Description:

Sherman William 1820 - 1891 "War is Hell!": W.T. Sherman twice signed cabinet photo.

Twice signed cabinet card, 4.25" x 6.5", of W.T. Sherman in full military dress with his sword by his side, signed on mount recto, "W.T. Sherman, General, 1889". Mount verso signed and inscribed in ink, "To Miss Jessie McNamera(?) with kindest compliments of W.T. Sherman, General, New York, March 26, 89". Copyrighted 1888 by Sarony, New York. Even toning to image. One thin stress line to left of Sherman's head, light corner and edge wear to mount. Smudge in 1889 inked date on mount recto. Few stains on mount verso, as well as slight loss that only impacts "with" in inscription and part of "W" in "W.T."

William Tecumseh Sherman, although not a career military commander before the war, would become one of "the most widely renowned of the Union's military leaders next to U. S. Grant." His unique military style was based on his conviction that preservation of the Union was contingent not only on defeating the Southern armies in the field but, more importantly, on destroying the Confederacy's material and psychological will to wage war. To achieve that end, he launched a campaign in Georgia that was defined as "modern warfare", and brought "total destruction...upon the civilian population in the path of the advancing columns [of his armies]." Commanding three armies, he used his superior numbers to consistently outflank Confederate troops and captured Atlanta on September 2, 1864. The success of the campaign ultimately helped Lincoln win reelection.

One of his famous quotes showed the double sided emotionally wrenching effects of war even with his enormous successes:

"I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell."

Following his successful campaign through Georgia, Sherman turned his attentions northward and began marching through the Carolinas, chasing the Confederates under the command of Joseph Johnston. He continued his campaign of destruction, in particular targeting South Carolina for their role in seceding from the Union first. He captured Columbia, South Carolina, on February 17, 1865, setting many fires which would consume large portions of the city. He went on to defeat the forces of Johnston in North Carolina during the Battle of Bentonville, and eventually accepted the surrender of Johnston and all troops in Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas on April 26, 1865, becoming the largest surrender of Confederate troops during the war.

A rare highly sought after twice signed cabinet photo.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000