He and the Union Army's commander, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, believed that the Civil War would come to an end only if the Confederacy's strategic capacity for warfare could be decisively broken. In 2008 he took over as the executive director and managing editor of the Ulysses S. Grant Association. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. He organized relief for the flood of refugees that had inundated the city. All Rights Reserved. The Confederacy suffered only 70 losses to the Unions 100, with Kilpatrick himself narrowly escaping capture. Abilene, TX: McWhiney Foundation Press, 2005. Several small actions followed. The two wings of the army attempted to confuse and deceive the enemy about their destinations; the Confederates could not tell from the initial movements whether Sherman would march on Macon, Augusta, or Savannah. Confederacy's economy and transportation networks, Western Theater of the American Civil War, "Savannah Campaign Union order of battle", "Effective strength of the army in the field under Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, November and December, 1864", "Abstract from return of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, Lieut. Letter, Sherman to Henry W. Halleck, December 24, 1864. Operating under varying degrees of supervision, their exploits formed the foundation of Shermans lasting reputation. In the spring of 1864, Union Lieut. 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 William Tecumseh Sherman, major general of the Union Army.The campaign began on November 15 with Sherman's troops leaving Atlanta, recently taken by Union forces, and ended with the . Shermans March to the Sea started in Atlanta and ended in the coastal town of Savannah, Georgia. This December marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War's surrender of Savannah, where in 1864 Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman ended his infamous March to the Sea. After the shooting had stopped, the Union troops discovered, to their horror, that their attackers had been old men and young boys and wondered at the futility of the Confederate cause. The Yankees were not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people, Sherman explained; as a result, they needed to make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war., General Shermans troops captured Atlanta on September 2, 1864. It is estimated that during the six-week March to the Sea fewer than 3,000 casualties resulted. Although Shermans army had systematically destroyed Atlantas war-making potential, and had used artillery to bombard the city before taking it, 400 houses were still standing when he left. Sung from the point of view of a Union soldier, the lyrics detail the freeing of slaves and punishing the Confederacy for starting the war. "[36] David J. Eicher wrote that "Sherman had accomplished an amazing task. Shermans March to the Sea, (November 15December 21, 1864) American Civil War campaign that concluded Union operations in the Confederate state of Georgia. On it was Byers' poem. Sherman's march to the sea definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. For this reason, he divided his expeditionary force into two infantry groups. However, a turn eastward convinced him that Augusta was the target. Hundreds of African Americans drowned trying to cross in Ebenezer Creek north of Savannah while attempting to follow Sherman's Army in its March to the Sea. Major General William Tecumseh Sherman was a contradiction embodied. General Sherman finally gained control of the city of Atlanta on September 2, 1864. Union military campaign led by William T. Sherman from November 15-December 25, 1864 with Savannah being the ultimate objective; more importantly Sherman used a "scorched earth" policy to end the South's will to fight. Infrastructure. "Forage Liberally: The Role of Agriculture in Sherman's March to the Sea." Welch, Robert Christopher. The destruction of Georgia displayed the unfettered might of the Union war machine. There was glory to die in Picketts Charge at Gettysburg, but only humiliation to have ones barn burned, silverware taken, house damaged or destroyed, or horses added to the enemy cavalry. As one Georgia woman wrote in her diary: like Demons they rush in! 15. "[15] After his surrender to Sherman, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston said of Sherman's men that "there has been no such army since the days of Julius Caesar. Negroes who are able-bodied and can be of service to the several columns may be taken along, but each army commander will bear in mind that the question of supplies is a very important one and that his first duty is to see to them who bear arms Sherman, commanding the Military Division of the Mississippi, did not employ his entire army group in the campaign. 39 Joseph T. Glatthaar's The March to the Sea and Beyond focuses specifically on the experiences of Sherman's soldiers. Although beef cattle trudged along with his army, and he had his men fill their haversacks with food before they left, he knew that they could live off the Georgia land. The . Many, many thanks for your Christmas gift, the capture of Savannah. To sustain it, we must war upon and destroy the organized rebel forces,must cut off their supplies, destroy their communicationsand produce among the people of Georgia a thorough conviction of the personal misery which attends war, and the utter helplessness and inability of their rulers to protect themIf that terror and grief and even want shall help to paralyze their husbands and fathers who are fighting usit is mercy in the end.. What were the effects of Shermans March to the Sea? Behind us lay Atlanta, smouldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in air, and hanging like a pall over the ruined city. At the same time, Slocum's left wing approached the state capital at Milledgeville, prompting the hasty departure of Governor Joseph Brown and the state legislature. Accordingly, on November 19, he dispatched Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheelers cavalry corps and some local militiamen to slow the Unions right flank. As the marching Federals progressed, they attracted a growing throng of ex-slaves, who greeted them as emancipators. Wheeler and some infantry struck in a rearguard action at Ball's Ferry on November 24 and November 25. The mayor of Savannah formally surrendered the city on December 21, 1864. The following is an excerpt from