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William Tecumseh Sherman

William Tecumseh Sherman Quotes

U.S. General

William Tecumseh Sherman was a prominent American military leader known for his actions during the American Civil War. He is famous for his 'scorched earth' policy, which aimed to destroy the economic and military infrastructure of the South to weaken its fighting ability.

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Famous William Tecumseh Sherman Quotes

“Though I never ordered it, and never wished for it, I have never shed any tears over the event, because I believe that it hastened what we all fought for, the end of the war.”

Believe War Ends I Believe History Events Tears Civil War Shed American Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“I'm a damned sight smarter than Grant; I know more about organization, supply and administration and about everything else than he does; but I'll tell you where he beats me and where he beats the world. He don't care a damn for what the enemy does out of his sight but it scares me like hell.”

Knows World Doe War Care Enemy History Hell Beats Organization Sight Don't Care Administration Damn Civil War Grants Scare Smarter American Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.”

“Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other.”

History Crazy Madness Drunk Civil War Grants American Civil War Comradeship

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are.”

Facts Hate Picks I Hate Regard Civil War Print Camps Spy Rumor American Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“I think I understand what military fame is; to be killed on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the newspapers.”

Thinking Names Military Fields Battle Fame Newspapers Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah.”

Cities Christmas Civil War Christmas Gift Savannah Savanna

Book:Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman

Source: Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman

“If you don't have my army supplied, and keep it supplied, we'll eat your mules up, sir.”

Ifs Army Civil War Mules

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“I would make this war as severe as possible, and show no symptoms of tiring till the South begs for mercy.”

War Shows Mercy South Civil War Fierce Severe Symptoms Tire

Book:Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman

Source: Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman

“The scenes on this field would have cured anybody of war.”

War Fields Scene Civil War

Book:Sherman's Civil War: selected correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865

Source: Sherman's Civil War: selected correspondence of William T. Sherman, 1860-1865

“A battery of field artillery is worth a thousand muskets.”

Fields Thousand Civil War Batteries Artillery

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“At first you will make headway, but as your limited resources begin to fail, shut out from the markets of Europe as you will be, your cause will begin to wane. If your people will but stop and think, they must see that in the end you will surely fail.”

People Ifs Thinking Firsts Ends Causes Failing Resources Europe Civil War American Civil War Limited Resources

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“The whole army is burning with an insatiable desire to wreak violence upon South Carolina. I almost tremble for her fate.”

War Whole Desire Fate Violence Army South Burning Civil War Carolina Insatiable South Carolina

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“It's a disagreeable thing to be whipped.”

War Civil War Disagreeable

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“Many and many a person in Georgia asked me why we did not go to South Carolina; and, when I answered that we were en route for that State, the invariable reply was, - Well, if you will make those people feel the utmost severities of war, we will pardon you for your desolation of Georgia.”

People Ifs Feels Wells Persons War States South Civil War Routes Pardon Georgia Carolina Desolation Severity South Carolina

Book:Memoirs of General William T. Sherman

Source: Memoirs of General William T. Sherman

“War's Legitimate Object Is More Perfect Peace.”

War Perfect Objects Civil War Perfect Peace

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“You people of the South don't know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization! You people speak so lightly of war; you don't know what you're talking about.”

War Crime Civilization Madness Civil War Folly American Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“You people of the South don't know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end.”

People Knows War Ends Country Know How Blood South Civil War American Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“The North can make a steam engine, locomotive or railway car; hardly a yard of cloth or a pair of shoes can you make. You are rushing into war with one of the most powerful, ingeniously mechanical and determined people on earth - right at your doors. You are bound to fail. Only in spirit and determination are you prepared for war. In all else you are totally unprepared, with a bad cause to start with.”

“You people speak so lightly of war; you don't know what you're talking about. War is a terrible thing!”

People Knows War Speak Talking Terrible Civil War Terrible Things American Civil War

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“You mistake, too, the people of the North. They are a peaceable people but an earnest people, and they will fight, too. They are not going to let this country be destroyed without a mighty effort to save it. Besides, where are your men and appliances of war to contend against them?”

People Men War Country Fighting Effort Mistake Destroyed Civil War Earnest American Civil War Appliances

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“I see every chance of a long, confused and disorganizing civil war, and I feel no desire to take a hand therein.”

Feels Long War Hands Desire Chance Civil War Confused

Book:Home Letters of General Sherman

Source: Home Letters of General Sherman

“I begin to regard the death and mangling of a couple thousand men as a small affair, a kind of morning dash-and it may be well that we become so hardened.”

Men Wells Kind May War Death Morning Couple Thousand Regard Affair Civil War Hardened

Book:War is hell!

Source: War is hell!

“Wars are not all evil, they are part of the grand machinery by which this world is governed.”

World War Evil This World Civil War Machinery

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman

“After all, I think Forrest was the most remarkable man our Civil War produced on either side.”

Thinking Men War Sides Civil War Remarkable

Author:William Tecumseh Sherman