Newly Annotated Sherman Memoirs, a Civil War Scholar’s Goldmine

Enthusiastic reception of fully annotated Grant memoirs leads three Civil War scholars to give Sherman same courtesy.

(Top L) Civil War historians John F. Marszalek, (Bottom L–R) Louie P. Gallo, and David S. Nolen have released a complete annotated edition of "The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman." For Marszalek and Nolan, Beth Wynn/ Copyright of Mississippi State University; for Gallow, Megan Bean / Copyright of Mississippi State University

“Nearly ten years have passed since the close of the civil war in America, and yet no satisfactory history thereof is accessible to the public; nor should any be attempted until the Government has published, and placed within the reach of students, the abundant materials that are buried in the War Department,” wrote Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in the opening line of his memoirs.

Nonetheless, Sherman felt that, as an intricate witness to the war, he should pen “his recollection of events” in order to “assist the future historian.” Among those many future historians who have been assisted by Sherman’s memoirs are John F. Marszalek, Louie P. Gallo, and David S. Nolen. These three leading Civil War scholars recently completed the first fully annotated edition of “The Memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman.”