment to West Point through the efforts of his foster father. In 1840 he graduated 6th in the class of 42 and was assigned the 3rd Artillery as a 2nd lieutenant. A year later, on duty in Florida, he advanced to 1st lieutenant and in 1842 was assigned to Fort Moultrie, S.C.
Sherman took his first leave in 1843, returned to Lancaster, and became engaged to Ellen Ewing, the daughter of his foster parents. On his return to South Carolina he traveled down the Mississippi River and across Georgia. The next year he toured the Southern states for 3 months and in 1845 inspected the Federal arsenal at Augusta, accumulating a knowledge of Southern geography that would be valuable to him later in his career.
During the Mexican War Sherman served as an aide to Captain Philip Kearny and then as adjutant to Colonel Richard B. Mason. Seeing little action, he wanted to resign but was convinced to remain in the army by General Persifor Frazer Smith, commanding the newly created Pacific Division. Smith established his headquarters in San Francisco and made Sherman his adjutant general. In 1850 the young officer was relieved to carry dispatches to the East for General Winfield Scott, marrying Ellen Ewing in Washington D.C., on the same trip. 3 years later he resigned to San Francisco to work as the local agent for a St. Louis-based banking firm. As a business man he managed the company's funds skillfully through the financial crisis of 1857, but the parent bank failed, and Sherman moved to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to open a law and real-estate office.
Moderately successful in his venture, in October 1859 Sherman accepted the superintendency of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy near Alexandria, Louisiana, the forerunner of Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge. He continued there until the state seceded from the Union in 1861. Offered a commission in the Confederate army, Sherman declined, accepting instead the presidency of a St. Louis streetcar company. After the firing on Fort Sumter, he returned to the army with an appointment as colonel in the new 13th Infantry (Regulars) 14th May. By July Sherman had been given command of a brigade under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell's army, which was defeated at Bull Run in the first major battle of the war.
Sherman was advanced to brigadier general of volunteers 2nd August, to date from 17th May, and sent to Kentucky as second in command to Brigadier General Robert Anderson. When Anderson became ill, he succeeded to command under orders to hold the state aided only by the home guard. Throughout the war Sherman felt the sting of the press. Now the strain of expecting a long war and the frustration of conducting a defense with untrained local troops unleashed his volatile temper, causing journalists to print stories claiming that his mind was being affected by the weight of responsibility. Replaced by the War Department, he was ordered to report to Major General Henry W. Halleck in Missouri. Sherman assumed command of the District of Cairo, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant's former command, fighting vigorously at Shiloh and during the advance to Corinth. Though his brigade was routed at Shiloh, Sherman's effective leadership earned him a promotion to major general of volunteers to rank from 1st May.
When Grant replaced Halleck and assumed command of the Western armies July 1862, he sent Sherman to Memphis to maintain its defense. There Sherman did an admirable job of supporting guerillas and establishing a strong civil authority. When Grant began his second advance against Vicksburg late in 1862, he sent Sherman against Chickasaw Bluffs, 27th-29th December. Defeated when Grant's support troops were unable to advance, Sherman pulled back his men and relinquished command of forces on the river to Major General John A. McClernand by order of President Abraham Lincoln. McClernand organized his troops as the Army of Mississippi, dividing them into two corps and assigning one to Sherman. At Sherman's suggestion the command moved successfully against Arkansas Post. During the campaign, 16th December, Grant organized the Army of Tennessee, which included McClernand's troops at the conclusion of the expedition to Arkansas Post. Now part of the Army of Tennessee, Sherman's XV Corps participated in the land/sea operations that led to the surrender of Vicksburg 4th July 1863.
In September Sherman was ordered back to Memphis and sent to the relief of Chattanooga. When Grant was given supreme command in the West, he assigned Sherman command of the Army of Tennessee. In March of 1864 Grant went east as a newly appointed general-in-chief of the Federal armies, leaving Sherman in command of all Western troops. Grant's grand strategy called for Major General George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac to move against General Robert E. Lee and take Richmond while Sherman launched his Atlanta Campaign against General Joseph E. Johnston to capture the Confederacy's last major rail center.
Sherman planned to push into Georgia with the Armies of the Cumbeland, the Tennessee, and the Ohio under the command of Major Generals George H. Thomas, James B. McPherson, and John M. Schofield respectively. Operations were headquartered in Chattanooga by late April 1864. All together the forces numbered about 100,000 men to oppose the 60,000 Confederates under Johnston. Sherman assured his lines of supply by taking the railroads out of civilian control, stockpiling certain critical supplies, and discarding all nonessential equipment he thought might slow his advance. Early in May he deployed Thomas and Schofield against Johnston and Dalton, Georgia, holding Buzzard Roost Gap near the railroad line. Sherman directed McPherson to proceed around the Confederate left by way of Snake Creek Gap to take Resaca and sever the rail line. McPherson advanced through the gap May 9th but was unsuccessful because of Johnston's movements in the area. On May 15th Sherman advanced over McPherson's route and took Resaca, secured East Tennessee & Georgia Rairoad as far as Kingston, and drove Johnston back to Allatoona Pass. Sherman's advance was slowed by the Confederate's favorable position near Kennesaw Mountain. After several unsuccessful attempts to dislodge Johnston by direct assault, Sherman extended his right to overcome the Confederate position. Johnston retreated to Chattohoochee River. On June 9th Schofield crossed the river in advance of Sherman's right, causing Johnston to drop back to Peachtree Creek in front of Atlanta.
Dissatisfied with Johnston's performance, Confederate President Jefferson Davis relieved him of command and placed Lieutenant General John Bell Hood at the head of the Army of Tennessee. Sherman advanced on Atlanta from the north and the east but encountered fierce opposition from Hood. Unable to take the city by assault, he besieged Atlanta and cut the railroads to Montgomery, Alabama, and Macon, Georgia on September 1st. Hood evacuated Southern troops from Atlanta under cover of night. The victorious Sherman was promoted to major general in the Regular Army to rank from August 12th. After negotiating with Hood and defend Tennessee. The balance of Sherman's forces, about 62,000 men, destroyed the military resources in Atlanta, abandoned the city, and moved accross Georgia on the famous March To The Sea to cut off Confederate communications with the state, the last line for the Eastern Confederate armies.
The devastation and wanton destruction of property by bummers alienated the Southern people, but Sherman contended that the war could be brought to a halt sooner with a firm had and that the loss of property was less odious than the continued wasting of lives. This earned Sherman a reputation as one of the first modern military leaders. Twice Sherman's aggressive warfare won him the thanks of congress.
Hostilities in the Carolinas ended April 17th when Sherman and Johnston, once again commanding the Army of Tennessee, met under truce to discuss surrender terms 8 days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomatox.
Sherman's postwar military career included command of the Division of the Mississippi, military assistance to the construction of the transcontinental raliroad, and campaigning against hostile Indians. On July 25th, 1866, when Grant was promoted to full general, Sherman was advanced to lieutenant general and moved to Washington to take temporary command of the army. On Grant's inauguration as president in 1869, Sherman became full general and general-in-chief of the army. He retired November 1st 1883, in 1886 settling in New York City, where he died February 14th 1891. The Memoirs of William T. Sherman, direct and forceful like the man who wrote them, were first published in a 2-volume edition in 1875.
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