The Book
Sherman. This one
name could be one of the most divisive ones in American history. For some, he
was an innovative military strategist who helped win the Civil War. For others,
he was a villain who laid waste to train tracks and state capitals. In Fierce
Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman, author Robert L.
O’Connell aims to focus on Sherman’s actions and how they defined the man.
Fierce
Patriot begins with Sherman’s arrival at the United States Military
Academy at West Point, tracing his growth as a professional soldier and
military strategist through the Second Seminole War and Mexican War to the Civil
War. He briefly left the army, trying his hand in the private sector. However,
Sherman took the South’s secession personally – as a strong nationalist – and
rejoined the army. By 1862, Sherman was a field commander directly under
General Grant. The descriptions of major battles include not only Sherman’s
words and actions, but also the recollections of the soldiers under his
command. He developed a unique relationship with the soldiers he referred to as
“his boys”; many of them fighting together for the entire Civil War.
The final section
of the book focuses on Sherman’s personal life. At the age of nine, his father
dies, and Sherman is taken in by the socially (and soon to be politically)
prominent family of Thomas Ewing. Sherman benefited greatly from the education
and support of the Ewing name, but was also often at odds with Thomas Ewing.
When Sherman married his foster sister Ellen, he had to compete with the long
shadow of his father-in-law. The only thing Sherman ever wanted to be was a
professional soldier; sometimes his family, events, or he himself got in the
way. He retired as general of the United States Army in 1883 and attended as
many army reunions as he could.
O’Connell organizes the book in a unique way. There are three separate
sections that deal with aspects of Sherman’s character: the military
strategist, the general, and the man. There is some overlap and the
organization takes time to adjust to, but overall, it is nice to read a
biography that isn’t completely chronological. The author does include several
analogies comparing the people he writes about to real or fictional people.
This doesn’t seem to add much to the narrative, instead distracting the reader.
Both Sherman’s words and the observations of others are included; particularly
interesting are the interactions Sherman had with Lincoln. Because the book
focuses on Sherman, it provides another way to approach the Civil War; even the
most read Civil War buff will be drawn in.
The Place
The Sherman House Museum preserves the
birthplace of William T. Sherman. Most of the house was restored to appear as
it did when the Sherman family lived there. On the tour, visitors will learn
about Sherman’s family history and see artifacts from his childhood. A tour
guide takes you through the rooms, sharing stories about various pieces
(including Sherman’s baby cradle). Half of the second story is devoted to
Sherman’s military career. Here, visitors will see artifacts from his time at
West Point, a recreation of his Civil War battlefield tent, and items he used
during the Civil War. The final upstairs room includes a variety of weapons and
military items used during the Civil War, as well as Grand Army of the Republic
reunion souvenirs.The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday with tours beginning on the hour from 12pm to 3pm. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone and masks are required in the museum. The section devoted to Sherman’s military career is self-guided and includes a lot of reading. The Sherman House Museum can easily be toured in a couple of hours, leaving time to explore the rest of Lancaster, Ohio. Downtown Lancaster has many quaint shops and cafés. A short drive from downtown is Rising Park, which gives spectacular views of Lancaster and the surrounding area.
