How General William T. Sherman Anticipated the Foxination of the Media Escapes Me.

[NNadir]

“The American press is a shame and a reproach to a civilized people. When a man is too lazy to work and too cowardly to steal, he becomes an editor and manufactures public opinion.”

― William T. Sherman

Quote o’ the Day (William Tecumseh Sherman Edition)

Oddly relevant.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. You don't even have to manufacture it, just use the technique of Selective Neglect Of The Truth (SNOTT).

There are quite a few SNOTTy journos out there.

(Sherman was a good one for quotes. Despite being raised in the South amid tons of negative invective against "Sherman's March to the Sea", which included burning Atlanta, I've found more than a little to admire about him. A few years after the war, he eventually succeeded Grant as Commanding General of the Army during the era of the Indian Wars, where there are some anecdotes claiming he was much more sympathetic to the NA tribes (and showed more respect for their leaders) than the typical 'horse soldier', although he has a mixed record on that and a lesser reputation re. relations with Blacks, though that seemed to evolve in a favorable direction as he aged. Given that he was named after a famous NA leader -- the "William" was added only when a priest refused to baptize a young boy with a "pagan" name-- perhaps that reflects his upbringing my a family more tolerant that usual at that time and place. He passed the 'Tecumseh' on to two of his four sons.)

[NNadir]

2. He was certainly an interesting figure. I have a fairly extensive Civil War library, and have been a CSPAN history...

...junkie, which always has a Civil War talk at 2:00 on Saturdays. (Many of the talks are available online.)

Some years back I read Marzalek's biography of Sherman, cover to cover. (I seldom read any book cover to cover. (It is interesting that Marzalek is the administrator of the US Grant papers at the University of Mississippi. For some time those papers were held in Illinois. Grant's rise to fame took place largely in Mississippi, so there's that.)

I never read Sherman's memoirs, although I have read Grant's in excerpts.

In many ways, I think Sherman was not necessarily a great tactician, but he was, famously, a strategic genius. Both Grant and Lincoln merely acquiesced to the March to the Sea, a point that Lincoln acknowledged when he wrote him a message after the capture of Savannah.

I think he was a little bit mad, but yes, I agree, his quotes are colorful. I have always enjoyed reading his responses to Hood's letter during the Siege of Atlanta, followed by his letter to the Mayor, after the capture when he ordered the city evacuated.

I often keep the bolded locution to the Mayor about the thunderstorm handy for theft, although seldom called upon to use it:

You might as well appeal against the thunder-storm as against these terrible hardships of war. They are inevitable, and the only way the people of Atlanta can hope once more to live in peace and quiet at home, is to stop the war, which can only be done by admitting that it began in error and is perpetuated in pride.

Letter of William T. Sherman to James M. Calhoun, E.E. Rawson, and S.C. Wells, September 12, 1864

[eppur_se_muova]

3. I did not know that about CSPAN -- frankly, I've largely ignored it except to notice it tilts heavily to the Right.

And thanks for mentioning that bio. I know his autobio has been widely read, haven't got around to reading it yet.

There's a great quote on his Wikipedia page:

Boyd later recalled witnessing that, when news of South Carolina's secession from the United States reached them at the Seminary, "Sherman burst out crying, and began, in his nervous way, pacing the floor and deprecating the step which he feared might bring destruction on the whole country."[63] In what some authors have seen as an accurate prophecy of the conflict that would engulf the United States during the next four years,[64][65] Boyd recalled Sherman declaring:

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 is a terrible thing! 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? The North can make a steam engine, locomotive, or railway car; hardly a yard of cloth or 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 your spirit and determination are you prepared for war. In all else you are totally unprepared, with a bad cause to start with. 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 in the end that you will surely fail[66].

The phrase "Boyd recalled" gives me a little pause; perhaps there was some editing, or creative memory? I'm willing to trust that it captures the essence of what was said, though maybe not in exactly those words.