Gratuitous Civil War Posting

Happy birthday to Gen. William Tecumseh ("Cump") Sherman, born this day in 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. Here's a brief biography of the man who became famous for his belief in the use of total war:

It should be "pure and simple" as applied to the belligerents. I would keep it so, till all traces of the war are effaced; till those who appealed to it are sick and tired of it, and come to the emblem of our nation, and sue for peace. I would not coax them, or even meet them half-way, but make them so sick of war that generations would pass away before they would again appeal to it.

- Letter to Major General H.W. Halleck, September 17, 1863

I've heard of Gen. Petreus being refered to as a "modern day Sherman" recently. I hope this is correct.

Two bits of trivia about Sherman's Civil War exploits. First, my great-great grandfather served under him as an artillery officer during the drive on Atlanta. Second, Henry Clay Work, who wrote "Marching Through Georgia" in celebration of Sherman's March to the Sea, was born in Middletown, CT where I went to college. There's a bust of him on the town green that I used to run past on my way to the boathouse and back. I sing the song every now and again just to annoy those around me:

Bring the good old bugle, boys, we'll sing another song
Sing it with a spirit that will start the world along
Sing it as we used to sing it, 50,000 strong
While we were marching through Georgia.

(Chorus)
Hurrah! Hurrah! we bring the jubilee!
Hurrah! Hurrah! the flag that makes you free!
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea
While we were marching through Georgia.

How the darkies shouted when they heard the joyful sound
How the turkeys gobbled which our commisary found
How the sweet potatoes even started from the ground
While we were marching through Georgia.

(Chorus)

Yes and there were Union men who wept with joyful tears,
When they saw the honored flag they had not seen for years;
Hardly could they be restrained from breaking forth in cheers,
While we were marching through Georgia.

(Chorus)

"Sherman's dashing Yankee boys will never make the coast!"
So the saucy rebels said and 'twas a handsome boast
Had they not forgot, alas! to reckon with the Host
While we were marching through Georgia.

(Chorus)

So we made a thoroughfare for freedom and her train,
Sixty miles of latitude, three hundred to the main;
Treason fled before us, for resistance was in vain
While we were marching through Georgia.

(Chorus)