Chris Evans will be portraying General Sherman on June 19, 1999
for the commemoration at present-day Orchard Lake St. Mary's

Most authors have first attributed Sherman's statement, "War is Hell" to his presentation at the Ohio State Fair in 1880.  The following account was published in the History of Oakland County regarding Sherman's address to the cadets of the M.M.A.

Eyewitness, Dr. Charles O. Brown, said that , 'the reason the reporters missed the famous statement, and later denied that it had been made, was that the reporters rushed away as soon as Sherman started reading his long, technical speech. But before he sat down, the General suddenly said, ‘Cadets of the graduating class’ – the students arose and saluted – and then changed it to ‘Boys,’ making this statement: ‘I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here.

‘Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is hell!’ The reporters had missed the biggest story of the day. Brown, seated alongside Sherman, wrote down the speech verbatim." The Enquirer and News (Battle Creek) 18 November, 1933.