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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > The Participants of the War - Mikitary & Civilian > William T. Sherman > William Tecumseh Sherman |
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Civil War Interactive Discussion Board > The Participants of the War - Mikitary & Civilian > William T. Sherman > William Tecumseh Sherman |
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| William Tecumseh Sherman | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13th, 2007 06:17 pm |
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1st Post |
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ole Member 
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We discuss personalities freely. The political generals, the overly ambitious. The self-promoters. Sherman stands alone. Here was a man whose basic drive was to show his wife, family, country and world that he could rise to the top. Yet, his primary goal was to serve. When a superior said jump, he asked "how high?" on the way up. What few political games he played, he played in favor of those he considered team players. He had no obvious grudges. He didn't intrigue to place himself above anyone. He didn't contrive to eliminate competitors. He didn't snipe at others (at least, until after the war). Broad brush statement here. Just wanting to start a thread on another Civil War Personality. ole
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 05:28 am |
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2nd Post |
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susansweet Member 
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I know I should know more about Sherman than just the general over view and being half southern should not like him but then I read stories about The Ursulane Nun and Sherman in Columbia S.C. and know there is more to the man than the war is hell , Shermn's march man. I need to read a bio of him. Oh no another book . Susan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 06:11 am |
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3rd Post |
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ole Member
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Miss Susan: Not another book, the book. If you get no other for a year or so, get Sherman's Civil War, edited by Brooks Simpson and others. The book is very little more than his letters to whomever, whenever. It contains no opinion of the man. It simply lays him out for you to figure out who he is. When I read it, it was an entirely new perspective. A must read. Like him or hate him, it's quite impossible to put a spin on a man whose letters reveal so much. This book is Sherman. ole
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 06:17 am |
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4th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Oh, What a coincidence! I came on-line specifically to ask for a recommendation on the best biography/book of-or-by Sherman! And, the answer was posted just as I was signing on! Last edited on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 06:37 am by JoanieReb |
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 06:36 am |
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5th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Susan Sweet wrote: "and being half southern should not like him......" Hmmmmm....I know it surprises a lot of people and has caused an occasional rift with people whom I am usually more in agreement with, but Sherman is actually tied for third position in my personal list of top three favorite generals of TWBTS - laughably, I guess, with Nathan Bedford Forrest. No, I AM serious. I judge each of my favorites independently and without direct comparison to each other, based on my own personal criteria, and these two men "work" for me. I can see that I am going to have to triage here: I don't have time to focus on all the subjects that I would like to. "That Hill", of course, comes first. I am going to have to choose between Sickles and Sherman if I wish to contribute to either thread in a meaningful way at this particular time. Fortunately, none of these threads have expiration dates - at least, none that I am aware of, LOL! I think that, while I am at the University Library playing with maps this weekend, I shall pick up the book that Ole has recommended. If anyone can recommend another one or two, I would be grateful. Then, I shall focus as much as I can, after "That Hill", on Sherman. Everyone quotes Shermans' hard and heavy, very quotable quotes. Here's one for fun. When asked about his close relationship with Grant (Cump), Sherman replied, "I stood by him when he was drunk; he stood by me when I was crazy; and we've stood by each other ever since." Great stuff! Last edited on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 06:43 am by JoanieReb |
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 07:58 am |
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6th Post |
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susansweet Member
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Joanie I should also have said that being half Northern my great grandfather . the Michigan one if he had not been captured by Nathan Bedford Forrest in Tennessee 1863 would have been in the 19th Michigan on the way to Savannah with Sherman . So go figure. Ole so many books so little time and I am retired so should have more time to read. It just slips away from me . Now here I am on line at 1 am writing a post and then going to read a while before I fall back to sleep. I will look for the Sherman book. I am hoping it is on the shelf at the Drum and if it is as a Docent there I can check the book out and bring it home with me. I was so excited after talking to Mobile the other night I found the two Farragut books he told me about on the shelf. New to the library from one of the two collections we received as donations this past year. The Drum is having the same problem I am . Running out of shelf space for books. I was helping make better use of the space last week when I was there. New bookcases are on the way . Well back to reading and bed. Susan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 08:06 am |
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7th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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So glad to see you actively posting again, Miss Susan. I have missed your presence here! I think that when Ole was mentioning on another thread the catagories of people who kept the board alive, he forgot to mention insomniacs! That's me! I have very much missed my late-night partner in CWi exchanges, Miss Susan! Sincerely, Joanie Last edited on Sat Jul 14th, 2007 08:09 am by JoanieReb |
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14th, 2007 10:15 pm |
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8th Post |
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susansweet Member
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I have been here reading , just didn't have much to say.
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15th, 2007 12:25 am |
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9th Post |
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Swamp Shadow Member 
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I must say that Sherman is a very interesting character. This past year I had to write a 50 page multi genre paper on a person of our choosing. I had read many books on Sherman, so I decided to write about him. The paper was a ton of fun to write because you had to create letters, journal entries, poems, and many other literary genres about your person. If you want to learn more about Sherman's life I recommend Sherman: A Soldier's Life by Lee Kennett, Memoirs written by the general himself, Sherman's Civil War, and the following website, which includes many letters and other documents relating to the general. http://www.archives.nd.edu/findaids/ead/html/SHR.htm
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15th, 2007 12:52 am |
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10th Post |
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PvtClewell Member 
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I have an 1891, fourth edition, of the Personal Memoirs of Gen'l W.T. Sherman, which I am ashamed to say that I haven't read — yet. This book was given to me by my aunt, who is a Clewell. Most interestingly is inscribed in pencil on the frontice page "William Clewell." According to my regimental of the 153rd Pennsylvania, a William Clewell of Co. I was wounded at Gettysburg. If he's one and the same, wonder why he had a book on Sherman and not, say, on Howard? Bet I can guess...
