Station Two

2. South East Wall

Coming up the sidewalk is Information on Fort Duffield, the Officers of Fort Duffield. General Sherman, whose Headquarters was in West Point.  A photo of Abraham Lincoln. General William Tecumseh Sherman

Sherman’s headquarters in West Point, Kentucky—not to be confused with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York—was located in a historic home known as the Judge Fisher House, built in 1845. This site served as Sherman’s command post in 1861, during the early stages of the Civil War.

Sherman's Headquarters in West Point, KY

  Location: Intersection of Elm Street and North 4th Street, West Point, Hardin County, Kentucky

  Historical Significance: Used by Sherman while commanding Union troops in the region

 Structure: A private residence built in 1845, now marked by a historical plaque

 Marker Inscription: Notes Sherman’s use of the house as HQ and its Civil War relevance

This site is part of a cluster of Civil War-era landmarks in West Point, including the Ditto-Lansdale House (used as a hospital) and the Salt Warehouse, which supported Union logistics.

Civil War Leadership

Lincoln’s presidency was defined by the Civil War. He:

Preserved the Union against secessionist Confederate states.

Issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, reframing the war as a fight against slavery.

Delivered the Gettysburg Address, a brief but powerful speech that redefined American ideals.

Promoted the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery in the U.S..

Assassination and Legacy

On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre and died the next morning1. His death shocked a nation already weary from war. He is remembered as one of the greatest U.S. presidents for his moral clarity, leadership, and empathy

Military Career

• Graduated from West Point in 1840

• Served in the Second Seminole War, but missed combat in the Mexican-American War

• Resigned from the Army in 1853 to pursue banking and education, including a stint as superintendent of what is now Louisiana State University

Civil War Legacy

Sherman rejoined the Union Army in 1861 and quickly rose through the ranks:

Campaign Description

Battle of Shiloh Fought under Grant; wounded but proved his resilience

Vicksburg Campaign Helped secure control of the Mississippi River

Atlanta Campaign Captured Atlanta, a major Confederate stronghold

March to the Sea                   Infamous scorched-earth march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia

Carolinas Campaign            Continued destruction through the Carolinas, hastening Confederate collapse

Sherman’s tactics—especially his “total war” philosophy—were designed to break the South’s will to fight by targeting infrastructure, industry, and civilian morale. Though effective, they earned him lasting resentment in the South.

 Postwar Influence

• Served as Commanding General of the U.S. Army (1869–1883)

• Declined multiple offers to run for president, famously saying: “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.”

• Authored a widely read memoir that shaped public understanding of the war

Sherman died on February 14, 1891, in New York City and is buried in St. Louis, Missouri

Colonel William Ward Duffield was a pivotal figure in Michigan’s Civil War history—engineer, soldier, and later superintendent of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. 

Early Service: Duffield first served in the Mexican American War as adjutant of the 2nd Tennessee Infantry and later on General Gideon Pillow’s staff.

Civil War Role:

Initially joined the 4th Michigan Infantry as lieutenant colonel and fought at First Bull Run.

In October 1861, he became colonel of the 9th Michigan Infantry, leading its construction of Fort Duffield in West Point, Kentucky.

Appointed acting brigadier general in April 1862, though the Senate never confirmed the rank.

Served briefly as military governor of Kentucky in May 1862.

Battle of Murfreesboro (July 13, 1862):

Arrived with the 9th Michigan just before Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked.

Duffield was wounded twice—once in the thigh and once in the groin—and captured during the battle.

He was released after a lengthy recovery and did not return to field command.

  Postwar Life

After the war, Duffield managed coal mines in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Kentucky, and worked as a railroad surveyor. In 1894, he was appointed Superintendent of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, serving until 1897.

He passed away in 1907 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 3.

Major Engagements:

Spotsylvania Court House (wounded, May 12, 1864)

Battle of the Crater (July 30, 1864)

Fort Pegram / Poplar Springs Church (wounded and captured again, September 30, 1864)

Final Rank: On March 13, 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers for “faithful and meritorious services during the war”.

 Postwar Contributions

After the war, DeLand returned to Michigan and became a newspaper editor in Saginaw. He also compiled the History of Jackson County in 1903, which remains a respected local reference. He passed away in Jackson, Michigan, on September 21, 1903, and is buried at Mount Evergreen Cemetery