WI: President William T. Sherman

[Kerguelen]

During the year 1884, businessman and Civil War General, William Tecumesh Sherman was a curious figure in the world of politics. He was regarded by many as the hero of the Union and the scorn of the south prompting several abolitionists and radical republicans to wonder whether or not he would run for the party's nomination. However, the General absolutely refused to be drawn into politics prompting him to deliver a statement that would be quoted by many prominent politicians such as Richard Cheney, Paul Ryan, and Lyndon Baines Johnson, "If drafted, I will not run; if nominated, I will not accept; if elected, I will not serve." But what if he had decided to enter the political scene as an outsider, a firebreathing emancipationist, and a strong supporter of western expansion? Then what?

 

[David T]

The experience of the Grant administration had probably led voters to be wary of electing a president solely because of his status as a war hero. Note that Hancock lost in 1880, and that in 1884 voters chose a man who had hired a substitute during the war...

 

[TyranicusMaximus]

Well things can hardly get worse for the Plains Indians in this period, but if so, Sherman is the man to do it.

 

[Japhy]

The experience of the Grant administration had probably led voters to be wary of electing a president solely because of his status as a war hero. Note that Hancock lost in 1880, and that in 1884 voters chose a man who had hired a substitute during the war...

Hancock being a Collaborationist to the Redeemers played a bit if a role in it.

 

[Mikestone8]

During the year 1884, businessman and Civil War General, William Tecumesh Sherman was a curious figure in the world of politics. He was regarded by many as the hero of the Union and the scorn of the south prompting several abolitionists and radical republicans to wonder whether or not he would run for the party's nomination. However, the General absolutely refused to be drawn into politics prompting him to deliver a statement that would be quoted by many prominent politicians such as Richard Cheney, Paul Ryan, and Lyndon Baines Johnson, "If drafted, I will not run; if nominated, I will not accept; if elected, I will not serve." But what if he had decided to enter the political scene as an outsider, a firebreathing emancipationist, and a strong supporter of western expansion? Then what?

In 1884 it wouldn't have mattered if he was an emancipationist, firebreathing or otherwise - which I'm not at all sure that he was.

Reconstruction was well and truly dead by then, and neither he nor any other POTUS had the remotest chance of breathing life back into it..

 

[Old1812]

Just off the top of my head:
Grant is assassinated in early 1868 by a bitter ex-Confederate. The Republican Party decides to run a candidate who will be sure to teach the South a lesson. Perhaps Sherman feels he has a duty to his dead friend?

 

[606jae]

If Sherman becomes pres many in the south will want to try again but hopefully for every body cooler heads would prevail.

 

[thekingsguard]

Broke: Erecting statues of dead Confederates.

Woke: erecting giant statues of President Sherman that alternate between breathing fire and shouting "THE NORTH REMEMBERS".

 

[Mikestone8]

If Sherman becomes pres many in the south will want to try again but hopefully for every body cooler heads would prevail.

Would they need to try again? The terms he offered Johnston (before the government overruled him) don't suggest that the South had much to fear.

 

[Mike Stearns]

Would they need to try again? The terms he offered Johnston (before the government overruled him) don't suggest that the South had much to fear.

Yeah, I could see where they might want to. In TTL, the man put Atlanta to the torch is now President of the United States.

 

[Mikestone8]

Yeah, I could see where they might want to. In TTL, the man put Atlanta to the torch is now President of the United States.

What would be the point? They hadn't a hope in Hades of rebelling successfully, and remembering the Sherman-Johnston "Treaty" gives them cause to hope for lenient treatment under Sherman. Trying to start another revolt would just push him into the Radical camp, which would make no sense at all. .

 

[Deleted member 97083]

Well things can hardly get worse for the Plains Indians in this period, but if so, Sherman is the man to do it.

What could go wrong? Tecumseh is his middle name.

 

[dmg86]

Sherman was at least reluctant to use black soldiers during the war even after Lincoln asked him too.

 

[ShortsBelfast]

His brother is a much more likely alt-President than he is. The man utterly detested politics and stayed as well clear of them as possible.

 

[Mikestone8]

His brother is a much more likely alt-President than he is. The man utterly detested politics and stayed as well clear of them as possible.

And was only a heartbeat away from it at one point.

VP Hendricks died in Nov 1885, and John Sherman, Pres pro-tem of the Senate, was next in line from then until 1887. So if anything had happened to Cleveland - -

 

[Arnold d.c]

What could go wrong? Tecumseh is his middle name.

Sherman’s middle name is not an indication of his opinions of Native Americans.

During his tenure as commanding general, Sherman was outspoken in his belief that Indian policy should be set by the army and that the various tribes should be placed on reservations and forced to stay there. He believed that Indians had no right to prevent white expansion and that hostile Indians should be severely chastised. He also believed that in order to combat the Indians the military had to launch vigorous offensives against their villages and economic bases.

On the other hand, he spoke out against the way Native Americans were treated on reservations. His comment regarding wiping out the Sioux took place after the Fetterman Massacre; I really think that was more of Sherman's hyperbolic temper than an actual policy suggestion. He made a similar hyperbolic statement after hearing of some of Forrest's raids in the American Civil War.

 

[PuffyClouds]

If ever a Congressmen doesn't vote his way he will march into their office, take their fountain pens and then set their rug on fire.

 

[JErosion]

while he was non-practicing at this point in his life, he had been baptized as a Catholic when he married. Could he even get elected as a Catholic? Remember JFK was the first to get elected

 

[Mikestone8]

while he was non-practicing at this point in his life, he had been baptized as a Catholic when he married. Could he even get elected as a Catholic? Remember JFK was the first to get elected

A (nominal anyway) Catholic who is also a national hero. That could be interesting.

 

[Raferty]

while he was non-practicing at this point in his life, he had been baptized as a Catholic when he married. Could he even get elected as a Catholic? Remember JFK was the first to get elected

The Catholic issue was volatile, but the Democrats (and I am assuming Sherman runs as a Republican) could not run with it too far because their electoral strength in the North depended on Catholics. The Klan at this point was dormant, and they were really the ones who were able to motivate people to vote on that issue later on in the 1920s in areas like the Midwest.