Tuesday, June 5, 2018

What I learned about General William Tecumseh Sherman from playing him in "Honorable Distinction"



So I just got through the two days of performances of "Honorable distinction," A play by Kenya Cagle directed by Michele Hawkins Jones at the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. This play was about the Black experience in the American Civil War, focusing on the 54th Massachusetts infantry regiment and the community from which it came.

I played harmonica in the two-person orchestra (the other guy was the keyboard player, with Ivanhoe Gadapaille sitting in on a couple of numbers on guitar), portrayed a Rebel singing "The Bonnie Blue Flag" and fighting in a battle, and, most importantly, had the role of General William Tecumseh Sherman in one scene with General U. S. Grant and president Abraham Lincoln.''

I didn't have much time in my schedule to do a thorough research job on the man, but I did what I could, and found out the answers to things I had never thought to ask about Bill Sherman the Civil War.

He came from a broken home and married his stepsister.

He had a mental breakdown at the beginning of the war.

His racial attitudes were a product of their time.
 
He was a brilliant strategic logistician.

He was very practical in his handling of Atlanta civilians.

The march from Atlanta to Savannah was an audible.

He came up with what we now refer to as "40 Acres and a Mule."

Now, I would love to, and  intended to, elaborate on each of these things, but my life is too busy right now. I may revisit this some time in the future, but if you would like to elaborate o n each of these things, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

Thanks! Onward and Upward! The Union Forever!


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