I think the more likely scenario is that you have simply encountered a civil war buff.

And like most all other civil war buffs, they’ve seen plenty of pictures of generals, certainly enough to know what they look like.

To me, Sherman has always sort of stood out for having a fairly modern look. Like…if dressed in normal clothes for 2024, his hair and overall appearance wouldn’t seem especially out of place or anachronistic. This as opposed to say, Longstreet or Stuart with their enormous beards, or Burnside with his…well…sideburns.