Archive
Broadcast
About
A SERVICE OF OHIO'S PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS
A SERVICE OF OHIO'S PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS
Program Directory
Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman was raised in this house in Lancaster, Ohio. He was named after the Shawnee chief Tecumseh, who tried unsuccessfully to unite the tribes of the Ohio River Valley against white settlement in the early 1800s. Sherman revolutionized war by incorporating psychological and economic warfare into his military tactics, culminating with the famous "March to the Sea" through Georgia. In 1864, Sherman led his troops from Atlanta to Savannah in an act of "total war." As they marched southeast, they systematically destroyed manufacturing plants, agricultural infrastructure, and railroads, intending to eliminate any resources that could be used by Confederate forces. Sherman rose in rank during the war and his controversial tactics played a major role in the Union victory. In 1869, he was promoted to full general and commander of the United States Army, a post he held until his retirement in 1883. Sherman passed away in New York City in 1891.
September 17, 2012