A group of works on President Lincoln from the personal collection of General William T. Sherman, all with W. T. Sherman and P. Tecumseh Sherman bookplates, including:

Joshua F. Speed. Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln and Notes of a Visit to California. Two Lectures. Louisville, Kentucky: John P. Morton and Company, 1884. Original brick cloth. First edition. Howes S-826. -- John G. Nicolay and John Hay. Abraham Lincoln, A History. New York: The Century Co., 1890. 10 Vols. Original green cloth.

The relationship between Sherman and Lincoln was interesting and evolved over the course of the war. Sherman mentions Lincoln with frequency in his memoirs, often in regard to the burgeoning political situation and later, war affairs. In Chapter VIII, he records his first meeting with the President: "One day, John Sherman took me with him to see Mr. Lincoln...John walked up, shook hands, and took a chair near him, holding in his hands some papers referring to minor appointments in the State of Ohio, which formed the subject of conversation...John then turned to me, and said, 'Mr. President, this is my brother, Colonel Sherman, who is just up from Louisiana, he may give you some information you want.' 'Ah!' said Mr. Lincoln, 'how are they getting along down there?' I said, 'They think they are getting along swimmingly - they are preparing for war.' 'Oh, well!' said he, 'I guess we'll manage to keep house.' I was silenced, said no more to him, and we soon left. I was sadly disappointed and remember that I broke out on John, d--ning the politicians generally..." (Vol. I, pp. 202-203).

Later, Sherman’s opinion of the President softened: "...the message of Mr. Lincoln was strong and good: it recognized the fact that civil war was upon us, that compromise of any kind was at an end; and he asked for four hundred thousand men, and four hundred million dollars, wherewith to vindicate the national authority, and to regain possession of the captured forts and other property of the United States." (Vol. I, p. 206) His next encounter further bolstered his opinion of Lincoln. After joining a carriage with Lincoln and Secretary of State Seward to direct them to a military camp, he noted, "I discovered that Mr. Lincoln was full of feeling, and wanted to encourage our men." Sherman reported that President Lincoln’s address to gathered soldiers at the camp was "one of the neatest, best, and most feeling addresses I ever listened to, referring to our late disaster at Bull Run, the high duties that still devolved on us, and the brighter days yet to come." (Vol. I, pp. 217-218).

Though General Sherman and President Lincoln’s relationship seemed to develop to one of mutual respect, Sherman was inherently skeptical of politics and politicians. He wrote to his brother John about the election of 1864: "I almost despair of a popular Government, but if we must be so inflicted I suppose Lincoln is the best choice, but I am not a voter."

Perhaps the best known interaction between the General and the President was upon Sherman's capture of Savannah, Georgia when he sent a telegram to Lincoln: "I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah..." With Lincoln replying, "many, many, thanks for your Christmas gift."

A significant collection from the personal library of General Sherman.

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, Presidents, Generals, Abraham Lincoln, Books, Memoirs, Ephemera]