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Monday, April 23, 2007
Thumbs Up or Down on Sherman?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The History Channel premiered a two-hour special Sunday night that cast General William Tecumseh Sherman in a more favorable light than many Southerners likely are accustomed to seeing. Not only did “Sherman’s March” depict the Ohio-born Union officer as something of a military genius for his effective deployment of a “total war” strategy (translation, he conquered Atlanta, burned large parts of it, then marched 60,000 men straight across Georgia, wreaking havoc and breaking the South’s emotional back by the time they got to Savannah).
The Serf was a bigger fan of the historical lessons imparted by “Sherman’s March” than by its cheesy reenactments and constant harping on what a great guy Sherman supposedly was. He saved Lincoln’s presidency, he and Grant were Best Friends Forever, his soldiers loved him so much they called him “Uncle Billy,” yada, yada, yada. The Serf is a Yankee, and even she thought it was a bit much!
But enough about me….Did you watch “Sherman’s March?” Did it change or reinforce your view of Sherman’s terrifying March to the Sea? And how’d you like the fact that the actor portraying the man who came down here and literally set this place on fire gave him a Southern accent? Some folks may have found it distracting. Whereas others may have considered it a case of Atlanta finally getting the last laugh on “Uncle Billy.”