those orders: IV. Not realizing that these Federals had repeating rifles and were dug in, temporary commander Phillips ordered his motley force to attack, and they were ripped to pieces by the Federals. At the Battle of Buck Head Creek on November 28, Kilpatrick was surprised and nearly captured, but the 5th Ohio Cavalry halted Wheeler's advance, and Wheeler was later stopped decisively by Union barricades at Reynolds's Plantation. The infantry brigade of Brig. Sherman's . The only real combat of the March took place on November 22, near Griswoldville. Hoods new strategy was to recoup before striking north at Union-occupied Nashville, Tennessee. Though he had his reservations about the plan, Grant gave his official approval on November 7. The Army was on its best behavior, in part because anyone caught doing "unsoldier like deeds" was to be summarily executed. Those Confederate troops blocking Shermans way were few and weak. Arnold presented him with the key to the city, and Sherman's men, led by Geary's division of the XX Corps, occupied the city the same day. after earning a reputation at Shiloh and earning key victories in Vicksburg, promoted to . Railroads doubled as a conduit for industrial growth and transportation for the military. In 1870, five years after the wars end, the Souths overall agricultural output was 28 percent of the nations total output, some 10 percent below prewar levels. After seizing Atlanta, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman embarked on a scorched-earth campaign intended to cripple the Souths war-making capacity and wound the Confederate psyche. Kilpatrick abandoned his plans to destroy the railroad bridge and he also learned that the prisoners had been moved from Camp Lawton, so he rejoined the army at Louisville. However, some men, called bummers, roamed the countryside to intentionally terrorize and loot Confederate civilians. Confederate forces were not stationary, however. With the Georgia state legislature having quit the capital, Union troops held a mock legislative session and voted to repeal Georgias ordinance of secession. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant conferred with his generals in order to devise a strategy to bring the Confederate war machine to its knees. Certainly, Sherman practiced destructive war, but he did not do it out of personal cruelty. Determined not to lay a siege unless absolutely necessary, Sherman ordered 4,000 men from the XV Corps to seize Fort McCallister, a crucial element of the citys southern defense. Not only does it afford the obvious and immediate military advantages, but, in showing to the world that your army could be divided, putting the stronger part to an important new service, and yet leaving enough to vanquish the old opposing force of the whole Hoods army it brings those who sat in darkness to see a great light. As the army would be out of touch with the North throughout the campaign, Sherman gave explicit orders, Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. For Shermans part, he made immediate contact with the U.S. Navy before sending the following telegram to Pres. Not only was Shermans army vastly larger and superior to the Confederate military, but he also outmaneuvered the few Confederate forces and kept them uncertain about his destination. Compared to the 51,000 killed, wounded and missing at Gettysburg in the three days of fighting there or the 24,000 in the two days at Shiloh, the month-long March to the Sea was nearly bloodless. Confederate political and military leaders Gov. Sherman had completely uprooted his army and marched it unassisted through enemy territory. Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of "John Brown's Body"; the men caught up the strain, and never before or since have I heard the chorus of "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" The poem would go on to lend its name to Sherman's campaign, and a version set to music became an instant hit with Sherman's Army and later the public. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Subsequent historians have objected to the comparison, arguing that Sherman's tactics were not as severe or indiscriminate. To regular foraging parties must be intrusted the gathering of provisions and forage at any distance from the road traveled. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. We are not only fighting armies, but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war, as well as their organized armies. Should you entertain the proposition, I am prepared to grant liberal terms to the inhabitants and garrison; but should I be forced to resort to assault, or the slower and surer process of starvation, I shall then feel justified in resorting to the harshest measures, and shall make little effort to restrain my armyburning to avenge the national wrong which they attach to Savannah and other large cities which have been so prominent in dragging our country into civil war. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Maj. Gen. John G. Foster dispatched 5,500 men and 10 guns under Brig. Barns, gardens and farms were overrun. Geary telegraphed Sherman, who advised him to accept the offer. Sometimes the slaves would volunteer information, and other times the foragers would force it out of them. Shermans total war in Georgia was brutal and destructive, but it did just what it was supposed to do: it hurt Southern morale, made it impossible for the Confederates to fight at full capacity and likely hastened the end of the war. In escaping Savannah, several Confederate generals left their wives and children to Shermans personal protection, and he took this responsibility seriously, despite laughing that Confederates were willing to leave their families in the care of someone they considered a brute. After the war, Cox applies those same attributes to his books, Sherman's Battle for Atlanta and Sherman's March to the Sea, two volumes in the landmark series Campaigns of the Civil War. The campaign was designed by Grant and Sherman to be similar to Grant's innovative and successful Vicksburg campaign and Sherman's Meridian campaign, in that Sherman's armies would reduce their need for traditional supply lines by "living off the land" after consuming their 20 days of rations. They jumped into the water, frantically trying to swim across and evade Wheeler. Wheelers 3,500 man Confederate cavalry tried to hinder Shermans army, but Brig. (The 10,000 Confederates who were supposed to be guarding