Sherman: A Soldier's Life

by Lee B. Kennett

In the crowded battlefield of Civil War commanders, William Tecumseh Sherman stands apart. Others are often summed up in a few the stubborn, taciturn Grant; the gentlemanly, gifted Lee; the stomping, cursing Sheridan; and the flamboyant, boyish Stuart. But the enigmatic Sherman still manages to elude us. Probably no other figure of his day divides historians so deeply-leading some to praise him as a genius, others to condemn him as a savage. Now, in Sherman, Lee Kennett offers a brilliant new interpretation of the general's life and career, one that embraces his erratic, contradictory nature. Here we see the making of a true soldier, beginning with a colorful view of Sherman's rich family tradition, his formative years at West Point, and the critical period leading up to the Civil War, during which Sherman served in the small frustrated peacetime army and saw service in the South and California, and in the Mexican War Trying to advance himself, Sherman resigned from the army and he soon began to distinguish hiniself as a general known for his tenacity, vision, and mercurial temper. Throughout the spirited Battles of Bull Run and Shiloh, the siege of Vicksburg, and ultimately the famous march to the sea through Georgia, no one displayed the same intensity as did Sherman. From the heights of success to the depths of his own depression, Sherman managed to forge on after the war with barely a moment of slowing down. Born to fight, he was also born to lead and to provoke, traits he showed by serving as commanding general of the army, cutting a wide swath through the western frontier, and finally writing his classic -- and highly controversial -- memoirs. Eventually Sherman would die famous, well-to-do, and revered -- but also deeply misunderstood. By drawing on previously unexploited materials and maintaining a sharp, lively narrative, Lee Kennett presents a rich, authoritative portrait of Sherman, the man and the soldier, who emerges from this work more human and more fascinating than ever before.

Genres: Biography, History, Civil War, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, American History, American Civil War

448 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2001

About the author

Lee Boone Kennett was a Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Georgia. He lived in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina until his death in 2011 "after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease".

Kennett had a long career as a historian and a writer, in which he specialized in military history. He received many honors, prizes, and awards, including the University of Georgia Research Award, the Lindbergh Professorship at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., a position as a visiting lecturer at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Aeronautical Section, in Moscow, and his decoration by the French Government as Chevalier, Ordre des Palmes Academiques, for "services to French culture".

Besides his devotion to the study of history, Prof. Kennett also liked old cars and cats.

Reviews

[Mark O'brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-done biography of Sherman, recapping his life, his career and his attitudes for better and worse. Kennett does a good job of analyzing Sherman's decisions and his personality, giving fair weight to all relevant arguments.
The book was published in 2001, so it may missed more recent disclosures about Sherman, but this is a great book for anyone who wants to know about Sherman.

[CHAD FOSTER · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography is a tightly-focused study of one of our nation’s finest military commanders. It covers primarily his career in uniform, with his fairly brief interlude as a civilian just prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War. Those looking for an exhaustive study of Sherman’s campaigns will be disappointed, but there is sufficient detail to satisfy most readers. Overall, a quick and enjoyable read.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee Kennett has written a frank, no frills biography about one of America's most famous soldiers. A must read for all Civil War students. Well worth your time if you enjoy good, clear biographies.

[John G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would make this war as severe as possible, and show no symptoms of tiring till the south begs for mercy

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a complete biography, this isn't it. Kennett focuses most of his attentions on William T. Sherman's military career. As such, I wasn't even sure how many kids he and his wife had. What he does offer is a complex portrait of a complicated and controversial figure. He doesn't mince words or try to make Sherman anything less than what the man himself probably would have liked. He wasn't necessarily a good or evil man. He was a soldier above all, and did what he did to win his war. This book does a decent job, though it isn't up to Jean Edward Smith's more comprehensive Grant, though Smith set out to partially rehabilitate his subject, something Kennett is not particularly interested in doing.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

People either love him or hate him, think he's evil or that he's a hero. Certainly, as Kennett shows, Sherman was a complex and erratic person, difficult to predict, much less to categorize. Kennett, for the most part, maintains a careful neutrality, judging the man by what he himself wrote and what his contemporaries wrote about him, as well as by his actions. This biography is well-researched and interestingly written. It also sheds new light on such historical, often reviled, events like the burning of Atlanta, the Great March, and the removal of Native Americans under Sherman's generalship. I was surprised to learn that Sherman twice sided with tribes, Utes and Navajos, in disputes between them and the settlers on their former lands.

