August 15, 2014
A sympathetic look at the Union general with an eye toward correcting inaccuracies in the record.The late historian Eisenhower (Soldiers and Statesmen: Reflection on Leadership, 2012, etc.), son of the president and a general and West Point graduate in his own right, does a service in presenting this solid, useful biography of William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891), the great general and comrade of Ulysses S. Grant. In his unadorned prose, Eisenhower conveys the stalwart, no-nonsense nature of this dedicated soldier who engineered the modern concept of "total war" and, like Grant, was not afraid to fight. Born in Lancaster, Ohio, Sherman was sent to live with a foster family, the Ewings, when his prominent father died. He stayed loyal to the first woman he loved, daughter Ellen Ewing, and later married her. Like fellow Ohioan and West Point graduate Grant, Sherman floundered during peacetime, resisting his in-laws' pressure to take up family employment. He was dismayed at the disintegration of the Union and believed presciently that the Civil War would be won in the West, specifically in terms of who controlled the Mississippi. Under Gen. Winfield Scott, Sherman's brigade at the battle of Bull Run suffered high casualties, and he expected to be "cashiered." Instead, he was promoted and vindicated himself at Shiloh, despite his periodic depression that rendered him temporarily "unbalanced." Under Grant, Sherman found his "niche," and Eisenhower depicts their warm friendship as they protected each other through the key battles of Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Kennesaw Mountain and Atlanta. Grant gave Sherman total credit for the revolutionary concept of a "march to the sea." The author tempers criticism of Sherman's supposed ruthlessness with accounts of his fairness toward civilians and his saving of Savannah. A readable, evenhanded work that would be appropriate for younger readers as well.
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Starred review from September 1, 2014
Although he was educated at West Point and benefitted from valuable political connections through Senator Thomas Ewing, William Tecumseh Sherman proved barely competent in many of the endeavors that he engaged in through much of his life. His past certainly didn't presage the military brilliance that he exhibited in the Civil War, especially during his "March to the Sea" through Georgia. Historian Eisenhower (Zachary Taylor) brings a unique perspective to his subject in this posthumously published biography as their lives had remarkable parallels. Eisenhower was also a West Pointer, and as the son of President Dwight David Eisenhower, understood the impact of political connections at the highest levels. He also experienced combat in World War II and the Korean War. Eisenhower's experiences enabled him to probe the available resources on Sherman to provide valuable new insights into Sherman's actions during the war. VERDICT It has been more than 20 years since the publication of John Marszalek's Sherman, which has served as the definitive biography of Sherman for a generation. This highly recommended monograph serves as an excellent complement and should be read by anyone interested in the Civil War. For a different interpretation, see Robert L. O'Connell's Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman.--John R. Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY
Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 1, 2014
The last of John Eisenhower's histories was finished shortly before his death in December 2013. Eisenhower succinctly covers Sherman's youth, including his father's death, which led to the breakup of his family when he was nine. Sherman won an appointment to West Point and graduated sixth in his class. He was, however, considered not a soldier because he disdained spit and polish. The major part of the book covers his Civil War achievements. Although he was present at the first Bull Run, Sherman made his reputation in the western theater. He fought at Shiloh and was one of General Grant's most stalwart subordinates on the way to and at Vicksburg. Unlike many Civil War prima donnas, Sherman was loyal to his commanding officers but did not hesitate to tell Abraham Lincoln himself what he, Sherman, found to be the facts. Sherman's scruffy appearance disguised a well-developed intellect and a willingness to look beyond military traditions. Despite his March to the Sea, for which he is still reviled in parts of the Confederacy, he was sympathetic to Southernersbut not to the point of compromising his objectives. Eisenhower has provided a good introduction for those who want just the facts, please. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)