 |
Wiliam ShermanAmerican Army General
Date of Birth: 08.02.1820
Country:  USA |
Content:
- William Tecumseh Sherman
- Early Life and Career
- Civil War Service
- March to the Sea
- End of the War
- Post-War Years
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American general who played a pivotal role in the American Civil War.
Early Life and Career
Born in Ohio in 1820, Sherman graduated from West Point and served in the U.S. Army for over a decade. After resigning his commission in 1853, he worked as a banker and attorney. In 1859, he was appointed Superintendent of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy.
Civil War Service
With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Sherman rejoined the Union Army and rapidly rose through the ranks. He commanded a brigade at the Battle of Shiloh and later led divisions at Vicksburg and Chattanooga. In July 1863, he was promoted to brigadier general.
March to the Sea
In March 1864, Sherman assumed command of the Union Army of the Tennessee and embarked on a daring campaign known as the "March to the Sea." His army marched over 1,300 kilometers from Chattanooga through Georgia, captured Atlanta in September, and reached the Atlantic Ocean at Savannah in December, effectively cutting off the Confederate army under General Joseph Johnston.
End of the War
After capturing Savannah, Sherman turned his army north and marched into South Carolina, intending to join forces with General Ulysses S. Grant's army and trap Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The two armies met near Richmond, Virginia, and Lee's forces were surrounded and surrendered in April 1865.
Post-War Years
After the war, Sherman and Johnston became close friends. When Sherman died in 1891, Johnston, then 84 years old, suffered fatal pneumonia after walking bareheaded at his friend's funeral. Sherman's legacy as one of the most successful generals in American history endures to this day.
