The depleted Confederate forces in the South were able to offer little resistance to the Union army as it cut a swath of destruction across Georgia during Sherman's March to the Sea. As Sherman's men pushed southeast, they systematically destroyed all manufacturing plants, agricultural infrastructure, and railroads they encountered. Known as "bummers," foragers from the army became a common sight along its route of march. Consulting with Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, the two men agreed that it would be necessary to destroy the South's economic and psychological will to resist if the war was to be won. Sherman's March to the Sea (also known as the Savannah Campaign or simply Sherman's March) was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 until December 21, 1864, by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army.The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta on November 15 and ended with the capture … Confederacy. This source gives insight into the context of the March to the Sea. Photograph of Lieutenant General William Tecumseh Sherman on his horse, Duke, before the city of Atlanta, Georgia, 1864. https://ohiohistorycentral.org/index.php?title=Sherman%27s_March_to_the_Sea&oldid=32427. . President Hayes is coming to Dodge City accompanied by General Sherman during an election stop. With Anne J. Bailey, Thomas Y. Cartwright, Matthew Davis, Dale Dye. In this video, we ask how bad was it? Sherman’s March to the Sea devastated Georgia and the Confederacy. With the city secured, Sherman telegraphed President Abraham Lincoln with the message, "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the City of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty guns and plenty of ammunition, also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton." To break the will of the Confederate population, Sherman proposed a March to the Sea. Had nick names like- Cump, Uncle Billy (by his troops) Born on February 8, 1820 He was from Lancaster, Ohio, U.S. Died on February 14, 1891 (aged 71) He died im New York City, New York, U.S. to the Sea, the most destructive campaign against a civilian population during the Civil War (1861-65), began in Atlanta on November 15, 1864, and concluded in Savannah on December 21, 1864. You don't have a CLUE what Sherman's March to the Sea even WAS... do you.? So on Nov. 15, 1864, Sherman’s army set out from Atlanta on its infamous March to the Sea, cutting a swath of destruction toward Savannah on the coast. Falling back, he was reinforced and was able to halt Wheeler's advance. In his report of the march to the sea, Sherman declared that he had destroyed the railroads for more than 100 miles, and had consumed the corn and fodder in the region of country 30 miles on either side of a line from Atlanta to Savannah, as also the sweet potatoes, cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry, and carried away more than 10,000 horses and mules, as well as a countless number of slaves. History >> Civil War General Sherman's march through the state of Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah was one of the most devastating blows to the South in the American Civil War. Presenting his plan to Grant, Sherman received approval and began making preparations to depart Atlanta on November 15, 1864. So on Nov. 15, 1864, Sherman’s army set out from Atlanta on its infamous March to the Sea, cutting a swath of destruction toward Savannah on the coast. His forces followed a "scorched earth" policy, destroying military targets as … What did the March accomplish? What did Sherman send to Lincoln, when he got to Savannah? Arriving outside Savannah on December 10, Sherman found that Hardee had flooded the fields outside the city which limited access to a few causeways. This ended the war for Tennessee and Hood’s career. Sherman swore to “make Georgia howl,” and in his Special Field Order No. Sherman's march to the sea. This is a well-rounded, comprehensive book documenting Sherman’s march to the sea, including the capture of Savannah, told from the perspective of participants on both sides, including civilians. He captured Savannah, 285 miles (460 km) from Atlanta, on December 21. sherman's march to the sea who won The March to the Sea began on November 15, 1864, and saw Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman devastate Georgia before capturing Savannah., Letter, Sherman to Henry W. Halleck, December 24, 1864. During the march, Sherman's forces would cut loose from their supply lines and would live off the land. Ohioan William Tecumseh Sherman, a general in the Union army during the American Civil War, is best known for his March to the Sea. Sherman's March to the Sea (also known as the Savannah Campaign or simply Sherman's March) was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 until December 21, 1864, by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army. Sherman left behind his supply train. They surrendered and Sherman had a victory. Sherman's March to the Sea. Sherman realized that the Confederate civilian population provided most of the supplies that Confederate forces needed to wage war against the Union. In addition to the economic damage, it was thought that Sherman's movement would increase pressure on General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and allow Grant to gain a victory in the Siege of Petersburg. Smith on November 30, Hatch moved to attack. Which side won? As Sherman advanced to the sea, Thomas' men destroyed Hood's army at the Battles of Franklin and Nashville. A) The South was relieved that the war was finally coming to a close. Sherman's march to the sea during the civil war, a devastating total war military campaign, led by union general William Tecumseh Sherman, that involved marching 60,000 union troops through Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah and destroying