The Scourge of War: The Life of William Tecumseh Sherman

by Brian Holden-Reid

William Tecumseh Sherman, a West Point graduate and veteran of the Seminole War, became one of the best-known generals in the Civil War. His March to the Sea, which resulted in a devastated swath of the South from Atlanta to Savannah, cemented his place in history as the pioneer of total war.

In The Scourge of War, preeminent military historian Brian Holden Reid offers a deeply researched life and times account of Sherman. By examining his childhood and education, his business ventures in California, his antebellum leadership of a military college in Louisiana, and numerous career false starts, Holden Reid shows how unlikely his exceptional Civil War career would seem. He also demonstrates how crucial his family was to his professional path, particularly his wife's intervention during the war. He analyzes Sherman's development as a battlefield commander and especially his crucial friendships with Henry W. Halleck and Ulysses S. Grant. In doing so, he details how Sherman overcame both his weaknesses as a leader and severe depression to mature as a military strategist. Central chapters narrate closely Sherman's battlefield career and the gradual lifting of his pessimism that the Union would be defeated. After the war, Sherman became a popular figure in the North and the founder of the school for officers at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, known as the "intellectual center of the army." Holden Reid argues that Sherman was not hostile to the South throughout his life and only in later years gained a reputation as a villain who practiced barbaric destruction, particularly as the neo-Confederate Lost Cause grew and he published one of the first personal accounts of the war.

A definitive biography of a preeminent military figure by a renowned military historian, The Scourge of War is a masterful account of Sherman' life that fully recognizes his intellect, strategy, and actions during the Civil War.

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

640 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2020

About the author

Dr. Brian Holden-Reid, FRHistS, FRGS, FRSA, FKC, is Professor of American History and Military Institutions in the Department of War Studies and Academic Member of Council, Kings College London. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society (RHistS), the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Society of Arts, and in 2007 was he was awarded the Fellowship of King's College (FKC), the highest honour the college can award its alumni and staff.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://thebestbiographies.com/2020/0...

Brian Holden Reid’s “The Scourge of War: The Life of William Tecumseh Sherman” was published earlier this year and has received high marks for its scholarship. The author is currently Visiting Professor of American History and Military Institutions at King’s College London and is a recent recipient of the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize for contributions to military history. He has written a half-dozen books including “Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation.”

Anyone reading about Abraham Lincoln or Ulysses Grant will invariably encounter an irresistibly interesting character: William Tecumseh Sherman. I knew in early 2014 (when I read a dozen biographies of Lincoln) that I owed it to myself to read a book dedicated to William Sherman. My sense of urgency was only heightened when I read a half-dozen biographies of Ulysses S. Grant later that year. Sherman is that compelling.

Reid’s recently-published 507-page narrative chronicles Sherman’s life comprehensively, though with a distinct (and perhaps unsurprising) focus on his military career. Despite this emphasis, however, the author clearly recognizes the need to fully dissect Sherman’s character and personality in order to understand his professional career and motivations.

This biography begins with a thorough review of Sherman’s ancestry before moving steadily toward, and into, his military career. Reid seems most comfortable when analyzing and discussing military philosophy, strategy, tactics and logistics. Nevertheless, the two-thirds of the book dedicated to the Civil War years are disappointingly dry. Where a select few biographers are able to bring this conflict to life, Reid’s approach is much more sober and austere.

Readers unfamiliar with the broad strokes of the Civil War will not walk away particularly enlightened; the narrative’s scope rarely broadens beyond Sherman’s field of view and much-needed context is infrequently provided. Too much time is spent enmeshed in long-forgotten towns with division commanders never before introduced…and never heard from again. It is far too easy to become lost in the details of a battle and lose sight of the war.

In addition, one of the key objectives of a biography (for me, anyway) is to impart a sense of intimacy with the biographical subject – to leave the reader feeling that he or she can almost see the world through from individual’s perspective. Here the biography also falls short. As successfully as Reid documents his subject’s personality and proclivities, the portrait of Sherman which emerges rarely feels vibrant or three-dimensional. Instead, it is clinical and a bit remote.

Despite these shortcomings there is much to recommend about this biography. The author is unmistakably facile with military affairs and his willingness to praise and criticize Sherman for his tactics and techniques is commendable. And he proves equally objective in assessing Sherman’s personal strengths and weaknesses.

