In July 1865, General William T. Sherman Authorizes the First Biography of His Life and Services

In June 1865, two months after Confederate General Joseph Johnston’s surrender to him essentially ended the Civil War, General Sherman received his first postwar command, which consisted of the Military Division of the Mississippi, later called the Military Division of the Missouri, and came to comprise the territory between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Sherman’s efforts in that position were focused on protecting the main wagon roads, such as the Oregon, Bozeman and Santa Fe Trails.

Sherman also had an opportunity to begin attending to a book about his life and military career. Col. Samuel M. Bowman had served with Sherman for years and had access to the information needed, and Sherman had decided on him to be his biographer in June 1864 while still before Atlanta. Charles B. Richardson was selected as the publisher. In this letter Sherman introduces his biographer to his publisher.

Autograph letter signed, Lancaster, Ohio, July 31, 1865, to C.B. Richardson. “Sir, Yours of July 26 is received. Col. S.M. Bowman, an acquaintance of mine since 1853, and more recently in the service of the U.S. has had access to my orders and letter books embracing copies of all orders made and letters written by me since the winter of 1861-1862, with a view to publish a memoir of my life and services. I have rather discouraged such a publication, but if one is to be made, I prefer of course it should be correct and authentic, and no other has had such an opportunity to read my recent thoughts and acts as Col. Bowman. I believe him to be in possession of all authentic facts that can interested in the General Reader.”

The result was Sherman and His Campaigns: A Military Biography by S. M. Bowman, published in New York in 1865 by Charles B. Richardson. This was the first biography of Sherman.