Excerpt from The Library of Oratory, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 10 of 15: With Critical Studies of the World's Great Orators by Eminent Essayists

Illiam tecumseh sherman, a distinguished American officer in the lvar of the Rebellion, was born at Lancaster, O., Feb. 8, 1820, and died at New York, Feb. 14, 1891. He graduated at West Point in 1840, and entered the army as a lieutenant of artillery. He served in Florida and during the Mexican 'var in California, but seeing no immediate chance for promotion, he re signed in 1853 and became a banker in San Francisco. When the Civil W'ar broke out he was head of the Louisiana Military Academy. In May, 1861, he became a colonel of infantry, and after the battle of Bull Run was appointed brigadier-general of volun teers. In August of the latter year having been sent to Kentucky, he demanded 200, 000 men for offensive operations, but in this was regarded as a visionary and was relieved of his command. After the battle of Shiloh, where he had a chance to distin guish himself, he was made major-general and became Grant's rightfhand man in the operations around Vicksburg. In July, 1863, having been appointed a brigadier in the regular army, he drove General Johnston out of Jackson, Miss, and once more ren dered efficient assistance to Grant at Chattanooga. In March, 1864, he was appointed to the command of the Army of the Southwest, and in April began his operations against Atlanta, which was taken by him, Sept. 2, 1864. He undertook and carried out successfully the famous march to the sea, and entered Savannah on December 21. He was made major-general and received the thanks of Congress. In February, moving north, he captured Charleston, and by the seventh of February reached Colum bia. He aimed to cut off Lee's retreat or else to join Grant before Richmond, but Lee surrendered on the ninth of April, and Sherman received the surrender of General Johnston, April 26, 1865. For four years he commanded the Mississippi division, and when Grant became President, Sherman was appointed head of the army, with the rank of general. In 1874, he was retired at his own request. Sherman was distinguished for his perseverance, originality of design, and fertility of resource. He contributed to the literature of the war Memoirs of General Wm. T. Sherman, written by Him self. This first appeared (in 2 vols.) in 1875, and in a revised edition in 1891.

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