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15th, 2007 01:40 am |
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11th Post |
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javal1 Grumpy Geezer 
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Pvt. - Just a thought - you're right about the 153rd, however there was also 2 (or it could be the same guy) William Clewell's serving in Ohio regiments (ties to Sherman?) : Clewell, William C. Clewell, William C.
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15th, 2007 11:21 pm |
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12th Post |
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PvtClewell Member
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Joe, There certainly seem to be a bunch of William Clewells suddenly running around. Coincidental? Since the 153rd Pa. was a 90-day unit, I guess it's possible Billy Boy could have run off to Ohio and volunteered there after he mustered out and his wound healed. More likely, it's just another branch of the Clewell clan and William, after all, is a very common name. Thanks for finding that stuff, though. It might help me later on researching the family tree.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 16th, 2007 04:16 pm |
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13th Post |
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David White Member 
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John Marsalak's Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order or something like that is probably the best biography. Sherman is a very interesting guy and he was very well-written. I must say his letters and official reports are among the best written and revealing of any other personality of the war. After reading many of them and having just finished Grant's Memoirs I got his thinking they would be really good, based on his writing style. What a disappointment! Not bad, but I think he held back almost like reading Alexander's official memoirs, interesting but not the dirt that is found in the unofficial memoirs. Some interesting information about Sherman's descendants, his grandaughter married the grandson of Lewis Armistead and his son lies burned in the Jesuit cemetery in Grand Coteau, Louisiana next to the grandnephew of Confederate VP Alexander Stephens. Both were Jesuit priests and no statement was meant by putting them side by side, it was just a matter of one being the next priest to die after the other one had died.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 16th, 2007 05:59 pm |
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14th Post |
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ole Member
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David: Sometimes he was careful in his reports and official correspondence. Sometimes he came off as a raving lunatic. Recommend Sherman's Civil War -- a collection of his private correspondence during the war years. A humongus book, but worth every page and minute. Best thing is, you don't have to rely on Marzalek or Kennet or Fellman or Castel or anyone else's interpretation -- you get to make your own. ole
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| Posted: Mon Jul 16th, 2007 07:07 pm |
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15th Post |
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j harold 587 Member 
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There is an interesting article on Sherman this month in Civil War Times. It details his travels in Georgia as a Lt. long before the march to the sea. He had a knowledge of the topography from his travels. I agree that he is a very interesting study. He also left rations for the residents of Jackson Mississippi after his troops burned it. Not sure when He did that. I think1862. I'm sure most here know that his surrender terms were too liberal for Johnson's army and had to be rewritten. I feel his statement that Grant supported him when he was crazy and he supported Grant when he was a drunk tells all about his loyalty and committment to his friends and causes. He also had no political aspirations. For me that is a big +.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 21st, 2007 01:22 pm |
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16th Post |
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39th Miss. Walker Member
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Here in the South those in polite company don't mention his name. Very interesting man. In many ways he did deserve his "reputation". Just recently I read something about his march through South Carolina. As we all know Grant wanted him before Petersburg. But did defer to Sherman's strategy. What I read, and I'm trying to remember where, Grant later said if Sherman had come up to Petersburg the war would have ended 3 months earlier. Does any else remember where I could have read it? Also telling about the man was his post war years and his take on the Native American question.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 21st, 2007 02:24 pm |
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17th Post |
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ole Member
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What I read, and I'm trying to remember where, Grant later said if Sherman had come up to Petersburg the war would have ended 3 months earlier. Does any else remember where I could have read it? Don't recall ever reading a Grant statement to that effect -- maybe in the memoirs? Grant did want Sherman with him at Petersburg, and if Sherman could have gotten there the war would most certainly have ended earlier. Grant wanted to assemble a fleet for ocean transport to City Point, but sufficient ships were simply not available. With that simple situation, plus a few other complications, Sherman was able to persuade Grant that he could get there just as quickly by marching across the Carolinas -- meanwhile accomplishing further debilitating work in those states. "His take" was the position of the government upon demand of the thousands heading west -- many of whom were southern. ole
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| Posted: Fri Dec 21st, 2007 03:30 pm |
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18th Post |
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Don Member 
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Joanie, Which Hill are you referring to, A.P. or D.H.? There's a great website for Ambrose Powell that I unfortunately didn't bookmark, I'll find it later today if you'd like. Don
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| Posted: Fri Dec 21st, 2007 03:49 pm |
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19th Post |
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Texas Defender Member 
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Don- I'd recommend this one. And Then A.P. Hill Came Up - General Ambrose Powell Hill, CSA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 21st, 2007 05:05 pm |
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20th Post |
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Don Member
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Texas, Thanks, Jenny's site is exactly the one I was thinking of! She has a rather nice series on Gettysburg monuments on her blog, Draw The Sword also.
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