Sherman's March In Myth And Memory Analysis

Caudill, Edward and Paul Ashdown. Sherman’s March in Myth and Memory. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2008 Sherman’s March in Myth and Memory by Edward Caudill and Paul Ashdown is a monograph written in 2008, about William Tecumseh Sherman and his famous march to the sea that occurred during the Civil War. The events that have shaped the authors’ perspective are all the books, and films being created based off of the myth surrounding Sherman. These events have shaped the perspective of the authors because the book discusses the media’s portrayal of Sherman and his march. It is through these portrayals that Caudill and Ashdown reference works by other historians. They reference these works to assist in formulating their

Through the use of newspapers, literature, stage and screen, and historians Caudill and Ashdown are able to describe the affect these mediums assist in fabricating the myth. The press did a great job covering Sherman’s march as it made for a good story. This coverage helped increase the myth because most of the time newspapers did not have much to report in terms of war news which made the events of Sherman’s march stand out. Besides the news coverage, there are other mediums that help promote this renowned event. Some films depict him as relentless and destroying everything in his path, this is very much the way the South saw him and how he is remembered in history. The historians being referenced describe Sherman’s actions as not living up to his words. Basically, Sherman’s words were harsher than his actions, there were times where he could have demolished towns but chose not to. By showing how actions and events are perceived differently the authors help depict that biases and points of view are important to

Edward and Caudill and Paul Ashdown are credible authors, the University of Tennessee employs them both as professors of journalism and electronic media. While they do not have a PhD in history or teach history they are still credible as this book is well researched and uses its sources and citations responsibly. The authors do a nice job of making the book interesting enough to keep reading. By explaining the history and what happened during Sherman’s march first, the authors were able go right into explaining and examining Sherman’s myth without having to stop and explain the actual events with out the subtle or overt biases associated with certain view points. This is a good strategy as it allows the author to give the readers a level of familiarity with the