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[Illustration: Wm. T. Sherman]




    LIFE OF
    WM. TECUMSEH SHERMAN.

    Late Retired General. U. S. A.

    A GRAPHIC HISTORY OF HIS CAREER IN WAR AND PEACE; HIS ROMANTIC
    YOUTH; HIS STERN AND PATRIOTIC MANHOOD; HIS CALM AND BEAUTIFUL
    OLD AGE; A MARVELLOUS MARCH FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF TIME TO THE
    SEA OF ETERNITY.

    By W. FLETCHER JOHNSON,

    Author of "Stanley's Adventures in Africa," "History of the
    Johnstown Flood," "Life of Sitting Bull and History of the Indian
    Wars," etc., etc.

    Carefully Reviewed, Chapter by Chapter, and with an Introduction

    By MAJ. GEN. O. O. HOWARD, U. S. A.

    With Numerous Maps and Illustrations.

    EDGEWOOD PUBLISHING COMPANY.

    1891.




    COPYRIGHT 1891, BY A. R. KELLER.




INTRODUCTION.


The title of this work is hardly a fair index to the contents.

The "Life of General Sherman," written with any reasonable detail so
as to depict his formative period, the gradual development of his
energies, the bulk of his achievements and the great consummation of
his genius, could not be contained in any three volumes of this size.

The work, so far as the labor of the author, Mr. Johnson, is concerned,
is eclectic,--mainly a compendium.

There are beautiful sketches, choice pictorial presentations of Sherman
and his environments from childhood to age. But, I do not think that
the work, valuable as it undoubtedly is, could in any degree take the
place of Sherman's Personal Memoirs.

There are some chapters which have been furnished by war editorials
and the writings of field correspondents which the author must have
collected and carefully preserved.

Many of these are life-like, and bear the impress and the inspiration
of the exciting events amid which they were composed.

There are, furthermore, in this book, chapters which are ingeniously
formed and elaborated by quotations from officers who were themselves
part and parcel of the campaigns which they describe.

To me, the author appears to have done exceedingly well, and has herein
furnished a choice entertainment to his readers.

The part undertaken by me, and to which I have strictly confined
myself, has been to review the work, some of it already in proof
type, and the remainder in manuscript, going over each chapter with
considerable care, and suggesting such changes as I thought the truth
of history demanded.

Where one has expressed an opinion and a quotation of that opinion
appears, of course no change was admissible; so that I am entirely
unwilling to assume that such a quoted writer gave utterance to my own
convictions.

For example: different views are given of the fearful struggle during
the first day of "Shiloh" at Pittsburgh Landing. A famous journalist
takes General Sherman to task for want of epaulements, intrenchments,
and other means of defence. He claims that Sherman and Grant were both
surprised, as they had known for a week or more that the enemy was
close by, and liable to attack.

Certainly the answer to this allegation, and it should be a very clear
and decided answer, would be found in any completed history. Our troops
had not yet, at that period of the war of the rebellion, made much use
of intrenching tools. Grant and Sherman did not design to put their new
troops into intrenched camps.

They believed, and very justly, that it was next to impossible to
handle them offensively, as we say, against the enemy. But they did
have some cover. The woods, ravines, and general contour of the ground
gave them protection, and it was in faithful use of this cover that
during the battle-storm of the first day near Shiloh church, they were
able to hold out till reinforcements came.

This example will suggest others to the reader. Still, the phases
presented by the different writers, from whom extracts are taken,
afford a kaleidoscopic variety, interesting especially to those of us
who lived at the time of the occurrences in question.

Probably none of us can do more than our noble General Sherman, years
ago, suggested. He said in substance: We who were involved in the
controversies, the battles, and campaigns of the great war, are not the
men to write the history. We are like witnesses in court. Each should
give his own testimony of what he saw and knew. Somebody else, will in
the future, after passion and prejudice shall have subsided, rise up to
make a search, a selection, a summation, and so the better evolve the
true history.

With regard to General Sherman and his career, in my judgment the more
of truthful statements that are made the better. Let eye witnesses give
all the evidence they can.

In his heart was a love of truth, a phenomenal loyalty to his country,
a fearless and prompt devotion to duty and markedly an absence of
aught that was malicious. True, he resented wrong often with a fiery
indign