Did the Necromancer practice necromancy?

[Bill Ferny]

I did some research on this issue in connection with a thread on the uruk-hai where I went off on a rather silly conjecture. What I found is that there is very little in the Tolkien cannon that explains what was meant by calling Sauron "The Necromancer."

I suppose it would depend on how one would define necromancer. Webster's dictionary had a definition very similar to the ones above, divination by means of pretended communication with the dead. However, I do think “pretended” was a bit presumptuous of Webster’s. I know the modern role-playing community would more than likely see necromancy as more along the lines of animating the dead (which probably has some historical or mythical basis, though I’m too lazy to look it up). The problem is, no where do I find Tolkien defining what he thought necromancy was. I admit, I do not own the letters, so there might be something there.