The discussion of Sherman’s domestic life is excellent. Reid describes Sherman’s wife – her personality, her influence as a stabilizing force in his life, and her role in their marriage – as well in several paragraphs as he conveys Sherman himself during the entire course of the book. The author also offers a fascinating review of Sherman’s post-war presidential prospects, an intriguing comparison of Sherman’s and Grant’s memoirs, and a surprisingly interesting audit of Sherman’s extramarital dalliances.

But the best aspect of this biography is its Conclusion – seventeen pages of articulate, insightful, thoughtful, penetrating and remarkably nuanced observations relating to Sherman’s life and legacy. Rarely have I encountered an assessment of someone’s life as compelling and intellectually rewarding as this.

Overall, Brian Holden Reid’s biography of William Sherman is a thorough exploration of Sherman’s life and a magnificent appraisal of his legacy. Readers familiar with Sherman are likely to find this book illuminating – filling in gaps and providing new insight. But while it is unmistakably excellent as history, it is not consistently colorful or engaging as biography.

Overall rating: 3¾ stars


NB: I would be remiss if I failed to note the presence of an extraordinary number of typographical and other errors. Most were baffling – they could be uncovered by anyone paying modest attention – while others were more subtle if no less egregious. Under the assumption these errors were the fault of the publisher rather than the author I did NOT take them into account when assigning my rating.

Examples: pages 113, 247 and 318 for typographical errors; page 108 (map captioned “Western Theater, 1861-1862” which shows Sherman’s much later march from Atlanta to Savannah and beyond), page 192 (map captioned “Vicksburg, 1863” but which shows Sherman’s advance to Chattanooga) and page 222 (a map captioned “Advance to Chattanooga” which is of the Vicksburg Campaign); last photograph prior to page 307 (showing “Sherman…beginning to show the strain of old age, though only 70” although the man in the photograph is neither Sherman nor showing any sign of old age).

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

As one who owns several biographies of William Tecumseh Sherman, I was excited to learn of another one. I will tell you that I married a man who grew up near Gettysburg, and after my first sight of the famous battlefield and cemetery, I was completely hooked on learning more about the Civil War. I read anything I can get my hands on, from both the North and South perspectives. It has been an interesting and eye-opening journey for me, and this biography only adds to that.

At a hefty 632 pages, it is not for those who will skim through it; and even though there are parts of it that are dry as can be, the author has done his research on Sherman. He begins with Sherman's ancestors in England, and while people may not be interested, it tells a story. He then goes on to detail Sherman's life when he first joined the volunteers; and decided to leave that life behind before the outbreak of the Civil War. He tells us of Sherman's relationship with fellow soldiers; how his first impressions of Lincoln changed over time; his relationship with his commanding officer, General Ulysses S. Grant, as well as detailing his relationships with others close to him.

When Sherman was young his father died, and as was the wont of the time, many of the children were separated and taken in by relatives and close friends. Sherman was lucky enough to live with the wealthy Ewings, and from this he fell in love with and married Ellen Ewing, whom, from all accounts, he had a very happy marriage with. She was a major contributor to his life, and even when things caused him to lose his faith, hers stood firm. Without Ellen, his life may very well have turned out differently.

With the war becoming more intense, Sherman applied himself to conscientiousness and determination in his duty. He was lucky enough to be well-educated, read constantly, and was a gentleman; and because of this he treated his troops well. However, he demanded the loyalty he gave, and didn't tolerate laziness. He never underestimated the south, and it served him well.

It also details the journey that Sherman took in his loyalty to Grant, who, because of this, remained his lifelong friend. One must know that Grant did not offer friendship easily, nor have many who were close to him save his wife Julia, so this is quite important in his life. These two complemented each other, even though there were times they disagreed, but Sherman's loyalty to Grant has never been in doubt, and indeed told of in his letters to Ellen. Friends that he knew at West Point became his enemies in the war.

Every battle Sherman fought has been detailed heavily, listing the names of those who served with him closest, equipment, artillery, etc., and even the unfortunate lives of those lost during this time. Indeed, it is not until we are well over halfway through the book before we get to the famous March to the Sea which caused so much devastation but also helped end the war between the states (and unless one has been living under a rock, it is known to them also).

