William Crawford Sherrod (August 17, 1835 – March 24, 1919)[1] was an American politician and Confederate officer from Alabama.

Sherrod nevertheless served in the Confederate Army in the cavalry, as a Colonel under the command of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

[1] After the conclusion of the American Civil War, he served in the United States Congress in the House (1869–1871).

Mr. Douglas was the foremost candidate before the convention for the presidency -- he advocated the doctrine of "Squatter Sovereignty," with which I entirely agreed and endorsed Mr. Douglas' candidacy, but could do him but little good, as I believed that a state convention had a right to instruct its delegates, which instructions I obeyed to the letter.

"The delegates failing to get a plank endorsing the Alabama views, agreed to by the Committee on Platforms, withdrew, I think it was on the 23rd day of April, from the convention.

I had no idea at any time of separating myself from the South, preferring to be with them believing them to be wrong than to be with the Northern army knowing it to be right.

[3] In his Congressional record, we find that the Southern Pacific Railroad bill was turned over to him after it had been abandoned by all others, and that it was placed in his hands at the special request of Gen. Freemont.

Col. Sherrod knew almost intimately every leading man in the 41st Congress and was upon terms of amity with them without regard to politics.

To his credit, it may be said that he had at all times labored to promote and rebuild the country, and that he participated not in political discussions.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress