▁E wing , ▁Jr . ▁and ▁Charles ▁E wing , ▁and ▁the ▁fost er ▁brother ▁and ▁brother - in - law ▁of ▁William ▁T . ▁Sh erman . ▁General ▁E wing ▁was ▁an ▁am bit ious , ▁liter ate , ▁and ▁er ud ite ▁officer ▁who ▁held ▁a ▁strong ▁sense ▁of ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁men ▁under ▁his ▁command . ▁He ▁combined ▁his ▁West ▁Point ▁experience ▁with ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁system ▁of ▁officer ▁election . ▁ ▁E wing ' s ▁w art ime ▁service ▁was ▁character ized ▁by ▁several ▁inc idents ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁a ▁unique ▁impact ▁on ▁history . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁his ▁political ▁connections ▁helped ▁save ▁the ▁reputation ▁of ▁his ▁brother - in - law , ▁William ▁T . ▁Sh erman , ▁who ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁north ' s ▁most ▁successful ▁gener als . ▁E wing ▁himself ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁Sh erman ' s ▁most ▁trust ed ▁sub ordinate . ▁His ▁campaign ing ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁near - ban ishment ▁of ▁Lorenzo ▁Thomas , ▁a ▁high - ran king ▁regular ▁army ▁officer ▁who ▁had ▁intr igu ed ▁against ▁Sh erman . ▁He ▁was ▁present ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Anti et am , ▁where ▁his ▁brig ade ▁saved ▁the ▁fl ank ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Army ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁day . ▁During ▁the ▁V icks burg ▁campaign , ▁E wing ▁accident ally ▁came ▁across ▁personal ▁correspond ence ▁from ▁Confeder ate ▁President ▁Jefferson ▁F . ▁Davis ▁to ▁former ▁President ▁Franklin ▁Pier ce ▁which ▁eventually ▁ru