What is James B. McPherson?
[[File:James B. McPherson lithograph.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{Center|[[Lithograph]] of James B. McPherson}}]] '''James Birdseye McPherson''' (November 14, 1828 – July 22, 1864) was a [[Union Army]] [[major general]] during the [[American Civil War]]. He was killed at the [[Battle of Atlanta]] during the [[Atlanta Campaign]]. == Early life == McPherson was born in 1828 near [[Clyde, Ohio]].<ref name=Fredriksen728>John C. Fredriksen, ''Civil War Almanac'' (New York: Facts on File, 2007), p. 728</ref> He was the eldest son of William and Cynthia (Russell) McPherson who were farmers.<ref name=McPhersonMss>Cynthia Russell McPherson, ''James Birdseye McPherson Family Papers'', Local History & Genealogy Department Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, Toledo, Ohio, Biographical Notes pp. 4–6</ref> To help his family, in 1841 at age 12, McPherson entered an [[apprenticeship]] at a [[general store]]. He became a clerk for Robert Smith. McPherson was raised and [[tutor]]ed along with Smith's children. His father died in 1847 and Smith paid for McPherson's [[education]] at Norwalk Academy.<ref name=McPhersonMss/> In 1849 Smith arranged an appointment to the [[United States Military Academy at West Point]]. McPherson spent much of his time tutoring his [[:en:wikt:roommate|roommate]] [[John Bell Hood]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/James_McPherson |title=James McPherson |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=26 May 2007 |website= |publisher=The Blue and Gray Trail |accessdate=31 October 2014 |archive-date=22 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922030930/http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/James_McPherson |url-status=dead }}</ref> McPherson graduated in 1853, first in his class.<ref name=Fredriksen728/> == Military career == He secured a posting as a [[Lieutenant|second lieutenant]] with the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]].<ref name=Fredriksen728/> He worked on improvements to New York Harbor. He was assigned to the building of Fort Delaware. McPherson then