SHERMAN'S PRESENTATION COPY OF REMARKS AT THE MEMORIAL OF PHILIP SHERIDAN

Proceedings of the Senate and Assembly of the State of New York, on the Life and Services of Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, Held at the Capitol, April 9, 1889. Albany: James B. Lyon, 1890. 8vo. Deluxe custom brown morocco with gilt cover title: "In Memoriam / General Philip H. Sheridan / Gen. Wm. T. Sherman." with a dynamic portrait of Sheridan on horseback.

INSCRIBED BY GENERAL SHERMAN: "Gen. W.T. Sherman / This volume was received from General Swayne this 17 day of January 1891 - and acknowledged." P. Tecumseh Sherman bookplate.

A presentation copy, signed by General Sherman, of the proceedings from a memorial service held by the New York Legislature on 9 April 1888 to commemorate the life of General Philip H. Sheridan. The Buffalo Weekly Express reported on the event, stating it was held at the Academy of Music, and that the "big building was well filled. Among the prominent persons present were Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.” The article goes on: “Gen. Wager Swayne, the orator of the evening, was introduced, Gen. Swayne was warmly greeted. At the end of Gen. Swayne's address, there were calls for Gen. Sherman, who rose to respond. Gen. Curtis introduced him with the remark “the greatest living general in the world stands before you.” Gen. Sherman said he didn't profess to be indifferent to the kindly expressions of the audience toward the old soldier. He spoke feelingly of his associations with Sheridan, and said that only a few of his comrades were left to mourn him...He declared no stronger or better American ever lived than Sheridan, and said his name would always be coupled with those of Washington and Grant." (Buffalo Weekly Express, 11 April 1888).

General Sherman’s inscription indicates that General Swayne, the key-note speaker of the memorial service, presented this copy to him.

Sheridan writes in his Personal Memoirs regarding his and Sherman’s early Ohio connection through the Ewing family: "I knew General Sherman very well. We came from near the same section of country in Ohio, and his wife and her family had known me from childhood. I was always kindly received by the General..." (p. 139) In his own memoirs, Sherman writes universally positively of Sheridan and clearly respected his colleague a great deal. When Sherman prepared to retire from the Army, he personally requested "authority to turn over the command of the army to Lieutenant-General Sheridan on the 1st day of November, 1883" with “as little ceremony as would attend the succession of the lieutenant-colonel of a regiment to his colonel about to take a leave of absence." (pp. 461-462).

Sheridan and Sherman are often compared together by military historians as early practitioners of "scorched earth" tactics. While much is written about Sherman's relationship with Ulysses S. Grant, not as much is written about the relationship between Sherman and Philip Sheridan. Sherman’s tender address at Sheridan’s memorial is evidence of the two men’s fondness for one another.

PROVENANCE:

The Sherman-Fitch Library

Primarily assembled by General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891), the collection of books was inherited and curated by his son, Philemon Tecumseh Sherman (1867-1941). Before his death, Philemon transferred the library to his niece, Eleanor Sherman Fitch (1876-1959). Eleanor was the granddaughter of General Sherman through his eldest daughter, Maria "Minnie" Ewing Sherman Fitch (1851-1913). Until now, the Sherman-Fitch library was held at the family estate in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

The library includes a range of diverse material owned by General Sherman that principally relates to the Civil War, American history, and the Sherman family. Many works in the Sherman-Fitch library are historically significant, including General Sherman's annotated copy of Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs, the Sherman family bible, and Barnard's "Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign."

Most examples in the collection are affixed with bookplates that bear both General Sherman's and Philemon's names. In some cases, where General Sherman's ownership was clear, his bookplate was not always affixed. However, books with just Philemon's bookplate were generally acquired after his father's death in 1891. General Sherman’s bookplates were likely added by Philemon after his father’s death. Philemon’s bookplates were placed by Tecumseh Sherman Fitch (1908-1969) after he inherited the library in 1942.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate, Books, Memorials, Funerals, Ephemera, Generals]