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The White Tecumseh: A Biography of General William T. Sherman

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This is a biography of William Tecumseh Sherman by Stanley P. Hirshson, Professor at Queens College, City University of New York. On the surface, it seems to be an un-biased story of the life of a very complicated man.

Like so many Civil War generals on the Union side, Sherman was almost a failure in civilian life. He tried his hand at many professions, but never really made enough money to support his growing family. In the army, however, he had moments of brilliance. And brutality, evidenced most clearly in his march to the sea. He could send his men into a town with orders to destroy it, then wander through the same town afterward looking for friends who lived there when he knew them. He admitted that many of the soldiers he commanded during that time were not much more than thieves and ruffians.

The book starts slowly and ends the same. Most of Sherman's story is the Civil War, four years of privation, desperation, and triumph. Maligned by his enemies, again as were most successful generals, his fights after the war were political, although he never sought political office. Rather his ambitions were for himself as the highest ranking officer in the U.S. Army, and for the Army itself.

Although this is a scholarly work, it is an easy read, especially for a Civil War buff. There are moments when the reader will feel she is attaining some insight into his personality. But those moments slip away quite often. Because of this, the reader might wonder if something is being held back. For instance, I would like to have seen more details of the post-Civil War Army policies toward the Native Americans, something Sherman had much to do with.

This is a must read for the Civil War scholar, American military history fan, and those interested in 19th century America. Sherman lived in much of the U.S. and details of these places in his time add to our understanding of life when our great-grandparents were young.

The book presents a few maps poorly drawn without relief, detail, contrast or clarity; primitive and in every aspect uninformative. It makes this reader sick to follow the detailed accounts of 3 armies maneuvering against 2 opposing forces in a complex geography; where each commander is trying to maximize every geographical advantage, and be referred to the included maps that actually detract from the clarity of the story. Every military historian knows that in a conflict between two forces the geography is always the third combatant. Nowhere more so than in the last half of the US Civil War where the minority forces were in a protracted defensive struggle. Shermans only equal, Joe E. Johnston, was a master of defensive topography; all the more reason to bless Sherman's biography with maps worthy of both characters and the conflict. Hirshson, if he understood this, let his editor proffer maps that are "cute" rather than useful. In reading this book you should take along your copy of the "West Point Atlas of American Wars Vol.1.", or refer back to Mr. Foote's boatanchor for topographic resolution. Burke Davis's book "Sherman's March" covering only a portion of Hrishson'seffort is a better product.

Mr. Hirshson puts forth a complete life picture of General William Tecumseh Sherman (Tecumseh was his birth name in 1820, William added for his baptism as a young child). What strikes me foremost after reading this comprehensive biography, is that William T. was, just like anyone else, an ordinary man that was making his way as best he could.

Losing his father at a young age, he then had to adjust to going away to military school at West Point, in Upstate New York. There, he was the bane of the schoolmasters: never living up to his potential, was the constant troublemaker, and always challenged authority. Ultimately, this affected his overall grade, and it would cost him an appointment in the regular army after graduation.

With the prospect of a future in the army gone, Sherman tried to make his way: banker, lawyer, school teacher....all the while trying to support an ever expanding family with wife Ellen. This was a constant struggle during his whole married life; not having faith in any kind of religion, he constantly sparred with his wife and her Catholicism. He adored his children; the pain of son Willy dying in 1861 pained him the rest of his life. Another son, Charles, died without ever seeing his father. Third son, Tom, became a Jesuit and was forever as good as dead in his father's eyes.

The secession of South Carolina started what was then known as the "War Between the States", and history for the ages was made. Bitter defeat at Shiloh (and a reported, supposed bout of insanity) to the ever famous March to the Sea, the end of the war coming with Johnston's surrender. Hirshson does not get into great depth with Sherman's relationship with Grant, but he does competently relay the affection the two had for each other as friends. Equally, the pain of betrayal equally relayed when, as President, Grant forsook his longtime friend in a bitter game of politics that darkened his administration along with its corruption.

Falling suddenly ill, Sherman followed his wife's lead into death on Valentine's Day, 1891. The Catholicism he battled personally his whole life was laid upon him in death, and he was put to rest with those Final Rites. His ending was quick, and merciful...fitting for a man of history. Put this one in your collection.

Overall, this biography of Sherman is closely researched, competent, and as revealing of the private Sherman as of the famous general. A few details, however, bog it down.

Readers who skip the preface may miss an argument that Hirshson considers vitally important: "His [Sherman's] troubles, I suspect, came not from the loss of his father but from the realization that mental instability plagued his mother's family." (ix) But Hirshson does not SHOW Sherman realizing it. Hirshson only refers to it in connection with occasions of death or severe emotional strain, when other doubts could have been at work. The evidence and, hence, the argument are not robust enough to sustain an entire book. It seems more sensible to reconnect heredity with environment, to suggest that the death of his father, separation of his family, and experiences as soldier and civilian were as formative as his family history.

At times, too, transitions are brusque or nonexistent -- jumping without warning from military to civilian affairs, or among several views of the same event. Practically unreadable maps do not help, either. Hirshson mainly succeeds on the strengths of vivid narration and telling (often quite extended) quotation. Despite the flaws in his argument, he manages to produce a sympathetic yet well-rounded portrait.

Stanley P. Hirshon has obviously done his homework on this biography of General Sherman. From his childhood to early military career, the civil war, on to his distaste for the political life. It's obvious he could have easily ran for President and probably would have won but instead remained a general in the army dispite political infighting in Washington where he was often a pawn to greater forces. A very enjoyable book that should be read by anybody who has an interest in that part of American history. I can only imagine this biography being topped by Stephen Ambrose but then I'm partial to his style of writing.

Although not the most compelling civil war biography I have read, Hirshon has painstakingly researched the intricate details of Sherman's life as a soldier and as a human being. Most of this book's focus is on his life as a soldier, and of course most of Sherman's life was devoted to that profession. I knew very little of Sherman's accomplishments before reading this biography and finished the book feeling that I was provided a well rounded account of the man and the soldier. The maps contained in this book are difficult to read; nevertheless, this book is an excellent historical account of Sherman's life and times.

A readable book. The author's "hobby horse." i.e. mental illness in the Sherman Family, ergo, Sherman himself, is pretty thin. This is certainly not a "end all" work on the life of this particular general, but it is well worth reading. I was not overly thrilled with the author's transitional techniques at times, nor his speculations as to motivation as he, the author, did not give us enough actual proof. Would recommend the book for your collection, but would not recommend you try passing yourself off as a "Sherman Expert" after you have read it.

After reading the book, I wish I'd known Sherman. The portrayal of Sherman does not always flatter Sherman, but the indepth analysis of his character & personality paint a very interesting individual. Sherman always said what he mean & he acted true to his convictions. I found amusing his comments on reporters "I'll hang the first reporter I find in my camp as a a spy". The writer depicts accurately Sherman's competencies in strategy rather than tactics & his recognition that wars & armies are supported by citizens (if you want to end a war, you must end citizens support).

Prior to the Civil War there had been a major change in how wars could and would be fought. The Civil War was the first major war to be fought under this new paradigm. (The next big shift would come in WWII).

I think William Sherman understood how to fight the Civil War better than any other soldier on either side. He was brilliant both in seeing how to win the war and applying that knowledge. And his campaigns were among the most brilliant of the war.

This book is a well written book that gives a strong picture of William Sherman, concentrating mostly on his time during the Civil War itself. And it is a fascinating story told very well.

Decent maps provided although they could have been a lot better.

Stanley P. Hirshson puts the life and legacy of General Sherman into a very good perspective. You feel like you are in Sherman's infantry