it had already fled.) The death count on November 15, 1864 stood at around 12,100. (Since Atlanta, South Carolinian Mary Boykin Chestnut wrote in her diary, I have felt as ifwe are going to be wiped off the earth.). Updated: October 4, 2018 | Original: February 22, 2010, From November 15 until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. Sherman estimated a total Confederate economic loss of $100 million (more than $1.5 billion in the 21st century) in his official campaign report. No doubt many acts of pillage, robbery, and violence were committed by these parties of foragers , Sherman acknowledged, but maintained that their crimes were generally against property, not individuals. Away off in the distance, on the McDonough road, was the rear of Howard's column, the gun-barrels glistening in the sun, the white-topped wagons stretching away to the south; and right before us the Fourteenth Corps, marching steadily and rapidly, with a cheery look and swinging pace, that made light of the thousand miles that lay between us and Richmond. Together with Shermans Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea may have tipped the scales of victory toward the Union. Gen. Judson Kilpatricks 5,000 Union horse soldiers cleared it out of the way. Shermans March to the Sea, coupled with his Atlanta Campaign, may have tipped the scales of victory toward the Union in the Civil War. Dozens drowned, and Wheeler captured many of those who lived. Less than six months later Gen. Robert E. Lee would surrender to the Union at Appomattox Court House and bring a formal end to the American Civil War. I never heard of any cases of murder or rape. Indeed relatively few charges of rape were made, and military medical records showed little sexual disease. When Sherman began his March to the Sea on November 15, 1864, there were less than 200 prisoners in the stockade and less than 2,000 in the hospital. Sherman successfully fought a psychological war of destruction. Union troops burned it to the ground. On December 21 Savannahs mayor formally surrendered the city to the Union. [19] Still, Grant trusted Sherman's assessment and on November 2, 1864, he sent Sherman a telegram stating simply, "Go as you propose. Union general William T. Sherman abandoned his supply line and marched across Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean to prove to the Confederate . HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. The second objective of the campaign was more traditional. Sherman recounted in his memoirs the scene when he left at 7 am the following day: We rode out of Atlanta by the Decatur road, filled by the marching troops and wagons of the Fourteenth Corps; and reaching the hill, just outside of the old rebel works, we naturally paused to look back upon the scenes of our past battles. Historians consider the march and the psychological warfare it waged to be an early example of total war. Union troops arrived outside the fort on December 13. On November 15 th, 1864 Union General William Tecumseh Sherman marched his army of 60,000 troops out of the burning city of Atlanta, Georgia to embark upon a military campaign that stretched 300 miles to Savannah, leaving utter destruction in their wake. Updates? Atlanta smoldered in his rear. Well known to Sherman from his study of the 1860 census, Georgias fertile soil still held potential to feed the ravenous Confederacy. As the main columns had been marching all day, organized soldiers and others fanned out in all directions, looking for food and booty. Sherman's famed March to the Sea began in November 15, 1864, when Federal forces began leaving Atlanta. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). To Confederate bewilderment, he bypassed Augusta and entered Confederate politician and brigadier general Howell Cobbs plantation some 10 miles outside Milledgeville, his true destination. Prior to his famous march to the sea, General Sherman led 100,000 men into the southern city of Atlanta. We stood upon the very ground whereon was fought the bloody battle of July 22d, and could see the copse of wood where McPherson fell. This would prevent the formerly enslaved people from crossing to safety. Shermans soldiers enthusiastically embraced his Special Field Order 120, which required every brigade to organize a foraging detachment under the direction of one of its more discreet officers with a goal of keeping a consistent three-day supply of gathered foodstuffs. From November 15 until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. On December 17, he sent a message to Hardee in the city: I have already received guns that can cast heavy and destructive shot as far as the heart of your city; also, I have for some days held and controlled every avenue by which the people and garrison of Savannah can be supplied, and I am therefore justified in demanding the surrender of the city of Savannah, and its dependent forts, and shall wait a reasonable time for your answer, before opening with heavy ordnance. They destroyed the bridge across the Oconee River and then turned south.[21]. Shermans army had now been marching for a week. Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant preferred for Sherman to destroy the Southern army first and then initiate his psychological war of destruction. The man leading the . Union forces sustained more than 1,300 casualties, whereas the Confederates suffered roughly 2,300. To the north of this action, Sherman advanced with the left wing into Milledgeville on November 23. On December 9, however, tragedy struck Brig. Politicians hurried to escape the city, and its civilian inhabitants were infuriated when Shermans men celebrated Thanksgiving there and mockingly re-enacted a legislative session to vote Georgia back into the Union. The economic impact of the march was staggering. Joe Brown, Hardee and militia commander Smith among them all fell for the ruse. Knowing that Confederate cavalry was nearby, the fugitives, fearful of being captured and killed or re-enslaved, panicked. In South Carolina Sherman waged a new scorched-earth campaign with a vengeance reserved for the first state to have seceded from the Union. Meanwhile, his troops could undermine Southern morale by making life so unpleasant for Georgias civilians that they would demand an end to the war. Background. Gen. W.J. Daviss men lagged behind the rest of the left wing, and Wheelers cavalry was hot on their heels. 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