While I hesitate to say any more about this book, I will tell you it is a comprehensive study of the general and the man himself. It encompasses areas of Sherman's life that heretofore have not been completely mentioned in other books, and my only disappointment was the fact that because I was given an ARC of the book, it did not include the maps that I would so have loved to have seen. (Although it did not temper my enjoyment one whit). In the end, this is definitely a welcome addition to anyone's library who is interested in the famous general or the Civil War itself. Recommended.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Tecumseh Sherman ranks among the most celebrated and controversial figures in American military history. His famous “Marches” – first to Georgia’s coast, then northward through the Carolinas – earned him the hatred of generations of Southerners and has been viewed by some as an early version of the “total” war that would define so much of the 20th century. Yet these events represent just one part of a long and extremely active life, one that must be understood to appreciate fully Sherman’s ideas and achievements.

Understanding Sherman’s views on war is one of the goals of Brian Holden Reid’s book. A distinguished military historian and specialist on the era, he chronicles the span of Sherman’s accomplished life. This began in Ohio, where his life was upended when his father, a prominent settler, died at an early age and forced the dispersal of the Sherman household. Nominated by his foster father, Thomas Ewing, for a position at West Point, Sherman thrived academically and graduated near the top of his class. Sherman served in the United States Army for the next decade and a half, where he demonstrated his intellectual and organizational gifts but missed out on combat during the war against Mexico in the 1840s due to his posting in California.

Though Reid covers Sherman’s pre-Civil War career well, his main focus is on his service during the Civil War. Having resigned his commission a few years beforehand, with the outbreak of fighting in 1861 Sherman searched for a way to resume his military career. Gaining a commission as a colonel, Sherman distinguished himself at the first Battle of Bull Run but suffered a breakdown when given a theater command soon afterward. After recovering, Sherman was assigned to the Army of West Tennessee, where be began his enormously successful partnership with its commander, Ulysses S. Grant. Throughout these chapters Reid details Sherman’s activities, drawing from them a sense of his approach to war. Central to it was his ever-evolving sense of what it would take to achieve victory. Reid shows Sherman to be a true military thinker, one who applied his considerable intellect to resolving the challenges of the war in order to work out the best way to win it.

Sherman’s thinking about the war culminated in his famous Marches. He had developed his views of the South after several years of living there, during which time he gained a respect (arguably an exaggerated one) of their determination. By 1864 the general concluded that defeat on the battlefield would not be enough – Northerners needed to make a “moral expression of Union military power” in order to demonstrate the extent of the Union’s victory both to the Southern states and to the larger world. This the Marches did, exposing the inability of Confederate and state forces to withstand Sherman’s divisions and thus underscoring their impending defeat.

In Reid’s view, Sherman’s success cemented his position alongside that of Grant and Abraham Lincoln, as one of the architects of the Union victory. Sherman’s fame was such that after the war he went on to serve as commanding general of the United Sates Army, and was even approached to run for the presidency of the United States – a position for which Reid judges the thin-skinned and highly-strung general unsuitable. It’s a judgment that reflects Reid’s critical eye, as while generally admiring of his subject he does not hesitate to highlight Sherman’s shortcomings and mistakes. This strengthens the value of his analysis, and makes for a valuable interpretation of Sherman’s life. Even the typographical and other printing errors in the book don’t detract from this, though the misplaced maps and misidentified photos (with the same image of George Thomas used to depict both him and P. G. T. Beauregard) can be more than mildly irritating. Yet this shouldn’t deter readers from enjoying this judicious and perceptive study of a one of the Civil War’s key commanders.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written and well-researched biography of Sherman.

The book is focused on Sherman’s military career, and Reid does a great job covering issues like military thought, strategy, tactics and logistics. Sherman’s home life is also given good treatment. About two-thirds of the book deals with the Civil War, mostly from Sherman’s perspective, and some readers may wish for more context. The narrative is balanced and insightful, though.

There could have been more on Sherman’s relationships with other Union and Confederate army officers, though. Reid also considers Sherman a “brilliant” leader; usually when Reid admits that Sherman planned some of his operations poorly, used overly complicated tactics, Reid explains it as bad luck, a learning curve, or mistakes made by Sherman’s officers. There is surprisingly little on Sherman’s role in the postwar Indian campaigns.

