William Tecumseh Sherman Quotes


"I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Blood, Glory, Hell, Vengeance)

"If forced to choose between the penitentiary and the White House for four years, I would say the penitentiary, thank you."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Years)

"I would make this war as severe as possible, and show no symptoms of tiring till the South begs for mercy."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Mercy)

"I will accept no commission that would tend to create a rivalry with Grant. I want him to hold what he has earned and got. I have all the rank I want."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Rank, Rivalry, Want, Will)

"I think I understand what military fame is; to be killed on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the newspapers."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Battle, Fame, Military, Name, Newspapers)

"I make up my opinions from facts and reasoning, and not to suit any body but myself. If people don't like my opinions, it makes little difference as I don't solicit their opinions or votes."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: People, Body, Difference, Facts, Opinions)

"I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices today than any of you to secure peace."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Peace, War, Today, Will)

"I intend to make Georgia howl."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
"This war differs from other wars, in this particular. We are not fighting armies but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, People, Fighting, Old, Poor)

"I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Christmas, Present)

"If the people raise a great howl against my barbarity and cruelty, I will answer that war is war, and not popularity seeking."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, People, Cruelty, Popularity, Will)

"He belonged to that army known as invincible in peace, invisible in war."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Peace, Army)

"Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Now)

"Every attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Disaster, Result, Will)

"Courage - a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger, and a mental willingness to endure it."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Courage, Danger, Measure, Sensibility)

"But, my dear sirs, when peace does come, you may call on me for any thing. Then will I share with you the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families against danger from every quarter."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Peace, Danger, May, Will)

"An Army is a collection of armed men obliged to obey one man. Every change in the rules which impairs the principle weakens the army."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Change, Men, Army, Man, Rules)

"A battery of field artillery is worth a thousand muskets."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Worth)

"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Truth, Facts, Hate, Rumors)

"The voice of the people is the voice of humbug."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: People, Voice)

"You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Will)

"War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Soldiers)

"War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Enemies, Want)

"War is hell."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Hell)

"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Cruelty, Reform, Trying, Will)

"War is at its best barbarism."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War)

"There's many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory but it is all hell."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Glory, Hell, Today)

"If I had my choice I would kill every reporter in the world, but I am sure we would be getting reports from Hell before breakfast."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Choice, Hell, World)

"There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Boys, Glory, Hell, Today)

"If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Will)

"The scenes on this field would have cured anybody of war."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War)

"My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Wisdom, Fear, Beginning, Pride)

"My aim then was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Fear, Pride)

"It's a disagreeable thing to be whipped."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
"It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: War, Blood, Hell, Vengeance)

"In our Country... one class of men makes war and leaves another to fight it out."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Men, War, Class, Country, Fight)

"If you don't have my army supplied, and keep it supplied, we'll eat your mules up, sir."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: Army)

"You may as well say, 'That's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion."
- William Tecumseh Sherman
(Related: May)