everything along there way. Hayle Baker 7th hour Who Won and Why? How Union Army Major General William Tecumseh Sherman led a force of 60.000 infantry and 5500 Union Calvary on a punitive march, known as Sherman's March to the Sea, through the Confederacy in late 1964 to … When and where did the Sherman’s March to the Sea take place? So in December 25, 1864 Sherman's March to the Sea … His vision of hard war brought the Confederacy to its knees, but forestalled thousands of battlefield and civilian deaths. Sherman was a believer in total war. Sherman's use of total war helped the Union win the American Civil War. Despite these reinforcements, he seldom possessed more than 13,000 men. On November 15, 1864, during the Civil War, U.S. forces under Gen. William T. Sherman set out from Atlanta on the March to the Sea, a military campaign designed to destroy the Confederacy's ability to wage war and break the will of its people to . While some Confederates remained committed to the struggle, other Confederates began to doubt the Confederacy's chance for victory over the Union. Lincoln won 212 electoral votes to McClellan’s 21. ; Veteran Who Won Fame on Historic "March to the Sea" Dies. Despite this important Union victory, the Confederate government and many of its citizens remained committed to the war effort. The March to the Sea has come down to us as an act of savage brutality perpetrated by one of the great villains of American history. Through the course of the campaign, Hardee was able to utilize those troops still in Georgia as well as those brought in from Florida and the Carolinas. In 1864, General William T. Sherman began his Atlanta campaign. History >> Civil War General Sherman's march through the state of Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah was one of the most devastating blows to the South in the American Civil War. General Grant arranged two campaigns for the year 1864. Sherman's men successfully occupied Savannah in mid-December 1864. Pictures Sherman's March to the Sea Quote from the Battle "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the City of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty guns and plenty of ammunition, also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton." The Union would be the answer. Hood’s March into Tennessee. It is estimated that during the six-week March to the Sea fewer than 3,000 casualties resulted. Directed by Eddie Davis. The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta on November 15 and ended with the capture of the port of Savannah on December 21. General Ulysses S. Grant and President Abraham Lincoln opposed this plan at first, but Sherman convinced them of its importance. At the former, Kilpatrick was surprised and nearly captured. The U.S. National Archives / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. The use of total war achieved Sherman's desired effect. His success assured Lincoln's re-election in 1864. H5b Explain Georgia's role in the Civil War; include the Union blockade of Georgia's coast, the Emancipation Proclamation, Chickamuga, Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, Sherman's March to the Sea… Sherman's March to the Sea Analyzing the Ethics of Sherman's Military Strategies A portrait of Ulysses S. Grant and his generals, including William Tecumseh Sherman. How should the actions of these men be remembered and judged? The following morning, the mayor of Savannah formally surrendered the city to Sherman. Sherman swore to “make Georgia howl,” and in his Special Field Order No. This, he thought, would force Sherman to turn around and go after Hood, lest his supply line be broken. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. On September 1, 1864, Sherman and his army captured Atlanta, Georgia, an important transportation center in the Confederacy. Sherman's March To The Sea was the ending event for the Union to beat the Confederacy. 1 After the war, critiques of military actions by the North and South often focused on leaders' controversial decisions. Minimal. Background In the wake of his successful campaign to capture Atlanta, Major General William T. Sherman began making plans for a march against Savannah. His soldiers commonly requisitioned all of the provisions that they could find from the civilian population. . Sherman left Atlanta with his sixty-two-thousand-man army on November 15, 1864. Shermans March to the Sea . Major General William T. Sherman's personal escort on the Sherman's March to the Sea was the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, a unit made up entirely of Southerners who remained loyal to the Union. That very day an additional 500 were transferred to Savannah lowering the prison's population even further. Food that the men could not eat or carry away generally was burned. With Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's march, ... and went into enemy territory to destroy many different outposts in the South towards their win. Unwilling to give in, Hardee escaped with his command over the Savannah River on December 20 using an improvised pontoon bridge. One of the most infamous campaigns of the Civil War was William Tecumseh Sherman's march through Georgia to the Sea. William T. To the north, Slocum's two corps moved east then southeast towards the state capital at Milledgeville. Each battle or city is marked with a date. C) The South gave their slaves their freedom and enlisted them to fight against the North. How should the actions of these men be remembered and judged? November 16, 1864 - General Sherman's Army of Georgia begins the "March to the Sea" November 30, 1864- Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Sherman's march to the sea was followed by a similarly devastating march through the Carolinas early in 1865, but the message to the South was clear. Former Southern Brigadier General Clement A. Evans asserted, for example, that there was no force available to obstruct Shermans soldiers. Union Major Generals William Tecumseh Sherman and James B. McPherson successfully defended against a Confederate offensive from Lieutenant General John Bell Hood on the eastern outskirts of Atlanta. Hood proposed to march his army around Sherman’s and get in his rear. To accomplish this, Sherman intended to conduct a campaign designed to eliminate any resources that could be used by Confederate forces. To speed the defeat of the Confederacy, Union forces needed to prevent Southern civilians from supplying their armies. It shows the movement Sherman's troops from Chattanooga through Atlanta to Savannah. He said that the Union military was "not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war." With Gene Barry, John Gallaudet, Robert Stevenson, Michael Whalen. