Biography:
Sherman was one of eleven children. After his father's sudden death in 1829, Sherman's family was forced to move around to stay with different friends and relatives. One of those friends was Senator Thomas Ewing. He secured Sherman a place in the United States Military Academy, where he went on to graduate sixth in his class. He worked briefly in banking and law before the Civil War broke out. At the start of the war he headed north where he became a colonel of the 13th United States Infantry.
"William Tecumseh Sherman 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 as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched earth" policies that he implemented in conducting total war against the Confederate States." Citation Notes:
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/william-t-sherman.html
