Regarded as the Horace Greeley of the 12th Connecticut Infantry due to his staunch abolitionist beliefs, Private Richard Sherman, killed at the Battle of Cedar Creek on Oct. 19, 1864, and buried in the Winchester National Cemetery, penned scores of letters between 1862 and his death to family and loved ones in Connecticut. This collection of 160 letters, edited by his great-great granddaughter Ann K. Gunnin, is a rich collection that anyone with an interest in the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley should have in their library.
While Sherman’s letters cover much more than the conflict in the Shenandoah Valley, those interested in the Shenandoah will discover much of great value in these letters. In addition to detailed accounts of fighting and movements in the Shenandoah Valley, Sherman’s letters offer keen perspectives on various figures in the Army of the Shenandoah, most notably General Philip H. Sheridan. Additionally, Sherman’s letters are filled with thoughts about the Valley’s civilian population and his thoughts about Confederate civilians.
Ably edited and rich in content, Sherman’s letters offer important insight into a soldier’s experiences in the Valley, perspectives on leadership, ruminations about battle, and a lens through which to examine civil-military relationships.
