Logo
Logo
Log inSign up
Logo

Tools

AI Concept MapsAI Mind MapsAI Study NotesAI FlashcardsAI Quizzes

Resources

BlogTemplate

Info

PricingFAQTeam

info@algoreducation.com

Corso Castelfidardo 30A, Torino (TO), Italy

Algor Lab S.r.l. - Startup Innovativa - P.IVA IT12537010014

Privacy PolicyCookie PolicyTerms and Conditions

The Life and Legacy of William Tecumseh Sherman

Explore the life and military career of William Tecumseh Sherman, a key Union General during the American Civil War. Known for his 'March to the Sea' and the strategy of total war, Sherman played a pivotal role in the Union's victory and the end of slavery. His tactics remain a subject of debate, reflecting his complex legacy in American history.

See more
Open map in editor

1

4

Open map in editor

Want to create maps from your material?

Insert your material in few seconds you will have your Algor Card with maps, summaries, flashcards and quizzes.

Try Algor

Learn with Algor Education flashcards

Click on each Card to learn more about the topic

1

Birthplace and date of William Tecumseh Sherman

Click to check the answer

Born in Lancaster, Ohio on February 8, 1820.

2

Sherman's education and early military training

Click to check the answer

Attended West Point, graduated in 1840, excelled academically.

3

Sherman's military roles before the Civil War

Click to check the answer

Served in Second Seminole War, administrative roles in Mexican-American War.

4

Sherman left the military in ______ and ventured into ______ in San Francisco during the California Gold Rush.

Click to check the answer

1853 banking

5

During the Civil War, Sherman rejoined the army and was made a colonel of the ______ U.S. Infantry in May ______.

Click to check the answer

13th 1861

6

Sherman's action at First Battle of Bull Run

Click to check the answer

Organized retreat amid defeat.

7

Sherman's mental health in Kentucky

Click to check the answer

Suffered depression and anxiety, later recovered.

8

Sherman and Grant's partnership origin

Click to check the answer

Solidified at Battle of Shiloh, Sherman commendably wounded.

9

During the ______ Campaign, Sherman's vital role was instrumental to the Union's triumph in ______, resulting in his elevation to ______.

Click to check the answer

Vicksburg July 1863 major general

10

Sherman's Total War Advocacy

Click to check the answer

Sherman advocated for total war, targeting both military and civilian resources to weaken the Confederacy.

11

Meridian Campaign Purpose

Click to check the answer

The Meridian Campaign aimed to disrupt Confederate logistics by destroying railroads and supply lines in Mississippi.

12

Significance of Atlanta and Carolina Campaigns

Click to check the answer

Sherman's Atlanta and Carolina campaigns were designed to cripple the Confederacy's ability to wage war by ravaging their resources.

13

The seizure of ______ in 1864 significantly boosted Northern spirits and aided in the reelection of President ______.

Click to check the answer

Atlanta Abraham Lincoln

14

In 1864, ______ presented ______ to President Lincoln as a Christmas present after a military campaign across Georgia.

Click to check the answer

Sherman Savannah

15

Sherman's march post-Savannah

Click to check the answer

Moved north through Carolinas, early 1865.

16

Columbia, South Carolina incident

Click to check the answer

Captured and accidentally burned during campaign.

17

Battle of Bentonville significance

Click to check the answer

Sherman's victory, led to advance to Raleigh.

18

Sherman took over as the ______ General of the U.S. Army in 1869, following ______, and served until 1884.

Click to check the answer

Commanding Grant

Q&A

Here's a list of frequently asked questions on this topic

Similar Contents

History

The Reign of Terror during the French Revolution

View document

History

Political Clubs in the French Revolution

View document

History

The Girondins: A Moderate Faction in the French Revolution

View document

History

The Coup of 18 Brumaire: A Turning Point in French History

View document

Early Life and Military Education of William Tecumseh Sherman

William Tecumseh Sherman was born on February 8, 1820, in Lancaster, Ohio. Tragedy struck early in his life when his father, a prominent lawyer, died in 1829, leaving the family in financial distress. Through the patronage of a family friend, Sherman secured an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he excelled academically and graduated in 1840. His early military service included postings in the southern United States and participation in the Second Seminole War. He also served in California during the Mexican-American War but in primarily administrative roles. A young Sherman is depicted in Figure 1, a testament to his formative years before rising to national prominence.
Civil War era cannon on wooden carriage in grassy field with bronze statue of uniformed soldier holding binoculars, clear blue sky overhead.