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, A Christmas Present for President Lincoln, American Civil War: Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest, American Civil War: Major General George H. Thomas, American Civil War: Battle of Peachtree Creek. William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. There was almost no opposition. A common technique for wrecking the latter was heating railroad rails over fires and twisting them around trees. Award-winning Civil War historian Noah Andre Trudeau has written a gripping, definitive new account that will stand as the last word on General William Tecumseh Sherman's epic march—a targeted strategy aimed to break not only the Confederate army but an entire society as well. This helped Lincoln get re-elected. during the civil war, a devastating total war military campaign, led by union general William Tecumseh Sherman, that involved marching 60,000 union troops through Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah and destroying everything along there way. 120 he laid out the rules of destruction and conduct for the march. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. They also destroyed a number of homes along the way. Sherman captured Meridian, Mississippi, inflicting heavy damage to it. Lincoln won all but 3 Union states (KY, NJ, and DE). Initially moving south, Howard's men pushed Confederate troops out of Lovejoy's Station before pressing on towards Macon. A turning point in the Civil War came 150 years ago this week, when Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman left the smoking ruins of Atlanta and launched his scorching March to the Sea… Then, on November 15, he commenced his great March to the Sea with 62,000 men, laying waste to the economic resources of Georgia in a 50-mile- (80-km-) wide swath of destruction. Otherwise it essentially needed to be completely defeated bit by bit. William Sherman general of the union in the battle of Sherman's March to the sea destroyed all of Confederacy's resources and they eventually gave up. This was the importance of Sherman's March To The Sea. Hood, with 40,000 men, marched toward Nashville. But instead, just days after the election, Sherman took his men on one of the ambitious and risky campaigns of the war, cutting loose from his supply line to cut a sixty-mile swath through to the sea. Sherman's March to the Sea took place from November 15 to December 22, 1864, during the American Civil War. Sherman was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on February 8, 1820, and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1840. The South. Sherman took Thomas’s Army of the Cumberland (the most advanced army of the world at that time) away from him for what was later called Sherman’s “cakewalk to the sea.” Then Thomas was sent to Nashville to deal with Hood who had easily escaped Sherman after being defeated at the battles of Atlanta. He proposed leaving nearly sixty thousand men behind in northern Georgia and Tennessee to deal with Confederate soldiers under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and General John Bell Hood. Directed by Eddie Davis. The following spring, Sherman launched his final campaign of the war north into the Carolinas, before finally receiving the surrender of General Joseph Johnston on April 26, 1865. STRONGEST MAN WITH SHERMAN. There were approximately 3,100 casualties, 2,100 of which were Union soldiers, and the countryside took years to recover. Sherman’s March to the Sea Major General William Tecumseh Sherman was a contradiction embodied. Departing Atlanta by different routes, the Howard and Slocum's columns attempted to confuse Hardee as to their ultimate objective with Macon, Augusta, or Savannah as possible destinations. Sherman had rested in Atlanta until after the election, but once Lincoln had won, Sherman torched the city and headed for the coast. Not only did he take control of Atlanta, a major railroad hub, and Savannah, a major sea port, but he laid the land between Atlanta and Savannah to waste, destroying all that was in his path. Sherman’s 60,000 remaining men began a 285-mile march to the coast on November 15. The initial assault was halted by Brigadier General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick's cavalry which in turn counterattacked. Sherman was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on February 8, 1820, and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1840. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. In the fighting that followed, Union infantry inflicted a severe defeat on the Confederates. The Marshal will protect Hayes but he asking Bat to become a deputy to protect General Sherman in a town full of southern cowboys who hate him. During the remainder of November and in early December, numerous minor battles were fought, such as Buck Head Creek and Waynesboro, as Sherman's men pushed relentlessly on towards Savannah. . To oppose Sherman's 62,000 men, Lieutenant General William J. 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