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The Hiring Of General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick

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The hiring of General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick was the turning point in U.S. history during the Civil War because of his negative demeanor, participation in irresponsible activities, political ambition, exceptional ability to lead Soldiers, and unethical military tactics. Sherman would utilize these elements during the Savannah Campaign to create a psychological advantage that would ensure his victory. Major General William Tecumseh Sherman began a historical campaign through Savannah Georgia, eventually called “Sherman’s March to the Sea” during the winter of 1864. General Sherman chose an aggressive, reckless and politically motivated Soldier with a propensity for embellishment known as Hugh Judson Kilpatrick. Chosen to lead General Sherman’s Calvary division, which consisted of First and Second Brigade, Kilpatrick would become one of the most notorious and iconic figures in the American Civil War. 3
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick was born on a farm January 14, 1836, in Wantage Township, near Deckertown New Jersey. Kilpatrick was the youngest of four siblings birthed into a military family. His father Colonel Simon Kilpatrick was very influential and instrumental in being a catalyst in Kilpatrick’s quest to become an Armed Forces Service Member. Kilpatrick grew up in a privileged environment and matured with an outlook of the world that was different from his siblings because of his admiration of his father. As a child, he would imagine he was Charles the Great,

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