There’s a few errors and typos here and there, and two photos are identified as the wrong people (though this edition did have a pasted-in note from the publisher explaining the errors). The maps could have been better; they’re often in an irrelevant section of the text, and there are places mentioned in the text that don’t show up on the maps. Also, Reid’s narrative can get dry and often gets bogged down in minutiae. Sometimes he covers, in some detail, skirmishes in obscure towns by obscure military officers, then moves on and hardly mentions them again.

A broad and thorough work.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my least favorite books recently. Let me say, I did learn some things about Sherman

1) After his freakout early in the war (incorrectly labelled by Reid as an adjustment reaction in my humble opinion), he was an excellent battlefield general. This may be because he had ADD and in a crisis he could hyper-focus.
2) However, he hated battles, and the march to the sea was a way to frighten the South and avoid armed conflict insofar as possible. Morale was great. The soldiers loved it. It was fun to march 15 miles per day as opposed to dodging bullets and killing other people.
3) Reid says Sherman was an intellectual, and I have no reason to doubt him. Enjoyed talking to van Moltke when he went to Europe. Lots of Shakespearean references in his letters. Not references from the Bible though; he was a religious agnostic married to a devout Catholic, interestingly enough.
4) “He lacked adequate self control in interpersonal relationships.” He should have talked less, but he was impulsive (going along with my hypothesis about his ADD). But he was sociable and likeable, and he had integrity.
5) He was a political conservative, less comfortable with rights for African-Americans than Grant and many of his contemporaries. He was a member of a prominent and esteemed family. One brother was a US Senator, another brother was a judge. Higher education was a family tradition. He was a Brahmin of the Midwest, and this distinguished him from Lincoln and Grant. He was a friend of Andrew Johnson but avoided getting involved in Johnson’s fight with the legislative branch which led to his impeachment, even though Johnson tried.
6) You have to admire Grant.

I was interested in Reid’s description of Sherman’s thought process leading to his march to the sea, and something of the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta, but I really had to force myself to finish this book, partly because of Sherman’s inappropriate terms of surrender with Johnston and because his multiple grudges and feelings that others were disloyal to him were depressing.

But, I’ve never said this about a book before: The editing of this book was terrible. Page 247; “ooxxxffered”! Footnotes added at the end of paragraphs when they pertained to the paragraph below or above. (pp 171 and 203, for example) On page 108, a map of “The
Western Theater 1861 – 1862” shows the Vicksburg campaign and Sherman’s march to the sea (which occurred from 1863 to 1865).The map on page 192 is labelled “Vicksburg 1863” but illustrates the advance to Chattanooga, whereas on page 222, the map labelled “Advance to Chattanooga” shows the Vicksburg campaign, so the reader does not have the benefit of this map when reading about Vicksburg. There was no table of contents for the maps, which would have might have helped me to pick up the mistake before it was too late. I had to look at my great battles of the Civil War book to understand the fields of battle of Shiloh and Chattanooga. Reid refers to many, many towns and places that are not on his maps, and not on current road maps of Georgia. Reid deserved better.…..And this is Oxford University press, for God’s sake. Disgraceful.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book has a definite viewpoint, which is that William Tecumseh Sherman got a bad rap and was not the savage butcher and scourge of the South that he has been portrayed to be. I don't generally like biographies with a set agenda, but I was intrigued by the premise of this one. And, in the end, the author is persuasive. Sherman wasn't a particularly competent line officer, but he was a brilliant strategic and operational officer, who understood the psychological impact that a march deep into the South would have on Confederate morale. The sheer complexity and scale of maintaining his supply lines in his march to the sea (from Vicksburg to Savannah) was quite a logistical and tactical feat, and his grasp of the importance of the mental aspect of war was equally impressive. In addition, he had a prolific writer, and his grasp of the deeper societal issues was well-articulated in his correspondence.
It is helpful when reading this book to have a basic understanding of the course of the Civil War, and the maps included in the book, while not always ideally placed, are key to helping to understand the complexities of Sherman's accomplishments.
The author also covers Sherman's childhood, personal life, and post-Civil War life, but the bulk of the book is devoted, as it should be, to his significant accomplishments during the Civil War. Any fan of the Civil War and anyone who is curious about the the military personalities will enjoy this book.

[Lloyd Fassett]

5/29/10 Found it through a WSJ review, which made it sound really great. Subtitle to the review "Sherman was an erudite, complicated man, far from the monster created by Southern apologists after the Civil War."

