William Tecumseh Sherman

NAME: William Tecumseh Sherman

BORN: February 8, 1820

COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS: born...Lancaster, Ohio (Farfield County)

EDUCATION:

graduated, U.S. Military Academy,
1840 (sixth in his class)

OCCUPATION: US Army officer, Civil War

DIED:February 14, 1891

FAST FACTS:

Sherman was one of the great Union generals of the Civil War.

In 1847, as a lieutenant, he arrived in Northern California. He was there to help gather information on the gold fields for President Polk. Sherman resigned from the Army in 1853 with plans of settling in California. In San Francisco, he managed the construction of a bank for Lucas, Turner, and Company.

For a time, he served as a commander in the California militia.

Taking up the Union cause during the Civil War, Sherman commanded at a number of major battles, including Bull Run (leading a brigade), Shiloh (leading a division), Vicksburg (leading four divisions), and the Atlanta Campaign (leading 100,000 men).

After the war, Sherman was appointed to the Indian Peace Commission. In 1869, President U.S. Grant appointed Sherman General of the Army.