Sherman Best book on Sherman?

[Cycom]

As the title states, what are your views regarding the "best" book on Sherman? Biography or otherwise. For someone with little background knowledge of him.

I promised myself I would give the man a fair chance, as my initial impressions of him were not good. Looking forward to the suggestions!

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Although not a biography, thought 'Sherman's March' (335 pages) by Burke Davis provides enough useful descriptions to gain insights into Sherman's personal character and command abilities. The work is a full-length narrative on Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas, and its immediate aftermath.

 

[Sid J.]

For a bio:

Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order: Marszalek, John F.: 9780809327850: Amazon.com: Books

Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order [Marszalek, John F.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order

www.amazon.com

Straight from the horses mouth:

Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865 (Civil War America): Simpson, Brooks D.: 9780807824405: Amazon.com: Books

Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865 (Civil War America) [Simpson, Brooks D.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865 (Civil War America)

www.amazon.com

And of course Shermans Memoirs:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4361/4361-h/4361-h.htm

 

[DorwinBlack]

My personal favorite is 'Grant and Sherman: The Friendship that Won the Civil War' by Charles Bracelen Flood. An excellent dual biography that reveals how important each was to helping the other through their alternating fortunes during the four years of the war.

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

As the title states, what are your views regarding the "best" book on Sherman? Biography or otherwise. For someone with little background knowledge of him.

I promised myself I would give the man a fair chance, as my initial impressions of him were not good. Looking forward to the suggestions!

Let me begin by stating that as a southerner, I grew up being taught to utterly despise Sherman, specifically regarding the misery and huge swath of destruction for which he was directly responsible throughout the south during the ACW. He burned many of my direct ancestors out of house and home during his Meridian Campaign. My 3rd Great Grandfather, who served with the 2nd Alabama Cavalry (1862-1865), made his military career fighting specifically against Sherman for the majority of the ACW. He fought him from 1863-1865 in northern Mississippi, west Tennessee, northern Alabama, he opposed Sherman on his march from Memphis to Chattanooga, during the Meridian Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, in northern Georgia and Alabama after the fall of Atlanta up until Hood went into Tennessee, he was fighting on Sherman`s right flank and harassing his rear during the March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah, he fought and participated in the siege of Savannah and opposed Sherman after the fall of Savannah through South Carolina and North Carolina, until the close of the ACW.

In stating all of the above, as a proud American and a former U.S. Army Paratrooper, whose 9th Great Grandfather first came to this land in December 1607 (Jamestown Colony), and whose direct ancestors on both paternal and maternal lineages fought to found this country during the Revolutionary War, I am impressed with Sherman regarding his military brilliance and battlefield strategy. In my opinion Sherman won the war, more-so than any other field commander of the Federal Army. Without Sherman, Grant would not have had the success which was credited to him. In my opinion 1864 was the turning point of the war, and what Sherman accomplished in the Western Theatre had much to do with that.

Like @Nathan Stuart stated in his response above, I thought 'Sherman's March' (335 pages) by Burke Davis, was an excellent book regarding Sherman. That is the book that I would recommend. It is an older book (1980), one that I have had in my collection for several decades, but it is well written and very informative. I believe that you would get a lot from it.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

In my opinion 1864 was the turning point of the war, and what Sherman accomplished in the Western Theatre had much to do with that.

Think Sherman's actions in 1864 tightened the screws and hastened the end of the war.

 

[Cycom]

Let me begin by stating that as a southerner, I grew up being taught to utterly despise Sherman, specifically regarding the misery and huge swath of destruction for which he was directly responsible throughout the south during the ACW. He burned many of my direct ancestors out of house and home during his Meridian Campaign. My 3rd Great Grandfather, who served with the 2nd Alabama Cavalry (1862-1865), made his military career fighting specifically against Sherman for the majority of the ACW. He fought him from 1863-1865 in northern Mississippi, west Tennessee, northern Alabama, he opposed Sherman on his march from Memphis to Chattanooga, during the Meridian Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, in northern Georgia and Alabama after the fall of Atlanta up until Hood went into Tennessee, he was fighting on Sherman`s right flank and harassing his rear during the March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah, he fought and participated in the siege of Savannah and opposed Sherman after the fall of Savannah through South Carolina and North Carolina, until the close of the ACW.

In stating all of the above, as a proud American and a former U.S. Army Paratrooper, whose 9th Great Grandfather first came to this land in December 1607 (Jamestown Colony), and whose direct ancestors on both paternal and maternal lineages fought to found this country during the Revolutionary War, I am impressed with Sherman regarding his military brilliance and battlefield strategy. In my opinion Sherman won the war, more-so than any other field commander of the Federal Army. Without Sherman, Grant would not have had the success which was credited to him. In my opinion 1864 was the turning point of the war, and what Sherman accomplished in the Western Theatre had much to do with that.

Like @Nathan Stuart stated in his response above, I thought 'Sherman's March' (335 pages) by Burke Davis, was an excellent book regarding Sherman. That is the book that I would recommend. It is an older book (1980), one that I have had in my collection for several decades, but it is well written and very informative. I believe that you would get a lot from it.

