u— 56 f OC- &</,*04/ SV**vC&' . yt^u A&a£ZeL£t*->*s £J%t££-4fcA*r£ P S>.\,"> 5iX > s '• v \ \ L IN THE EVERGLADES OF FLORIDA. r 75 )p(r LIFE AND MILITARY CAREER OF MAJQK-GEJSTEBAL WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN. ftEV. P. C. HEADJjET, AETHOB OF " NAPOLEON," " JOSEPHINE." " WOXEIT OF THE EI31I 10 BOY," ETC., ETC. NEWYOEK: GEO. A. LEAVITT, PUBLISHER. 43 MERCER & 455 BROOME STREETS. 1868. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by WM. H. APPLETON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. HENKY STANLEY ALLEN", Esq., OF NEW TORE, THIS YOLUME IS INSCRIBED, WITH SINCERE RESPECT AND REGARD, BY THE AUTHOR. PEEFACE Although General Sherman's military career lias only reached its most interesting and brilliant period, grateful and admiring thousands mil wel- come an authentic outline of his history to the pres- ent time. The facts of his early life were obtained from those who knew him best. To Colonel Bowman, an appreciative friend of General Sherman, whose sketches of him in the XT. S. Service Magazine were graphic and reliable, to the Army and JVavy Journal and able corre- spondents, we are indebted for valuable material. The pen-portrait of the great commander, by Mr. Alvord, which has never before been published, will be read with special interest. 6 PREFACE. The volume is not offered to the public as a com plete biography, with all that might have been omit- ted carefully sifted from the essential statements, but the annals of a remarkable man, with incidents connected with his movements ; affording the youth and all others, a general view of the nation's hero, from infancy to the unrivalled distinction he now holds. May the unpretending volume stimulate the youthful mind to virtuous and noble deeds, while it contributes to the more complete and voluminous memoirs which will be written in the peaceful future before us, for whose blessings of a perpetuated Union and civil liberty we shall owe a lasting debt of gratitude to General Sherman. —— CONTENTS CHAPTER I. PAGE The Boyhood of Heroes—The ancestry of William Tecumseh Sherman The death of his Father—Why the name of the Indian Chief was given him—The Birth-place of William Tecumseh, 13 CHAPTER II. The Eventful Call—"Cump" in the Sandbank—The Unexpected Sum- mons—He obeys—His new Home—School days—A Studious and Ee- able Boy— Is appointed Cadet—Leaves Home for West Point—His Life in the Academy—Graduates and goes to Florida, 23 CHAPTER III. The Lieutenant in the Florida War—Its Origin—The " Exiles "—Seminole Indians—Osceola—His wife made prisoner—The second Seminole War—Wild Cat's Daughter—Peace—Lessons of the events before and after, 28 CHAPTER IV. Lieutenant Sherman in Fort Moultrie—The Fortress—The Mexican War He goes to California—His Service there—Appointed Captain—His Marriage—ExcitiDg Scenes in California—In the Commissary Depart- ment—Resigns his Commission—Turns Banker, ..... 39 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER Y. PAGU Takes charge of a Military Academy in Alexandria, Louisiana—He sees the rising storm of Civil War—Eesigns—A noble Letter—He repairs to St. Louis, and superintends a Street Eailroad, ... 4? CHAPTER VI. Sumter falls—Sherman repairs to "Washington—His Interview with the Sec- retary of War and the President—His Prophetic Insight of the Threat- ening Times—The state of the Country—Eebel Expectations, . 50 CHAPTER VII. The Conflict Deepens—The Captain is made Colonel of the Thirteenth New York Volunteers—The Battle of Bull Eun—The unterrified Com- mander of the Thirteenth and his Troops—The Brave Stand, . 54 CHAPTER VIII. General Sherman goes to Kentucky—Muldraugh's Hill—His army weak- ened—General Buckner's superior force—Succeeds General Anderson —Writes General McClellan—Interview with Secretary Cameron— Paducah, CO CHAPTER IX. Pittsburg Landing—The Surprise—The Battle—The Victory—Sherman's glorious part in the Struggle—The Testimony of Officers—His Let- ter on the Contest, 67 CHAPTER X. The Morning after the Battle—General Sherman's column in Motion—What it did—Corinth the next Goal—The Siege—The Evacuation—General Sherman's troops the first to enter the Works—The Hero is made Major-? CONTENTS. t> PAGB General—Advance on Holly Springs—Memphis—General Sherman's successful Command in that City—The Guerrillas, 82 CHAPTER XI. General Sherman's nest Post—The Steele's Bayou Expedition—A Trial of Courage—The Leader's Heroism. CHAPTER XII. The Position of the "Western Forces—The Expedition against Yicksburg under General Sherman—The Just and Stringent Orders of the Chief- He shows the Speculators no Mercy—The Advance of the Grand Army Checked—The Embarkation of Troops—The Magnificent Pageant—The Progress and Arrival of the Eleet, . 