William Tecumseh Sherman was born at Lancaster, Ohio, on 8 
February 1820

*** upon his father's death, was adopted into the family of 
Thomas Ewing, 1829

*** was educated in a local academy, then attended the United 
States Military Academy 1836-1840

*** was commissioned a second lieutenant, July 1840, and posted 
to the 3d Cavalry in Florida

*** was promoted to first lieutenant, November 1841, and served 
at various southern stations

*** served in California during the Mexican War as adjutant and 
aide to Generals Stephen W. Kearny, Persifor F. Smith, and 
Richard B. Mason, 1847-1850

*** married Ellen Ewing 1850

*** was appointed captain, September 1850, and assigned to 
commissary duty in St Louis and New Orleans, 1850-1853

*** resigned his commission, September 1853

*** engaged unsuccessfully in banking and law, 1853-1859, then 
successfully as superintendent of a military college at 
Alexandria, Louisiana, 1859-1861

*** was reappointed in the regular Army as colonel, 13th 
Infantry, May 1861

*** was appointed brigadier general of volunteers, May 1861, and 
commanded a brigade at Bull Run in July

*** served in Missouri and Kentucky and commanded the Department 
of the Cumberland and the District of Paducah, 1861-1862

*** was appointed major general of volunteers, May 1862

*** commanded a division in the Tennessee-Mississippi campaigns 
and was wounded at Shiloh, April 1862

*** commanded the District of Memphis and the Vicksburg 
expedition 1862

*** commanded the XV Corps in the Vicksburg operations to its 
surrender and was, appointed brigadier general in the Regular 
Army, July 1863

*** commanded the Army of the Tennessee in the Chattanooga-
Knoxville operations, 1863,1864

*** commanded the Division of the Mississippi, 1864-1865, 
leading the Union forces in the invasion of Georgia

*** was promoted to major general, August 1864

*** commanded the Armies of the Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia in 
the final operations in the South, receiving the surrender of 
Confederate forces there, April 1865

*** was promoted to lieutenant general while in command of the 
Division of the Mississippi, July 1866

*** was on a special mission to Mexico, November-December 1866

*** commanded the Division of the Missouri 1866-1869

*** was promoted to general, March 1869

*** was commanding general of the United States Army, 8 March 
1869-1 November 1883

*** was acting secretary of war, 6 September-25 October 1869

*** sought to establish senior officer control over bureau 
heads, pressed for Army control over Indian affairs, urged 
consolidation of troops at strategic locations, and established 
a school for infantry and cavalry

*** retired from active service February 1884

*** died in New York City on 14 February 1891.

From: UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II, Special Studies: 
CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945, compiled by Mary H. Williams, Office of 
the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, 
Washington, D.C., 1960

Transcribed and edited by:
Larry W. Jewell
jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu