Video
Shadow of a Man: Sherman, Part One
Transcript
[audio description] Park Ranger Laura Lee McKellips standing in the beginning of the museum. She is surrounded by large cutout busts of important political and military figures of the Atlanta Campaign. To her right is an enlarged cutout of Sherman.
Hi my name is Laura Lee and I'm a ranger here at Kennesaw Mountain and this video series is Shadow of a Man: Sherman and will highlight some of his decisions and major battles during the Civil War. Most people know him from 1865 but this will show the change in Sherman from 1861 to 1865.
The name William Tecumseh Sherman creates a visceral reaction depending on a person's background. His name casts a long shadow over his legacy as a Union general. Most people know him from his famous, or infamous depending on your point of view, March to the Sea, but that's not quite the man that Sherman was. This video series will span five videos all this week and will end on February 14th, the date of his death.
In 1836 he receives his appointment to West Point and will graduate sixth in his class. In 1840 that is ranks higher than fellow Union General Ulysses S Grant who will graduate three years later. He does not see action during the Mexican War due to being stationed in Northern California on the verge of a gold rush. In 1853 he resigns his commission to become a banker.
After the Confederates fire on Fort Sumter in 1861 US President Abraham Lincoln will call for 75,000 troops to help squash the rebellion. In Sherman's opinion that number is way too low. In fact he is quoted as saying you might as well put out the flames of a burning house with a squirt gun. Now although he felt that more people should volunteer, he himself did not volunteer because he felt his time at West Point and prior service afforded him more than a volunteer stint of three months. Here is his letter to them.
"I hope myself now as always prepared to serve my country in the capacity for which I was trained. I did not and will not volunteer for three months because I cannot throw my family on the code charity of the world. But for three years call made by the president, an officer can prepare his command and do good service. I will not volunteer as a soldier because rightfully or wrongfully I feel unwilling to take a mere private's place and having many years lived in California and Louisiana the men are not well acquainted with me to elect me to my appropriate place. Should my services be needed, the records of the War Department will enable you to designate the station in which I can render the most service."
Now apparently his letter was well received because they appoint him as colonel of the 13th regimental infantry of the regular army. In July, he is appointed as - gets his own brigade and he is under the First Division in McDowell’s army. The first battle that the Union and Confederates will face is the Battle of Bull Run or the Battle of Manassas depending on your station. Now this according to Sherman is the best planned battle of the entire war. But guess what? It's the worst fought. He will write a letter to his wife and say, "The real war has not yet begun. The worst will be down the Mississippi and in the Deep South provided of course we get that far."
Sherman knew that the war would indeed not be fought in the Eastern Theater. It would have to be won in the Confederate territory of the Deep South. Now in August he was transferred West to Kentucky to help stop the upward invasion of the Confederates under the command of General Albert Sydney Johnston. Due to Johnston's cleverly planned raids, Sherman himself believes that he has more men under his disposable than Johnston really does. In his frenzy, he tries to recruit more volunteers for the struggling Union Army in the Kentucky region. In his frenzy though he creates distrust and disloyalty among the other Union Generals in the area. He also is losing faith in the War Department in his ability to command men on the battlefield.
By November 12th he is removed from command and sent to Missouri to help recruit and train volunteers. And this is further highlighted by the article in the Cincinnati Commercial,
"Since the painful intelligence reaches us in such form that we are not at liberty to discredit it, that WT Sherman late Commander of the Department of the Cumberland is insane. It appears that he was at times when commanding in Kentucky stark mad."
Now this report will follow Sherman through the rest of the years of the war and actually hinders some of his decisions such as his ability to know that the Confederates are attacking him at the Battle of Shiloh at Shiloh Church.
Thank you and our next video will focus on the year 1862 and the Battle of Shiloh. Thank you for watching we hope you can see our next video.
Description
In this video, we'll explore Union General Sherman prior to and during the first year of the American Civil War, 1861.
*Audio description is embedded in the video.*
Duration
5 minutes, 14 seconds
Date Created
02/08/2021
Copyright and Usage Info