I didn't know Sherman was into the arts either and a college president before the Civil War.

[Becky Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several biographies of General Sherman and countless Civil War books that discuss him in many ways. Holden-Reid uses great sources and good scholarship in putting together his book.

Good addition to the shelf.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written biography & history of the western campaigns of the Civil War. Sherman was a brilliant mind and excellent commander. Read this book to dispel misconceptions regarding his contributions.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read about Sherman. Very complicated man.

[Mark Harden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was hoping for a Sherman biography that was a balance between "war criminal" and "greatest general ever", but this tends toward the latter.

Anything that goes wrong is the fault of a Sherman subordinate; thus, the canard of "slowness" is repeatedly thrown at George Thomas. Joe Hooker is also given no due whatsoever for his contributions to the combat; Reid even slanders Hooker as a drunkard on the campaign.

Albert Castel, in his magisterial "Decision in the West", even after almost 30 years, remains the definitive study of the Atlanta Campaign and is highly critical of Sherman. Reid attempts to refute Castel on a number of points, but his claims are superficial and unconvincing.

Reid even claims that "in some ways", Sherman's crossing of the Chattahoochie was "even more impressive than Grant's crossing of the James." Seriously, on page 302.

It goes without saying that according to Reid, Sherman bears no responsibility whatsoever for the burning of Columbia or any of the other private dwellings that his men torched. And yet, Reid admits that, once Sherman crossed into North Carolina, he explicitly noted to a subordinate that "a little moderation may be of political consequence to us in North Carolina." This, of course, is proof that Sherman in fact did have control over the devastation his soldiers committed in Georgia and South Carolina.

Two stars for a good overall exposition of Sherman's evolution from "protect southern property" to "take all their food"; for an excellent, full depiction of his wife Ellen; and for an effectively presented conclusion, even though it does mostly reiterate his bias toward Sherman.

[David Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Scourge of War: The Life of William Tecumseh Sherman is a outstanding addition to the literature on Sherman.
Ample time is spent on his leadership an contributions at Shiloh, in support in the Vicksburg campaign, Chattanooga and his southern campaigns.

A full life biography the focus is as it should be on Sherman’s Civil War accomplishments and to a much smaller degree his post war yeasts which include the period when he was the General in Chief.
The author spends the last chapter evaluating Sherman’s ability and accomplishments and places his importance only behind Lincoln and Grant. While discussing his ability to become involved in the running of a Corp when he should be providing direction to the army and deals with the facts that he rarely was involved a a large scale decisive battle the author does not hold this against Sherman but rather lauds him for the intellectual abilities he brought to his command.

A well balanced addition to the literature and worth the time to place in your library and on your TBR pile.

[Elise McClintick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I'm from the South but thought I should give "Sherman" a read since he burned down my home city of Atlanta years ago. I'm not finished with the book yet. Trying to be "fair and balanced" here but NonFiction needs to read like Fiction to hold my attention. That's my opinion and fault...not the authors. He did the research no doubt.

[H Phillips]

Some interesting psychological ideas, but the descriptions of the unit actions in battle were far more detailed than the limited, and seemingly misplaced, maps included. The last 100 pages (Johnston's surrender and Sherman post-war) were by far the most interesting -- and the least plowed over part of his life.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Holden-Reid's bio of Sherman departs from many stories about noted people in that the author does acknowledge that Sherman is a man who is very cognizant of his limitations as well as his abilities. He doesn't seem to be a very patient man, in that once he has thought through a problem and has a solution, there does not appear to be much room for differing ideas. He doesn't suffer being maligned with any amount of grace and holds grudges. Sherman and his wife Ellen figured out how to make a long-distance marriage work, to the extent that it seems they may well have been better off if they were not with each other too often. Sherman knew his abilities - and interests - were not be well aligned to what was needed to be a successful president of the US - so he rejected multiple efforts to draft him into running.

It seems also that Sherman learned how to be lucky - he became very well prepared for most situations he faced. Perhaps his luckiest break was his meeting Ulysses Grant, who learned how to effectively use Sherman's talents to the fullest, and they were friends in varying degrees for the remainder of Grant's life. The US Civil War, which defined him for America, was only 4 years of an event-filled 70+ year life. Excellent biography and a wonderful read.

