First published ten years after the end of the Civil War, "Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman" were among the first memoirs written by one of the prominent Civil War generals. The memoirs caused a lot of controversy, especially because of the author's unfair treatment of General Grant. General Sherman replied to his critics: "...any witness who may disagree with me should publish his own version of facts in the truthful narration of which he is interested."

Hailed as a prophet of modern war and condemned as a harbinger of modern barbarism, Sherman is the most controversial general of the Civil War. War is cruelty, you cannot refine it, he wrote in fury to the Confederate mayor of Atlanta, and his memoir is filled with dozens of such wartime exchanges and a fascinating, eerie account of the famous march through the Carolinas. sure the memoirs remained controversial. W. T. Sherman's memoirs are still controversial, even today. He is either a great general, or an overrated one. He is either hailed as a prophet of modern war or condemned as a modern barbarism. The historical value of these memoirs is enormous. Sherman contributed a great deal to the war, and was partially responsible for the war ending when it did. He conducted one of the most brilliant military campaigns in modern history (actually, they were three campaigns--Atlanta, Savannah, and the Carolinas) and accomplished what many considered to be the impossible. His policy of total war, applied in the South, was utilized by Sheridan in the Shenandoah, and was later slightly modified to be used against the Indians. Thanks to his memoirs, we have a step-by-step account of how this policy developed. Sherman's work is engaging and very to the point. He is meticulous almost to a fault in his quest for accuracy and detail. His writing is very, very good, and easy to read. He endeavored to be objective in his evaluations. Quick to give praise and slow to censure, he was not afraid to record the failures of his subordinates. William T. Sherman is a very colorful figure in Civil War history. He may well be one of the most complex and intriguing individuals of the war. To some, he is a barbarian; to others, a deliverer. He is immensely quotable, and was very opinionated and outspoken. If you're contemplating studying the Civil War, do not be put off by this book's length. Far from being a dry account of a man's recollections, this is a very engaging and very worthwhile autobiography, and any student of the war will profit by reading it. Volume 2 covers the Atlanta Campaign (including Nashville, Chattanooga, Kennesaw Mountain, and other battles around Atlanta), the pursuit of General Hood, the March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah, chapters about Savannah and Pocotaligo, the Campaign of the Carolinas, the end of the war (from Goldsboro to Raleigh and Washington), and military lessons of the war, and the aftermath of the war.

Hailed as prophet of modern war and condemned as a harbinger of modern barbarism, William Tecumseh Sherman is the most controversial general of the American Civil War. “War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it,” he wrote in fury to the Confederate mayor of Atlanta, and his memoir is filled with dozens of such wartime exchanges. With the propulsive energy and intelligence that marked his campaigns, Sherman describes striking incidents and anecdotes and collects dozens of his incisive and often outspoken wartime orders and reports. This complex self-portrait of an innovative and relentless American warrior provides firsthand accounts of the war’s crucial events—Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, the Atlanta campaign, the marches through Georgia and the Carolinas. LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891), was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861-65), for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy and criticism for the harshness of the "scorched earth" policies. Military historian Basil Liddell Hart famously declared that Sherman was "the first modern general." After the Civil War, Sherman became Commanding General of the Army (1869-83). As such, he was responsible for the conduct of the Indian Wars in the western United States. Sherman was distantly related to the politically influential Baldwin, Hoar & Sherman family and grew to admire American founding father Roger Sherman. Though he came to disapprove of slavery, Sherman was not an abolitionist before the war, and like many of his time and background, he did not believe in "Negro equality." His military campaigns of 1864 and 1865 freed many slaves, who greeted him "as a second Moses or Aaron."