[Jeff Parris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great in-depth biography of a man who produced accolades and scorn from Civil War era Americans. Lee Kennett examines the eccentricities of a true soldier, scabs and all. A must read for anyone interested in more than just the famous battles of the War Between the States. Sherman was born in Lancaster, Ohio, and being a Buckeye myself I wanted to learn more about this famous Ohioan. He turned out to be an itinerant soldier who never really enjoyed his times in his home state. In his own memoir he didn't even include any of his childhood, but this book takes you through his entire life, from a young cadet at West Point to his later years as the Army's Chief Commander. Highly recommended.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book details the life of William Tecumseh Sherman. Focusing mainly on his military career it briefly follows his boyhood in Ohio then his time at West Point and his pre-Civil War time in the military, unlike many of his contemporary’s he didn't fight in the Mexican war but was stationed in California. It deals with his brief career as a banker before spend the rest of the book detailing his Civil War service and his post-Civil War career as general of the Army. His hatred of politicians and reporters is well chronicled along with his exploits and failures during the Civil war. Good read.

[Gerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it cover General Sherman’s entire life, it doesn’t do so in much depth. Readers interested in his Civil War campaigns and battles are better served with actual campaign studies. Still, one gets a good idea of his personality; author Kennett attributes much of his actions (or reactions) to narcissism, an interesting take. Wonder what the next book will say? While there are end notes, they are not numbered; that is, the reader won’t know they’re there until finishing the book or glances back there out of curiosity. Overall, it’s adequate, but doesn’t answer my great question about the March to the Sea, which is: so what?

[Brock · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fine book, but i thought it would contain more about Sherman's march and instead it was definitely a biography and almost glossed over the famous march. One thing i didn't like about the book is the retrospective psycho-analysis/diagnosis or Sherman. If you're looking for a biography of Sherman, this one's pretty good, but if you're looking for information on the march to the sea, then you won't find much here.

[David R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fundamentally a solid bio. Kennett tended to rush a bit through Sherman's career and over-tidily arranged his chapters into succinct nuggets of time and place, but created a deeper personal profile than is typical of treatments of Sherman. I'm still not certain I buy his portrait, but it is well worth a hearing. The Epilogue was masterful and gave even more context to the previous material.

[Lisa Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I admit it. I think I am half in love with William T. Sherman. There...I said it.

I love Kennett's approach to both the factual details as well as psychological thoughts on the "Cump's" personality. He was a fascinating character in history and Kennett keeps the information moving seamlessly.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the most memorable aspect of this book for me was a thought-provoking forensic psychological view of General Sherman as having a narcissistic personality disorder.

Beyond that, it reads well and seems comprehensive (without being overly voluminous) and well researched, but perhaps a bit dry.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting look at one of the most important generals of the Civil War. The book tackled the rumors of insanity and why he was so hated in the South after the war. My one complaint is that even though the subtitle is "A Soldier's Life," there is a lack of coverage of his military ability.

[Ronnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Many boigraphies are dry, but this was Sahara sand. I appreciate the attention to detail the author put forth but it was almost painful to read. I got half way thru and then had to quit.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best analysis I've read of Sherman's personality but hurt by some narrative holes.

[Jennifer Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. Fairly quick read for a historical biography. Used lots of personal correspondence which made it more insightful. Well researched.

[Xdw · Rating 2 out of 5]

short on vicksburg. more psych than military

[Jeff Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for Civil War buffs.

Many new learnings about one of my favorite Civil War generals. You need to give it a go. J. Scott Ball