James L. McDonough

A truly great biography reveals both the subject and the spirit of the times, and McDonough does both, tracing the tumultuous American adolescence through the life of General Sherman. Sherman was born in the Old Northwest of Ohio, named after the powerful Indian chief Tecumseh, who had lead a failed coalition against the Americans. After his father died, he was adopted into the influential Ewing family, and went to West Point, where he thrived as a cadet and in his early posting to Florida show more during the Seminole Wars, and California during the Mexican-American Wars. Early military posting across the South and Mississippi convinced him of the importance of the American heartland, and ironically in light of his later career, the basic friendship of Southerners. Sherman had a marriage to Ellen Ewing troubled by his wife's staunch Catholicism, and an uncertain career as a banker, when the Civil War broke out, and lifted Sherman to greatness.

Sherman struggled as a commander in the opening phases of the war, but he was never "insane", except in scurrilous newspaper columns, and after the Battle of Shiloh, repeatedly demonstrated his abilities as a strategist and logistician. Sherman excelled in operations along major rivers and railroads to dislocate strongpoints and force Confederate armies back without battle. His campaign to capture Atlanta was a masterpiece of maneuver.

Sherman's name will be forever connected with the March to the Sea, and scorched earth warfare. McDonough justifies the strategy as necessary in a framework of total war, and argues it was carried out as humanely as possible, without mass violence. Georgia howled, as Sherman burned anything with a potential military use, from railroads to cotton bales. In his use of economic warfare against the South and American Indians on the frontier, Sherman prefigured the worst of the 20th century.

Post-war, Sherman served as General-in-chief for over a decade, and took up a whirlwind of social engagements, speeches, and nights at the theater. The Sherman who comes across in his letters is a man of strong opinions: pro-Union, anti-Catholic, opposed to political nonsense and journalistic slander, confident in the superiority of white people, while still able to treat individual blacks and Indians humanely. As McDonough reveals through letters and archival research, Sherman was not above shading his memoirs in his favor, but in general he was scrupulously honest. A great biography of a fascinating man! show less

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country, A Life by James Lee McDonough is a biography of the famous American Civil War General. Mr. McDonough is an emeritus profess of history at Auburn University.

Like all of us, General Sherman is a complicated man. On one hand, he seemed like a modern general, quotable, of course, but also full of anxiety, depression, not religious (anti-religion is more like it), and a fan show more of the theater. On the other hand, he’s a man of his time with many of the associations we make with it.

The general was a racist who believed everyone was inferior to the white race (Texans included). Nevertheless, he shook the hands of former slaves and conversed with them politely and honestly – something many of his contemporaries wouldn’t even think about.

William Tecumseh Sherman by James L. McDonough of course focuses on “Cump’s” military career. As a witness, strategist, and a major player in the American Civil War there was a lot to write about.

The most interesting aspect for me was that he did not conduct “total war” on his famous march. While not shying from using violence against wealth Confederates, the rural areas of South Carolina and George were mostly left untouched.

Another interesting aspect which the author spends a lot of time on, and rightly so, is Sherman’s informal foster father, Thomas Ewing. Mr. Ewing was a rich politician, US Senator, and the 14th Secretary of the Treasure under President William Henry Harrison, as well as the first Secretary of the Interior under President Zachary Taylor . Growing up in a political household helped the young Sherman understand politics, even though he did not want to partake in them. Having an influential mentor, certainly helped him make important connections in the Army. Sherman even married Ewing’s daughter, Eleanor Boyle Ewing Sherman. Eleanor was super-Catholic and used to the good life, both of which caused friction in the marriage since her husband scoffed at religion, and his Army salary was no where near enough for her expectations.

The book shines when it tells of Sherman’s brilliant campaigns and strategies. While I thought his breathtaking march, more of a political effort than a military one, through the American South deserved more focus, this is a thick book as it is and, let’s face it, no one told it better than Sherman himself. show less

This is long book. The descriptions of the geography, troop movements, and other battle descriptions needed better maps to really follow along in any meaningful way. As a biography it was a rich, deep view of a complicated man. As a history book it was insightful, well balanced and thorough. The history and the man together, with a vast quoting of Sherman, was fascinating and enlightening expose. It kept me rapt and thinking about war, the military, politics, racism, marriage, economics and show more more on every page. show less

A face reader can easily deduce from Sherman's photographs that here was a man who confronted life's challenges on each and every turn and roundly thumped them. The pursed lips, the intense gaze and the fiercely furrowed forehead speak volumes to Sherman's tenacity which outlives him even in death.

And this is what McDonough successfully captures in this Magnum Opus biography of Sherman. The life which William Tecumseh Sherman confronted and triumphed over to become the leader we immortalize show more today. His failings, his successes and his enigmatic family life posited Sherman on the path to glory through which he engraved a new milestone in military stratagem.

Given the subject, though, it is no surprise that Mcdonough's narrative is excessively prolonged with the book's size being enough to put off the lay reader alone.

However, for veteran readers this book will prove a savory triumph given that each chapter is carefully crafted and the prose is meticulous. For tacticians in all walks of life, this book is a must read. show less