Okla-homey
12/22/2008, 07:17 AM
December 22, 1864: Sherman presents Lincoln with a Christmas gift
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/4616/zzzzzzsherman3bp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
William Tecumseh Sherman...loved by his soldiers, they called him "Uncle Billy."
144 years ago today, LTG William T. Sherman presents the city of Savannah, Georgia, to President Lincoln. Sherman captured Georgia's largest city after his famous "March to the Sea" from Atlanta. Savannah had been one of the last major ports that remained open to the Confederates.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6913/sherman400pxsavannahcamko0.png
After Sherman captured Atlanta in September 1864, he did not plan to stay for long. There was still the Confederate army of General John Bell Hood in the area, and cavalry leaders like Nathan Bedford Forrest and Joe Wheeler, who could threaten Sherman's supply lines.
In November, Sherman dispatched part of his force back to Nashville, Tennessee, to deal with Hood while Sherman cut free from his supply lines and headed south and east across Georgia.
http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6517/zzzshermanatl2vr.jpg[/URL]
Sherman on campaign...whether you loved him or hated him, you gotta give him props for his uncanny ability to do exactly what he said he'd do on the battlefield.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/5558/shermanspicture002lo6.jpg
Feller's pretending to be Sherman's troops. Known as Sherman's "bummers," they were'nt above "liberating" a silver candlestick or other such valuable item along the way as they saucily jogged from one plantation house to the next.
Along the way, his troops destroyed nearly everything that lay in their path. Sherman's intent was to wreck the morale of the South and bring the war to a swift end.
For nearly six weeks, nothing was heard from Sherman's army. Finally, just before Christmas, word arrived that Sherman's army was outside Savannah. A Union officer reached the coast and found a US warship that carried him to Washington to personally deliver news of the success.
Sherman wired Lincoln with the message,
"I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton."
http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6779/zzzzzsherman20william20tecumse.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After the war, Sherman served as his friend Sam Grant's Secretary of War. He is also famous for his response to GOP "kingmakers" when they approached him about running for the presidency himself:
"If nominated, I will not run. If elected I will not serve!"
http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7889/insane7zowh7.jpg
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/4616/zzzzzzsherman3bp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
William Tecumseh Sherman...loved by his soldiers, they called him "Uncle Billy."
144 years ago today, LTG William T. Sherman presents the city of Savannah, Georgia, to President Lincoln. Sherman captured Georgia's largest city after his famous "March to the Sea" from Atlanta. Savannah had been one of the last major ports that remained open to the Confederates.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6913/sherman400pxsavannahcamko0.png
After Sherman captured Atlanta in September 1864, he did not plan to stay for long. There was still the Confederate army of General John Bell Hood in the area, and cavalry leaders like Nathan Bedford Forrest and Joe Wheeler, who could threaten Sherman's supply lines.
In November, Sherman dispatched part of his force back to Nashville, Tennessee, to deal with Hood while Sherman cut free from his supply lines and headed south and east across Georgia.
http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6517/zzzshermanatl2vr.jpg[/URL]
Sherman on campaign...whether you loved him or hated him, you gotta give him props for his uncanny ability to do exactly what he said he'd do on the battlefield.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/5558/shermanspicture002lo6.jpg
Feller's pretending to be Sherman's troops. Known as Sherman's "bummers," they were'nt above "liberating" a silver candlestick or other such valuable item along the way as they saucily jogged from one plantation house to the next.
Along the way, his troops destroyed nearly everything that lay in their path. Sherman's intent was to wreck the morale of the South and bring the war to a swift end.
For nearly six weeks, nothing was heard from Sherman's army. Finally, just before Christmas, word arrived that Sherman's army was outside Savannah. A Union officer reached the coast and found a US warship that carried him to Washington to personally deliver news of the success.
Sherman wired Lincoln with the message,
"I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton."
http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6779/zzzzzsherman20william20tecumse.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
After the war, Sherman served as his friend Sam Grant's Secretary of War. He is also famous for his response to GOP "kingmakers" when they approached him about running for the presidency himself:
"If nominated, I will not run. If elected I will not serve!"
http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7889/insane7zowh7.jpg