SHERMAN, WILLIAM TECUMSEH, an American gen.; b. in Ohio in 1820; was educated for the army at the military academy of West Point, and received a commission as 1st lieut. in 1S41. During the war with Mexico, he served in California, and was promoted to the rank of capt. In 1860, at the secession of the southern states, he was residing at New Orleans in a civil capacity, but went north, and at the commencement of the war offered his services to the federal government, was appointed col. of infantry, and was in the battle of Bull Thin. Raised to the rank of brig.gen., he succeeded gen. Anderson in the department of Ohio, front which he was removed for declaring that it would require 200,000 men to hold Kentucky. He distinguished himself at the battle of Shiloh, and as maj gen. in the siege of Vicksburg. Raised to an independent command, he marched across the state of Mississippi, and after the defeat. of gen. Rosecrans, took command of the army in Georgia, forced gen. Hood to evacuate Atlanta, and then marched across the entire state, capturing Savannah and Charleston; from which point he moved n., capturing the most important confederate positions, and by cutting off the
resources of geu. Lee, compelled the evacuation of Richmond, and the surrender of gen. Lee to gen. Grunt, April 9, 1865. The surrender of the army of gen. Johnston to gen. Sherman in North Carolina a few days later, and that of gen. Kirby Smith, w. of the Mississippi, closed the war. No northern gen. has acquired greater popularity than Sherman. He divides with Lee and Stonewall Jackson the admiration of impartial foreigners. Sherman was appointed lieut.gen. in 1866; and, in 1869, became commauder in-chief. He has had ample justice done to the daring originality of design, the fertility of resource, brilliant strategy, and untiring energy that made Grant pronounce him "the best field-ollicer the war had produced." See Alemoirs of General William 2. Sherman, by himself; published in 1875.