[Stephen Masri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author succeeds admirably in writing something new and noteworthy about a man and campaigns exhaustively covered over 160 years. We have all known the severe countenance of the general, but here we are introduced to the young scamp and class cut up. We learn too about Sherman's love of music, Greek classics, and English poetry, things he did not advertise about himself and which few have discussed.

Holden Reid interweaves Sherman's personal life and military activities throughout the book, assessing the impact of each upon the other. As an assessment of command style and decision-making, the book contributes meaningfully to both topics, beyond the subject at hand. He also makes qualitative assessments about previous writers and their judgments, including correcting some interpretations drawn by the influential Lidell Hart.

There is one caveat to note. If you are not a reader of military history, you might find this book hard going as the author delves deeper and deeper into the minutiae of Sherman's campaigns, logistics the nature of his orders, and the movement of his units.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

W. T. Sherman still deserves a great biography. I appreciated the sympathy that this one evinces. Holden-Reid ends up painting a quite positive portrait of Sherman, one that I believe is deserved. He dispels many myths without glossing over the general's weaknesses. But, speaking of which, neither can I gloss over the author's: he's not a very good military writer. He can't handle an engagement--he can't set it up, he can't describe movements helpfully, he can't elucidate the strategy involved. This severely hindered the book. The middle bulk of the biography was noticeably weaker than those sections describing Sherman's antebellum, not to mention his (surprisingly long and varied) post-war roles.

Make no mistake: W. T. Sherman was a great American. This book supports that notion, but another could do so better.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great biography of General Sherman. I found this book to be engaging and entertaining, and while it could drag a bit, I feel it is a solid, well researched look at Sherman’s life.

I really enjoyed the first part of the book detailing Sherman’s early life up to the start of the Civil War. Once the book got to the Civil War, it maintained a good pace, but at times I felt it was a bit too dry. However the amount of research done and the conclusions made in this book more than made up for the occasional dry patch. His activities after the war get a good look as well, and I found this portion of the book to be very compelling and interesting.

This book will likely stand as one of the great Sherman biographies, if not the greatest.

[Steven Rogers]

An excellent biography of William Tecumseh Sherman, written by a British writer and expert on the American Civil War. He closely examines the psychological aspects of Sherman's strategy and provides a different analysis of Sherman's approach. He argues against the accepted opinion that Sherman waged total war against the inhabitants of the south, without regard to the cruelty exercised against the civilian population. He also presents Sherman's strengths and weaknesses and personality in an objective way. A great biography for anyone interested in the Civil War or the leaders of the Civil War and post Civil War period.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

General Sherman's life well researched. What stood out ,most was his respect of General Grant and Grants respect for Sherman. Other Union Generals mentioned in how they obeyed Sherman and Grants orders, how they handled the men who served. I lost interest in the book after the Civil War ended and Grant became President, Sherman taking Grant's job as Gerneral o f the Army and went out West to settle the Indian question.

[Jason Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a robust book. The author does a lovely job of examining Sherman’s failures, successes, strengths, weaknesses, innovation, and contributions to the American identity. It was a very fair and balanced read that examines some of the harshest criticisms of Sherman, but helps to put them in context of what war was both locally and globally at the time. An admirable view of an admirable American icon.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great history

The most accomplished general in American history by some accounts or a war criminal by others, General William Tecumseh Sherman certainly arouses strong feelings. Reid does an excellent job of finding the real man behind the myth. He places great events in Sherman's life in clarity. Did Sherman go mad? It was more of a bout of depression. Were the Marches full of atrocities? Hardly, especially in the context of the time. Strongly recommend.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reid exhaustively details the life, triumph and shortcomings of Sherman. He paints a human portrait of one of America’s greatest generals and holds him to account when such an accounting is due. An excellent read.

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

while the author clearly (very clearly) favors Sherman, he doesn't hesitate to point out personal and professional flaws (with documentation) that round out this in-depth biography, creating a realistic portrait of a man who was more than the successful military persona as often portrayed.

[MD]

Painstakingly researched. This is a book for history scholars desiring minute detail. One can get lost in the details. The maps were out of place and not enough relevant maps. Reading this biography was a grind.

[Dee Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible credit 24 hours 53 min. Narrated by Paul Heitsch (A)

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a few years of mulling over potential Sherman biographies to read I was delighted to find this one. After reading the review in a History magazine this one appears to cover all the right areas, so I picked it up and am about to dive in.
I'll update my review when I finish it.