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SHERMAN

1741

SHERMAN

expense, and, as chairman of the committee on finance in the senate, helped to plan measures for sustaining the public credit. (See SPECIE-PAYMENTS, RESUMPTION OF.) The bill for the reconstruction of the seceded states was the joint work of Thaddeus Stevens and John Sherman. He was appointed secretary of state by President McKinley in 1897, but resigned because of failing health. Of much interest are his Recollections of Forty Years. He died on Oct. 22, 1900. See Life by Bronson.

Sherman, Roger, an American statesman, was born at Newton, Mass., April 19, 1721. He was a shoemaker by trade, then a surveyor of lands and finally a lawyer and judge. He was in the Continental and in the United States Congress from 1774 to 1791. He was of the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, was one ol the signers, and was influential in having it ratified by the convention of Connecticut, where he had resided since 1761. He died at New Haven, Conn., July 23, 1793.

Sherman, Wil'liara  Tecum'seh,   Ameri-ican general, was boni at  Lancaster,  O., Feb. 8,  1820. He was   the    son    of Judge   Charles   R. Sherman, who died in 1829, leaving his family    in    rather straitened   circum-( stances,       William | was brought up in 'the    family     of Thomas   Ewing   of I Lancaster, where he I attended Lancaster J Academy.   From •- there   he  went   to West Point, where he    graduated    in 1840,   sixth   in   a class   of   43.      He served   as   second-lieutenant    in   the

^d artillery against the Serninole Indians in Florida in 1840 and 1841. After that he was stationed at Ft. Moultrie, South Carolina, until 1846, when he was sent to California, where he served through the Mexican War and until 1850, having been made captain in 1848. In 1850 he married Ellen Boyle Ewing, daughter of Thomas Ewing. In 1853 ne resigned his commission and became a partner in the banking-house of Lucas, Turner and Co. of San Francisco. In 1858 he took up the practice of law in Leavenworth, Kan., but next year became superintendent of the Military Academy at Alexandria, La. This position he held until Louisiana seceded in 1861, when he resigned, and, coming north, was appointed colonel of the 1 3th infantry in June, 1861. He commanded a brigade im the first battle of

GENERAL SHERMAN

Bull Run, and for gallantry in this engagement was made brigadier-general of volunteers on Aug. 3. He was next assigned to a command in Kentucky where, finding his small force entirely inadequate to meet the Confederate army under Breckinridge, which confronted him, he earnestly represented the situation to the secretary of wars stating that it would require 60,000 men to expel the Confederates from the Kentucky line and 200,000 to move offensively to the Gulf and clear the Mississippi valley. For this statement he was charged with being "crazy," but subsequent events proved his judgment sound. Sherman was next ordered to Paducah, Ky., and, after the capture of Ft. Donelson, was put in command of the 5th division of Grant's army. In the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, Sherman held the key to the position, and by his brilliant generalship saved the day. He was in the thickest of the fight, had three horses killed under h;m, and was twice wounded. Grant said: "Sherman, with raw troops, held the key to the Landing, and to his individual efforts I am indebted for the success of the battle." In recognition of this service he was made major-general of volunteers on May i, 1862. His next important service was in the operations connected with the siege and capture of Vicksburg. In command of the 15th corps he went down the river from Memphis, the plan being that Sherman should attack Vicksburg, while Grant should move on Jackson. But the capture of Grant's supplies at Holly Springs brought him to a halt, and permitted the enemy to re-enforce Vicksburg. In the meantime Sherman advanced on the city, which he assaulted, on Dec. 29 but found impregnable to his force. A few days later, in connection with General Mc-Clernand, he stormed Arkansas Post, capturing 7,000 prisoners. In the subsequent battles in the campaign against Vicksburg Sherman bore a conspicuous part. When Grant's rear was threatened by Joseph E. Johnston, Sherman was sent against him and captured Jackson, Miss., dispersing Johnston's army. When Grant was sent to succor Rosecrans after the battle of Chickamauga, he called Sherman to his aid and placed him in command of the army of the Tennessee. Here he took part in the battle of Missionary Ridge, where Bragg was defeated and driven into Georgia. He was next sent by Grant to the relief of Burnside, who was besieged by Long-street at Knoxville. When Grant was called to the head of the army, Sherman was given command of the department of Mississippi and of the three armies of the Ohio, the Cumberland and the Tennessee. On May 5 he began his great campaign against the Confederate army under Johnston, which ended in the capture of At-