The first major modern edition of General William T. Sherman's wartime correspondence, this volume features more than 400 letters, both personal and official, written between the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the day Sherman bade farewell to his troops in 1865. Together, they trace Sherman's rise from obscurity to become one of the Union's most famous and effective warriors.

Arranged chronologically and grouped into chapters that correspond to significant phases in Sherman's life, these letters - many of which have never before been published - reveal the general's thoughts on politics, military operations, slavery and emancipation, the South, and daily life in the Union army, as well as his reactions to such important figures as General Ulysses S. Grant and President Lincoln.

Each chapter begins with a brief overview of events and includes annotations that help clarify references in the letters themselves.