Transition to Civilian Life and Return to Military Service

After his initial military service, Sherman transitioned to civilian life, where he pursued various ventures including banking in San Francisco during the California Gold Rush. He married Eleanor Boyle Ewing in 1850 and resigned from the military in 1853. He later became the first superintendent of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy (now Louisiana State University), a position he held until Louisiana's secession in 1861. Sherman, a staunch Unionist, relocated to St. Louis and briefly served as president of a streetcar company. The onset of the Civil War, however, compelled him to return to military service, and he was commissioned as a colonel in the 13th U.S. Infantry in May 1861.

Sherman's Initial Civil War Engagements

Sherman's reentry into military service during the Civil War began with his leadership of a brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run, where he conducted an organized retreat in the face of defeat. Subsequently assigned to the Department of the Cumberland in Kentucky, Sherman briefly suffered from depression and anxiety, but he recovered and was placed under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant. Their partnership was solidified at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, where Sherman's performance, despite being wounded, was commendable and marked the beginning of a significant strategic partnership with Grant (Figure 2).

Key Roles in the Vicksburg and Chattanooga Campaigns

Sherman's strategic acumen was on full display during the Vicksburg Campaign, where his contributions were crucial to the Union's eventual success in July 1863, leading to his promotion to major general. The capture of Vicksburg gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, a vital strategic victory. Later that year, Sherman played a significant role in the Chattanooga Campaign, where Union forces lifted the Confederate siege of Chattanooga and secured a decisive victory, further cementing Sherman's reputation as a capable military leader (Figure 3).

Embracing the Strategy of Total War

Sherman became an advocate for the strategy of total war, which entailed the destruction of not only enemy combatants but also the resources and infrastructure that supported them. He applied this strategy effectively in February 1864 during the Meridian Campaign in Mississippi, where he targeted railroads and other logistical assets to disrupt Confederate operations. This campaign served as a prelude to his more infamous Atlanta and Carolina campaigns, where he sought to undermine the Confederacy's war-making capabilities (Figure 4).

The March to the Sea and Its Consequences

Sherman's capture of Atlanta in September 1864 was a pivotal moment in the Civil War, bolstering Northern morale and contributing to President Abraham Lincoln's reelection. Following this victory, Sherman led his troops on the March to the Sea, a campaign of deliberate destruction from Atlanta to Savannah. This operation aimed to demoralize the Southern population and hasten the end of the war. In December 1864, Savannah was captured with little resistance, and Sherman famously offered the city to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift (Figure 5).

The Carolinas Campaign and Conclusion of the Civil War

After Savannah, Sherman's forces proceeded north through the Carolinas in early 1865. The campaign was marked by the capture and accidental burning of Columbia, South Carolina, and continued with the Battle of Bentonville in North Carolina. Sherman's troops emerged victorious, and he advanced to Raleigh. Upon learning of General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, Sherman negotiated the surrender of Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's army, effectively ending the war in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida (Figure 6).

Sherman's Postwar Career and Enduring Legacy

After the Civil War, Sherman remained in the military, overseeing campaigns against Native American tribes and serving as the Commanding General of the United States Army from 1869 until his retirement in 1884. He succeeded Grant, who had been elected President. Sherman's postwar years were spent in New York City, where he died on February 14, 1891. His legacy is complex and multifaceted; while he is often criticized in the South for the harshness of his wartime tactics, he is also credited with helping to preserve the Union and hasten the end of slavery. His Special Field Orders No. 15, which promised land to freed slaves, although later rescinded, is an example of his controversial but impactful role in American history (Figure 7).