Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/365

 SHERMAN

SHERMAN

quarters at Savannah he left Sherman at Pitts- burg Landing, authorizing him to assign the ar- riving regiments into brigades and divisions. He was promoted major-general U.S.V. May 1, 1862 ; and commanded his division in the advance from Pittsburg Landing to Corinth, Miss., April 15-May 30, 1862. Under orders from General Grant, he took command of the right wing of the 13th army corps, composed of all the troops at Memphis, and Gen. Frederick Steele's division at Helena, Tenn., to co-operate in the combined at- tack against Vicksburg. Grant's army was inter- cepted by Van Dorn at Holly Springs, and Sher- man, arriving at Chickasaw Bluffs, Dec. 27, 1862, and receiving no support, made an ineffectual attempt to capture the place, Jan. 3, 1863, and was repulsed with a heavy loss, returning to Millikens Bend, La. On Jan. 4, 1863, Gen. John A. McClernand, who was authorized by Secretary Stanton to raise troops for an expedition into Mississippi, arrived at Millikens Bend and took command of the army which he divided into two corps, the 13th and the 15th, and placed Sherman in command of the latter. On Jan. 11, 1863, the army assaulted and carried Fort Hind- man (Arkansas Post) taking about 5000 pris- oners. When the Union forces were re-orga- nized under General Grant, Dec. 18, 1862, Sher- man was assigned to the 15th army corps. He was promoted brigadier-general U.S.A., July 4. 1863, and on July 11, lie advanced toward Jackson, Miss., and shelled the town until July 17, when it was discovered that the Confederates had evacuated. He commanded the expedition from the Big Black River to Chattanooga, Tenn.; was assigned to the command of the Army of the Tennessee with headquarters in the field, Oct. 25, 1863, and formed the riglit wing of Grant's army at the battle of Chattanooga, Nov. 23-25, 1863, and in the attack on Missionary Ridge and the pursuit of the Confederates to Ringgold, Ga. He now marched with a portion of the Army of the Tennessee, and one corps of the Army of the Cumberland, toward Knoxville, Tenn., and his approach compelled General Longstreet to raise the siege of that place Dec. 1, 1863. In January, 1864, he returned to Vicksburg and on Feb. 3, 1864, with about 20,000 men he marclied toward Meridian, Miss., to destroy the Mobile and Ohio and the Jackson and Salina railroads. Failing to receive reinforcements he abandoned the expedition and marched toward central Mississippi where his troops were transferred to Vicksburg and Mempliis. On Marcli 12, 1864, he succeeded General Grant as commander of the military division of the Mississippi, embracing all the troops in the territory west of the Alle- ghanies, and north of the Arkansas, and organized an army of 100.000 men at Nashville, for the

spring campai.^n of 1864. His command at Chat- tanooga was composed of the Army of the Cum- berland under General Thomas, the Army of the Tennessee under General McPherson and the Army of the Ohio under General Schofield, and he advanced on the Confederate army under General Joseph E. Johnston at Dalton. Johns- ton retreated to Kenesaw Mountain and from there was driven south to Atlanta. Siierman made a direct attack on Atlanta, Juh- 17, 1864, battles were fought at Peach Tree Ci'eek and at Ezra church", and on Sept. 1, 1864, Gen. John B. Hood, who had superseded General Johnston, evacuated Atlanta and moved upon Nashville, where he was defeated by the armj" of the Cum- berland under General Thomas. Sherman re- ceived the thanks of congress for his services in the Chattanooga campaign, and was promoted major-general U. S. A., Aug. 12,1864. He began his famous march from Atlanta to Savannah, Nov. 15, 1864, and the march to the sea ended in the capture of Fort McAllister, and the siege and capture of Savannah, Dec. 21, 1864. It was resolved by congress Jan. 10, 1865. "That the thanks of the people and of the congress of tlie United States are tendered to Major-General William T. Sherman, and to the officers and men under him, for their gallantry and good conduct in their late campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta and the march thence to Savannah terminating in the capture of that cit}'.*' He commanded the Federal forces composed of the armies of the Ohio, under Gen. John M. Scho- field ; the Army of the Tennessee, under Gen. Oliver O. Howard and the Army of Georgia under Henry W.Slocum, in the campaign through the Carolinas, marching from Savannah, Ga., to Bentonville, N. C, destroying all the railroads to the interior of South Carolina and receiving the surrender of General Johnson's army at Durham Station, N.C., April 26, 1865. On April 28, 1865, he began his march to Washington, D. C, this being the last of his great marches, which, had covered in all 2,600 miles, and after passing in review before President Johnson and General Grant, May 24, 1865, the army was disbanded. Sherman was promoted lieutenant-general, U.S. A., July 25, 1866 ; was in command of the mili- tary division of the Mississippi, with head- quarters at St. Louis, 1865-66, and of the military division of the Missouri, 1866-69. He was a member of the board to make recommendations for brevets to general officers, March 14-24, 1866, and was detailed on a special mission to Mexico, November-December, 1866. When Grant became President of the United States, Sherman suc- ceeded him as general of the U. S. army, with headquarters at Washington, July 25, 1866. He made a tour of Egypt and the East, 1871-7S, and