Hey, thanks a lot for sharing your opinion and background. It's good that you're able to study him analytically even though you have a personal/emotional attachment to his actions. I'll check that book out. Thanks too @Nathan Stuart and the rest for your responses. Now to purchase

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Hey, thanks a lot for sharing your opinion and background. It's good that you're able to study him analytically even though you have a personal/emotional attachment to his actions. I'll check that book out. Thanks too @Nathan Stuart and the rest for your responses. Now to purchase

Think you will find a comprehensive coverage, which includes various accounts by participants, of Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas, as well as gain an understanding of Sherman, from this work.

 

[LisaJ]

Although not a biography, thought 'Sherman's March' (335 pages) by Burke Davis provides enough useful descriptions to gain insights into Sherman's personal character and command abilities. The work is a full-length narrative on Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas, and its immediate aftermath.

Several years ago I saw criticism of Davis' Sherman's March for not having footnotes and for being too sympathetic to the Lost Cause - so I set it aside and did not read it. But recently, seeking information about the rape of my ancestors' cousin in Milledgeville, I picked it up. I like it very much; I can't put it down. The description of Sherman's progress through Georgia is fascinating, very lively reading. Davis makes me admire Sherman's success, but breaks my heart all over again for what the women and children endured.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Several years ago I saw criticism of Davis' Sherman's March for not having footnotes and for being too sympathetic to the Lost Cause - so I set it aside and did not read it. But recently, seeking information about the rape of my ancestors' cousin in Milledgeville, I picked it up. I like it very much; I can't put it down. The description of Sherman's progress through Georgia is fascinating, very lively reading. Davis makes me admire Sherman's success, but breaks my heart all over again for what the women and children endured.

Agree. Personally found this particular work to be an informative and flowing narrative covering the entire Campaign of Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas.

And yes, always find it sad and tragic to learn about the ravages, destruction and casualties of war.

Sherman recognized that total war was evil and cruel (e.g. saying, 'War is hell'), but realized it was necessary to bring about an end to the conflict, with all its sufferings, sooner.

 

[Little Mac]

I recommend his autobiography- it is very good: Memoirs of General William T. Sherman (published 1875). But my favorite part of it is actually his experiences before the war, when he was stuck in the California gold rush! His writing style is laconic and direct.

 

[Nathan Towne]

You mean amongst biographies?

James McDonough is probably the best overall biography on Sherman. I have only pieces of it, but enough to state that it is probably the best one available.

 

[gjpratt]

For a bio:

Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order: Marszalek, John F.: 9780809327850: Amazon.com: Books

Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order [Marszalek, John F.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order

www.amazon.com

Straight from the horses mouth:

Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865 (Civil War America): Simpson, Brooks D.: 9780807824405: Amazon.com: Books

Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865 (Civil War America) [Simpson, Brooks D.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Sherman's Civil War: Selected Correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865 (Civil War America)

www.amazon.com

And of course Shermans Memoirs:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4361/4361-h/4361-h.htm

I was in a very similar situation as you several years ago. I knew very little about Sherman and was looking for a recent comprehensive biography. Marszelek's 1993 biography fit the bill perfectly. He is a southerner, history professor at Mississippi State (emeritus I think) and most importantly the driving force for bringing the US Grant Papers project to Mississippi State. He also served until very recently as Executive Director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association. I liked the biography very much. It was a balanced and thorough account. I was intrigued by a southern author who had an affinity for Grant. I think I found my copy on ABE.

 

[bankerpapaw]

I recommend his autobiography- it is very good: Memoirs of General William T. Sherman (published 1875). But my favorite part of it is actually his experiences before the war, when he was stuck in the California gold rush! His writing style is laconic and direct.

I just finished this book. Excellent read. Being from the South, my opinion changed considerably about Sherman. Seems his biggest problem was his wife who was a Mama's girl and like to live beyond her means.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Has anyone read both of the two recent Sherman biographies?

Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman by Robert L. O'Connell
Random House (2014) - 432 pages

William Tecumseh Sherman: In the Service of My Country: A Life by James Lee McDonough
W. W. Norton (2016) - 816 pages

Obviously, McDonough is almost twice as long as O'Connell, but other than that what is the difference between them? Published within a few years of each other, both by mainstream publishers. Both are experienced military history authors, but this is O'Connell's only Civil War book while that is McDonough's specialty. Does one give more attention to Sherman's non-CW years? Do they have noticeably different perspectives on Sherman?

 

[Library Lady]

I read O'Connell's book and enjoyed it, but I think the review below describes its pros and cons better than I could. The compartmentalization was interesting, but I'm not sure that's the best way for me to get a handle on someone. I tend to be a more linear type of person.

Review—Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman - Emerging Civil War

Today we are pleased to welcome guest author Derek D. Maxfield with a review of Robert L. O’Connell’s Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman (New York: Random House, 2014). He is perhaps the most eccentric general of the Civil War. With his red hair, piercing eyes, and...

emergingcivilwar.com