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WILLIAM SHERMAN

William Tecumseh Sherman was an American general. He was born in 1820 at Lancaster. Ohio and died in 1891. One of the most famous American generals of all time, he graduated at West Point in 1840. He was engaged in the Seminole War, and in the Mexican War took part in the expedition to California. In 1853 he resigned, and was in business in California, New York and Kansas. During 1860 and 1861 he was superintendent of a military college in Louisiana. When the American Civil War began he was appointed colonel. At the first Battle of Bull Run he commanded a brigade. In October he was transferred to the department of the Cumberland, but was removed the next month. William Sherman was one of the few who early in the war foresaw the severity of the contest. In 1862 he was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, and with his division contributed materially to the victory of Shiloh. Made major-general of volunteers and corps commander, he had a signal share in the success of the Vicksburg campaign. He was now promoted to be brigadier-general in the regular army, and commanded the left wing at the battle of Chattanooga. Immediately afterward he was sent to relieve Burnside at Knoxville.

When Ulysses Simpson Grant in 1864 assumed command of all the Federal armies he entrusted William Sherman with the task of crushing the Rebellion in the West. Accordingly in the spring General Sherman with a powerful force moved southward, opposed by General J E Johnston in the mountains of Northern Georgia. These great strategists contended at Dalton, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, etc. In the vicinity of Atlanta three severe battles were fought with Hood, and that city was taken. In November William Sherman started on his famous march to the sea, reaching Savannah at Christmas time. He was now a major-general in the regular army. Leaving Savannah in February, he entered Columbia, fought the battles of Averysboro and Bentonville, and after Robert E Lee's surrender, concluded a treaty with Johnston; as this was rejected by the Government, another treaty on September the 26th, 1865, was framed, and Johnston's army surrendered. General Sherman was promoted to be lieutenant-general in 1866, and succeeded Ulysses Simpson Grant as general and Commander-in-chief in 1869. He retired from the army in 1883.
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