General Sherman's 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Yet Sherman proved far more complex than his legendary military tactics reveal. James Lee McDonough offers fresh insight into a man tormented by the fear that history would pass him by, who was plagued by personal debts and who lived much of his life separated from his family. As a soldier, Sherman evolved from a spirited student at West Point into a general who steered the American Civil War's most decisive campaigns, rendered here in graphic detail. Lamenting casualties, Sherman sought the war's swift end. This meticulously researched biography explores Sherman's friendship with Ulysses S. Grant and his relationship with his family. The result is a remarkable life of an American icon whose legacy resonates to this day.