I'm not really sure what to make of him either.Yes,he did fight for the right idea of ending slavery in the South,but Sherman's personal views towards the African-Americans,wasn't something we would like today.He was a white supremecist,and probably the KKK would have made him president in their despicable organisation.
Having said that,Sherman mostly got his tactics spot on,in the American Civil War.He successfully marched to the sea,helped to bring the war to a successful conclusion for the North.He knew the southern territory very well and ordered his troops to ravage and plunder supplies from the local southern population.In doing so,he was able to bring terror and lower the southern civilian population morale.In that sense,that also helped to contribute towards final victory for the North.
It was also interesting to see, when he and his army occupied the city of Atlanta.
At first,Sherman was welcomed in,but unfortunately,a big mistake by some people giving drink to some of the Union soldiers,led to a huge fire that destroyed 30% of the city.
Needless to say,when Sherman and his army left Atlanta,they got a very hostile farewell.I think the people in the south still hate Sherman to this day.
Like everyone else,he had his faults and was a racist,although he would discuss with freed slaves,but personally,I don't think Sherman really cared about those people at all.Especially when he was responsible for the tragedy at Ebenezer Creek.He and certain other senior officers under his command,most notably:Jefferson Davis (not the Confederate president)were never brought to justice for this,and they should have been.Militarily,they did this as not to slow their army down,and didn't want their supply lines strained.
Even so,it was a despicable and inhuman decision Sherman and Davis did,when they abandoned all those people they'd freed.Again;Sherman and Davis didn't really care about these people.Both of them were moreorless pro-slavery,and it makes me wonder why these two men fought for the Union cause to end slavery. They escaped justice without any bother whatsoever,and neither refused to admit that they'd done anything wrong.It just goes to show,how incredibly bigoted some people were,especially in the North.
I sincerely hope Sherman's and Davis' spirits are being hounded,by the souls of all those people that died,and that they were shamefully guilty for their untimely deaths.
Both Sherman and Davis,should have had the book thrown at them,and perhaps strung up for this inhumane,barbaric and repugnant act.
Still,he published his memoirs and I think I'll still buy it.I have to give him and General Grant full credit,for devising the plan that would end the war in a final victory for the Union,and bringing all the American states back into one united country.
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