95 CHAPTER XIII. The March—The City—Preparations for an Assault—The Attack—The Abatis and Kifle-pits—The Charge upon the Hill—Sherman succeed- ed by McClernand—General Sherman's Pare-well Order—Eesult of the Expedition, 105 CHAPTER XIY. The Plot—General Sherman's Part—His Successful Feint at Haines' Bluff —Joins the Main Army—The Advance toward Jackson, the State Cap- ital—The Victorious Entry of the City—On to Yicksburg again—As- saults—Siege—Yictory—General Sherman goes after "Joe" Johnston, . 119 CHAPTER XY. General Sherman watching Joe Johnston—Foraging—An Attack—The En- emy steals away in the Night—The Conquering Battalions have a brief rest—Encampment on the Big Black Eiver—Scenes there—Ee- enforces General Eosecrans — Death of General Sherman's Son—Beau- tiful Letter—The Monument . 12T 10 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. PAGE The Grand Advance from Memphis—The Enemy prepare to Meet it—Gen- eral Sherman's Genius equal to any Emergency—Eapid Marches—The Toe driven from the Path—New Command—The Swollen Eiver—Into Chattanooga—The Tireless Chief and his Gallant Troops push forward to Missionary Eidge, 136 CHAPTER XVII. The Place of Battle—The Battle-ground—General Sherman's Part in the Struggle — Desperate Valor — Victory — Pursuit — No Eest—General Burnside in Peril—General Sherman hastens to his Eelief—The Bridge breaks down—It is Eebuilt, and the Heroic Battalions save Knoxville —General Sherman again at Chattanooga, 143 CHAPTER XVIII. A New Expedition—Its Wise Design—Cause of its Failure in the Main Pur- pose—The Hero of Yicksburg is created Lieutenant-General—The New Order of Things—Two Grand Lines of March and of Conquest—From Chattanooga to Kenesaw Mountain, 162 CHAPTER XIX. The Battl'- of Eenesaw Mountain—On to Marietta—Across the Chatta- hooehio—General Johnston succeeded by General Hood—Marching and Fighting—Death of McPher3on—Fight at Jonesboro—The last struggle for Atlanta—Victory, 136 CHAPTER XX. The Tidings of Victory at Washington—The President's Messages to the People and to the Army—General Sherman congratulates his Bat- talions—The Eebel General is indignant—The Correspondence between him and General Sherman—The authorities of Atlanta also unrecon- ciled to the new order of things—The noble Letters and Conduct of the Conquerer, 217 —— CONTENTS. 11 CHAPTER XXI. PAOB The Events which followed the Trace—General Hood's Army in Motion Battle at Allatoona Pass—He is left to the care of the gallant Thomas —The New and Magnificent Campaign of General Sherman—The Field of his Operations—Burning of Borne—The Advance—Atlanta partially Burned—The Eehel Tears and Hopes—The March, 249 CHAPTER XXII. The March beyond the Eiver—The Exciting Discovery by the Enemy General Sherman's Strategy—On to Savannah—The Bebel—Surprise The Army approach the City—A bold Movement—The Scouts—The Signals—Fort McAllister stormed—Savannah invested, . .287 CHAPTER XXIII. The Surrender of the City demanded—The Eefusal—Preparation to At- tack—The Enemy Flee—The Entrance of the Union Army—Scenes that followed—General Sherman and the Negroes, 304 CHAPTER XXIV. Major-General Sherman appreciated at Home—A Conflagration—A New and Bolder Campaign—General Sherman begins his March—Perils and Progress—Branchville and Columbia—Charleston, .... 330 CHAPTER XXV. "Wilmington—Peace Commissioners—General Sherman's Statesmanship His Characteristics—Interesting Becollections of General Sherman His Pure Character, 857 ; CHAPTER I. The Boyhood of Heroes—The ancestry of "William Tecumseh Sherman—Th6 death of his Father—Why the name of the Indian Chief was given him— The Birth-place of "William Tecum seh. \Y youthful reader, you have heard the adage, " " the boy is father of the man ; which means clearly, that the principles and habits of early years form the character and destiny of after life. And you will find in the history of nearly all great and good men, in this country certainly, that they began, in humble circumstances, their career. Not that poverty is necessary to success, but the struggle to carve one's own way in the world, the almost unaided effort to secure an education for a profession or business, develops and strengthens character. Another thing is true of deservedly eminent men they were obedient and dutiful while under the parental roof. A selfish, rebellious boy, never made an honored member of society and of the State. You will find illus- 14 LIFE OF GENEEAL SHEEMAN. trations of these truths in the lives of Washington, Adams, Lincoln, Grant, Mitchel, Sherman, and many others, whose fame is lasting as our institutions. In the year 1634 the Hon. Samuel Sherman, his brother, Rev. John Sherman, and their cousin, Captain John Sherman, who were residents of Dedham, England, came to this country. This was only thirteen years after the May Flower, with its pilgrim company, rocked in Massachusetts Bay.