William Tecumseh Sherman was a Union Army leader in the Civil War who was instrumental in the Union’s victory against the Confederacy. He was born on February 8, 1820, and was from an esteemed family in Ohio. His father died when he was 9 years old, leaving him to be raised by Senator Thomas Ewing, who was a close family friend (via Biography). At 16 years old, Sherman was sent to West Point military academy where he excelled in his academics and graduated sixth in his class. Sherman’s first few years in the military saw little action, and instead of serving in the frontlines, he worked as an executive officer in California. That was when he helped initiate the Gold Rush.

John Sutter was one of the early settlers in California. In 1848, he found gold on the land he owned, and he sent two of his men to Governor Richard Barnes Mason to share his discovery. Sherman was present at Governor Mason’s office when the two men appeared bearing with them what they claimed was gold. According to San Francisco Museum, the governor asked Sherman what he thought about the metals, and he said that they could be tested to see if they were, indeed, gold.

William Tecumseh Sherman and the Gold Rush

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