SKETCH OF GENERAL SHERMAN'S LIFE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 29, 17 April 1891, Page 5

SKETCH OF GENERAL SHERMAN'S LIFE.

William Teotjmseh Sherman was born in Lancaster, Ohio, Feb. ruary 18, 1820. Young Sherman was reared in the family of the Hon. Thomas Swing.

In July, 1838, he entered West Point. He was graduated in 1840 and appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Artillery. In 1842 he was promoted to a Ist Lieutenant's position. Lten'.euaat Sherman served in Florida until 1841, and from that date, with a brief interval, in a garrison at Fort Moultrie, South Chralina, until 1846, when ha was ordered to California. He wis acting AqsUtaut Adjutant-General in tbe Department of California until February, 1849, when be was transferred to similar duty on the staff of General Persifer F. Smith, commanding tbe Division of the Pacific.

Ordered to New York in January, 1850, as bearer of dispatches, he was married on May 1 of the same year to Bllen, daughter ot Thomas Swing, then (Secretary of the Interior. In September following he was transferred fr> the Commissary Department, with the rank of Captain, and stationed at St. Louis and New Orleans until March, 1863, when, after a six mouths' leave of absence, in September, 1853, he resigned to engage in the banking business in San Franoisco. The affairs of his firm closed in 1357 and Snerman removed to New York.

In tbe following year be remove! to Leaven worth, Ktosas, and practised law until July, 1859, when he was elected superintendent of tbe proposed military academy of Louisiana. The institution was opened January 1, 1860, as tbe Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy, and Sherman remained at its head until January 18, 1851, when he addressed a letter to the Governor asking to be relieved " the moment the State determined to sece le." His request was soon after granted, and in the latter part of February be left for St. Louis, where for a short period he held tbe presidency of a street railroad.

On May 14, 1861, he was appointed Colonel of the 13tb Regnlar Infantry, and soon after his arrival in Washington was plaoed in command of a brigade in Tyler's Division, which he lei at the bittl of Bull Run, July 21. Sherman's brigade, which included the 69th Regiment, N.T., was the only portion of the army that retreated in good order from the field of Bull Run. Oa August 3 following, hit commission of Brigadier-General of Volunteers was issued to date from May 17, and on August 24 he was ordered to duty in the Department of the Cumberland, under General Anderson. He succeeded to the command of that Department on October 8, 1861, but was relieved in November and sent to Missouri. After a brief ssrvice oa inspection dnty and in command of the Camp of Instruction, Sherman was sent to Paducab, Kentucky, to aid in the operations on the Tennessee River,

Here he organised tbe division which be subsequently commanded at Sbilob, where his conduct did much to check disorder and overcome tbe shock of the unexpected onaet. General Halleck reported that Qeneral Sherman's firmness on the 6th of April " saved the day." Grant officially announced :— " lam indebted to G neral Sherman for the success of the battle." The advance upon and siege of Corinth and its evacuation followed. In the meantime, in May, 1862, Sherman was promoted to be Major-General of Volunteers. In July, 1862, be occupied Memphis and remained until December, when he was called upon by General Grant to take commaod of the expedition against Vicksburg. An attempt to carry the place by storm on December 29, 1862, was bravely mide bat failei ; and owing to the surrender of Holly Spring), which overthrew Grant's plan of co-operation, the enemy was reinforced, and Sherman returned to Milliken's Bend, where General McClennand, wbo had arrived, took command January 4, 1863, Shannon being iss'^ned to tbe 15th Corps, which took a leading part in the capture of Arkansas Post (Fort Hindman) a week later.

In the Vicksburg campaign Sherman and his command took a prominent part. During this tinvi he was appointed a BrigadierGeneral of the Regular Army. O » September 22 be was summoned to the relief of Rosecrans's, beleaguered army at Chattanooga. Repairing the railroad as ha advanced, Tuscumbia was reiched in October, where orders came from Grant, who bad succeeded Roeecrans, to stop all work and hasten to Ohattanoo^*.

Forced marches followed, and then came the battle of Missionary Ridge and Bragg 's retreat. While in hot pursuit, Shermin was obliged to leave Hooker and relieve Burnside, wbo was besieged by Longstreet at Kuoxville. Moving rapidly and nuking the last eighty-four miles in three days Longstreet wai compelled to raise the siege and retreat to Virginia. Sherman went into winter quaiters. On February 22, 1864, Grant having been promoted to be Lieutenant-General, he named Sherman as bis successor in command of the military division of the Mississippi, composed of the depart* menta of tbe Ohio, The Cumberland, the Tennessee, and the Arkansas.

In May began tbe march to Atlanta. Sherman had 98,797 men and 234 gun?, Johnson's army, bis opponent, numbered about

50,000. In quick suooatsioa followed the battles of Rosaoa, New Hope Cburoh, aad Keaetaw. By July, Johnson had fallen back to a line covering Atlanta. There he wa9 succeeded by Hood. Oa July 19 and 20 was fought the battle of Peaohtree Oreek, and Hood withdrew behind the fortifications of Atlanta. Several attempts to flank Hood resulted in severe battles.

Sherman was mads Major-General in the regular army on Augut 12, 1864. During the night of Sjd timber 1 Hoo 1 evacuated Atlanta, after his supplies hal bejn cut off by the destruction of the railroads leading out of the city. Sherman's losses from Chattanooga amounted to 31,687. The Confederate loss was nearly 35 000. Hood had been reinforced repeatedly, and still had an effective force of 40,000. Sner man had revived Blair's division of 13,009 men. Hood tried to t»ke Altoona's garrison of 1,944 men in October, but failed.

Leaving Thomas to defend Tennessee, Sherman destroyed Atlanta, sent back all the surplus property aad supplies to Chattanooga, cut the telegraph lines aad railroads behind him, and started in his famous " M*rch to the Sja." By December 10 he was before Savannah and two days later it was evacuated.

la Febrnary, 1865, Columbia, South Carolina, was occupied. The battles of Averysboro and Bemonville were fought in March. Raleigh was reached April 13, aad April 18 at Durham Station Sherma i accepted tbe surrender of Johason'a army oa a basis of agreement which was rejected by the Government, but on the 26th received the surrender on the terms accorded to Lee by Grant. Resuming his march, Washington was reached May 24, 1865 where, after the graad review, the army dissolved.

On June 27, 1865, he was appoiued to command the military division of the Mississippi. Ha was promoted to be LieutenantGeneral on July 25, 1866, aad on August 11 assigned to the militiry division of tbe Missouri. Oi iha accession of General Grant to the Presidency Sherman became G^ner-U— March 4, 1889.— E (change.