Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-02-19
General Sherman's Last
March Ended.

A Long, Useful and Brilliant
Career Filled with Honors
A Brief BiographI-
cal Sketch.
General William Tecumseh Sherman
was II years old the oth OF the present
month, having been horn at Lancaster,
Ohio, February s, 1890 His father was
Charles r. Sherman, who was q Judge
OF the superior court OF that state. Judge
Sherman died when William T. was Q
years old, after which the son was
adopted into the family OF Hon. Thomas
Ewing, a member OF congress, and long
pr minent In Ohio and National poll
tics. Through the influence OF Mr.. Ew-
ing young Sherman was admitted 10 the
military academy at West Point In 1885,
from which institution he graduated In
le40, grading sixth In class OF forty,
General George II. Thomas being one OF
the number. Soon after his graduation
he was commissioned second lieutenant,
and ordered 70 Florida After serving
there for two years, rising
meanwhile 10 the rank Of first lieuten-
ant, his company was stationed at Fort
Moultrie, near Charleston, South Caro-
lima, where II remained for some two or
three years. During this time the act
I've young lieutenant gained large
fund OF information OF the topography Of
the southern country which his wonder
ful memory enabled him TO utilize In his
campaigns twenty years later During
this time he also read law. In l64o his
company was ordered to California, and
made the journey by sea, rounding Cape
Horn. Four years later he returned 10
the states, and married Miss Ellen
Ewing, daughter Of his adopted father,
who was then secretary OF the interior
In the cabinet OF President Taylor. The
next year he was promoted 20 the rank
OF captain. Two years later, In 1858, he
resigned his commission In the army,
and became the San Francisco agent OF
Lucas, Turner & Co., bankers, In that
great center of activity on
the Pacific coast This COM
pany wound up its business In 1857, az.
ter which captain Sherman returned 10
st. Louis In 1858 he came 10 Leaven-
worth. kansas, whore he praoticed law
for u short time. In 1860 he accepted
an appointment as superintendent OF
a new military academy in louisiana,
but, the war breaking out year later,
he at once resigned and repaired 70
Washington. His knowledge Of the
state OF the south at this time would
have been most valuable, but the gov
ernment refused 10 heed his warnings.
He felt that the presidents call for 75,-
900 three months men was a dangerous
piece OF triaing In the face OF great
crisis, but his views were held 70 be ex-
treme. But perhaps no man OF the
time understood the southern temper
and situation letter than be. He was
commissioned colonel OF the Thirteenth
infantry IN May. 1861, and took part In
the disaster OF Bull Run a few weeks
later, commanding q brigade Including
the Thirteenth, Sixty-ninth and Seven
ty-ninth New York and Second Wis
consin regiments, which suffered very
severly, but behaved with courage
until the reinforcement OF the en-
emy demoralized the army and
the memorable retreat began. In Au-
gust following ne received brigadier
generals commission, TO date from May
18th previous. In September Of the
same year General Sherman was ordered
10 Kentucky, where be served under
General Anderson, the commander OF
that department. In October, 1851, ow-
ing 10 the III health Of his superior,
General Sherman succeeded 70 the com
mand Of the department. Secretary
stanton asked him for an estimate ol
the number Of men he thought neces.
sary in his department. He replied,
sixty thousand In Kentucky, and two
hundred thousand In this section" His
q,
magnitude Of the work undertaken cost
him his command, and he was ordered
10 the department OF the west, under |
General Halleck at St. Louis. But the
clearness OF his vision was soon veri. |
fed.
In March Of 1862 General Sherman
was assigned TO the ffth division OF the /
army Of the Tennessee, which had been /
placed under the command Of General |
Grant a short time before. That gen.
eral had Just won laurels by his bold /
moves and great victories at Henry and /
Donelson, and was moving on 4
Corinth, Miss. At Pittsburg Landing, /
April 9th, General Sherman was posted 4
at shiloh church, and was the main fac 1
tor In holding what was gained on the /
9Th. .And aided most efficiently In the roui 4
OF the enemy on the next day. IL was 4
here that General Sherman first showed 4
the genius for war that his after service 4
50 fully displayed. Both Grant and
Halleck recognized his value at once
Grant saying: ITO his sherman 81 un-
dividual efforts l am indebted for the
success Of that battle General Hal
leck said: sherman saved the for 4
tunes OF the day on the 9th and contrib 4
uted largely 70 the glorious victory Of
the 7th.H Here he was severely 4
wounded In the hand and had several /
horses killed under him, but remained I
In the field.
General Sherman's generslship was
thus established and recognized. and /
his reputation as a soldier suffers by /
that occurred subsequently. /
His other campaigns are matters OF his /
tory. known 10 every intelligent Ameri- 4
can. and need not be repeated in a news 4
paper sketch. With the appointment Of I
Grant as general Of all the armies, July I
=. 1850. Sherman became Lieutenant i
general. and with Grants accession 70 /
the presidency in 1859, general, which I
tile be retained until. az his own re- 4
quest, he was retired on his birthday, 4
February 8, 1854, in order that General /
sheridan might succeed to the Office of
general l-in-chief. The rank Of general 7
had been created as special rank Of
honor for General Grant, and has been /
held bv these two officers only.
During ls7l-72 General sherman I
travelled in Europe, and was received
with the greatest honor everywhere. (
He was honored In this country with
the degree Of IL. D. by several col
leges and universities.
fn perscnal appesranos General sher-