Sherman's Troops example essay topic

William Tecumseh Sherman was, and still is, probably the most hated man in the history of Georgia. William was born on February 8th, 1820, in Ohio. His father died when he was young, and his mother had to send him off to be raised by a foster parent. Sherman later married his foster parents daughter, Ellen Ewing.

Sherman graduated from WestPoint military academy in 1840, and in the Mexican war, he was positioned in San Francisco. He later quit his job in the military to seek a partnership in the exciting field of banking. After the outbreak of the Civil War, Sherman wrote to the secretary of war (on May 8th, 1861), offering his military services for three years. He was accepted and began fighting in the war on June 20th.

In October of 1861, Sherman filled in the spot of Anderson in Kentucky, and told the Secretary of war, that if he had 60,000 men, he would be able to drive the enemy out of the region, and with 200,000 men he would be able to finish the war their. Sherman was, however relieved of his position, for demanding such a large army of men. In February of 1862, Sherman was positioned in Kentucky, relieving Ulysses S. Grant, however he was removed from his position and replaced again by Grant. All of these temporary positions, although, have nothing to do with Sherman's fame. In the spring of 1864, Sherman was instructed by Grant to "create havoc and destruction to anything that would be beneficial to the enemy", and was given 98,797 troops and 254 cannons to fulfill Grants request, and on May 4, 1864 Sherman began the Atlanta Campaign. William Sherman marched his troops against the Confederate troops, headed by Joe Johnston.

Johnston defeated Sherman's troops once on June 27th, 1864, at Kennesaw Mountains, but still had to pull his troops back due to the overwhelming force placed by Sherman. The President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, had little faith in Johnston, and replaced him in July with the more aggressive John B. Hood. But Hood was still not seceding in stopping Sherman's march. Sherman then began to intrude in Georgia, destroying anything in his path. He would destroy civilian houses, women, pet dogs, babies, slaves and anything else that got in his way. He began taking over cities like nothing else, and got so proud of him self he sent a note to Abraham Lincoln on December 23rd, presenting the city of Savannah, as a Christmas Present.

Shortly after his capturing of Savannah, Sherman's troops were battling in South Carolina, and North Carolina, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant on April 9th, 1865, and Joe Johnston surrendered to Sherman on April 17th 1865, thus marking the end of the Civil War. After the end of the civil war, Sherman was commissioned Lieutenant General, and when Grant was elected president, William was promoted to general of the U.S. Army. He retired from the Army, in 1883, at the age of 63. web Sherman's March, by Burke Davis, Jeff Stone and Carolyn Ready The White Tecumseh, by Stanley P. Hirsh son.