Sherman's neckties
Encyclopedia
Sherman's neckties were a phenomenon of the American Civil War
. Named after Maj. Gen.
William Tecumseh Sherman
of the Union Army
, Sherman's neckties were railway rails destroyed by heating them until they were malleable and twisting them into loops resembling necktie
s, often around trees. Since the Confederacy
had limited supplies of iron, and few foundries to roll the rails, this destruction was very difficult to repair. They were also called Sherman's bow ties, Sherman's hairpins or Jeff Davis hairpins.
The neckties were created in accordance with an explicit order from Sherman in his Atlanta Campaign
, dated July 18, 1864:
After three days, only one Confederate railroad line leading into Atlanta remained intact. Not all rail destruction followed Sherman's order; in May 1863, Arthur Fremantle
wrote in his diary that near Jackson, Mississippi
, he saw piles of bent rails on cold embers, but does not say they were twisted.
Sherman's neckties were also a feature of Sherman's March to the Sea
, a campaign designed to bring total war
, serious destruction, to the Confederate States of America. Sherman implemented "scorched earth
" policies; he and Union Army commander Lt. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant
believed that the Civil War would end only if the Confederacy's strategic, economic, and psychological capacities for warfare were decisively broken.
In the early days of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
of late 1864, the Confederates employed similar tactics against Sherman's supply line, the Western and Atlantic Railroad
from Chattanooga
to Atlanta. The rails deformed by fire were known to the soldiers of the Army of Tennessee
as "Old Mrs. Lincoln's
Hair Pins."
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Named after Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, Sherman's neckties were railway rails destroyed by heating them until they were malleable and twisting them into loops resembling necktie
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
s, often around trees. Since the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
had limited supplies of iron, and few foundries to roll the rails, this destruction was very difficult to repair. They were also called Sherman's bow ties, Sherman's hairpins or Jeff Davis hairpins.
The neckties were created in accordance with an explicit order from Sherman in his Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, dated July 18, 1864:
After three days, only one Confederate railroad line leading into Atlanta remained intact. Not all rail destruction followed Sherman's order; in May 1863, Arthur Fremantle
Arthur Fremantle
General Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, GCMG, CB was a British soldier, a member of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards, and a notable British witness to the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War...
wrote in his diary that near Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, he saw piles of bent rails on cold embers, but does not say they were twisted.
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
, a campaign designed to bring total war
Total war
Total war is a war in which a belligerent engages in the complete mobilization of fully available resources and population.In the mid-19th century, "total war" was identified by scholars as a separate class of warfare...
, serious destruction, to the Confederate States of America. Sherman implemented "scorched earth
Scorched earth
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
" policies; he and Union Army commander Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
believed that the Civil War would end only if the Confederacy's strategic, economic, and psychological capacities for warfare were decisively broken.
In the early days of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Franklin-Nashville Campaign
The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt....
of late 1864, the Confederates employed similar tactics against Sherman's supply line, the Western and Atlantic Railroad
Western and Atlantic Railroad
The Western and Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia' is a historic railroad that operated in the southeastern United States from Atlanta, Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee....
from Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
to Atlanta. The rails deformed by fire were known to the soldiers of the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
as "Old Mrs. Lincoln's
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
Hair Pins."