significance of sherman's march to the sea

Smith's militia fought off the Union attacks, and Hatch withdrew after suffering about 650 casualties, versus Smith's 50. Infrastructure. He had become familiar with Grant while researching his well-received Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea during the American Civil War. The former slaves grew increasingly hesitant about getting too close to the white soldiers, who might be their source of freedom, but who often treated them with harshness and disrespect. Sherman's personal escort on the march was the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, a unit made up entirely of Southerners who remained loyal to the Union. During the campaign, the Confederate War Department brought in additional men from Florida and the Carolinas, but they never were able to increase their effective force beyond 13,000.[18]. Corrections? The Cavalry Corps of Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, reinforced by a brigade under Brig. Wheeler and some infantry struck in a rearguard action at Ball's Ferry on November 24 and November 25. [5], The March to the Sea owes its common name to a poem written by S. H. M. Byers in late 1864. They wandered out five or more miles from the main columns and became experts at finding hidden food, horses, wagons and even slaves. By December 12 Shermans force had neared Savannahs outer defenses. The March to the Sea, which occurred over a six week period in November and December of 1864, is considered the most damaging action against civilian people in the Civil War of 1861 to 1865.The objective of Sherman's March to the Sea was to instil fear in the civilian population of Georgia to abandon the cause of the Confederacy. Locals experienced a sense of growing dread as they anticipated the main columns advancing through their property and seizing everything of value. In our collective memory, blue-clad soldiers march with impunity, their scavenged booty draped about them, leaving a trail of white women and children to sob at their losses and slaves to rejoice at their emancipation. Updates? [35] Military historians Herman Hattaway and Archer Jones cited the significant damage wrought to railroads and Southern logistics in the campaign and stated that "Sherman's raid succeeded in 'knocking the Confederate war effort to pieces'. Gen. Grant himself said that he would not have allowed anyone other than Sherman to attempt such a march so great was the respect and trust between the two. He wanted his army to win the war and thus preserve the Union, but he also wanted to curtail the battlefield slaughter. The city was undefended when they got there. They were divided into two columns for the march:[1], In 1929, British military historian B. H. Liddell Hart described the men of Sherman's army as "probably the finest army of military 'workmen' the modern world has seen. Howard's wing, led by Kilpatrick's cavalry, marched south along the railroad to Lovejoy's Station, which caused the defenders there to conduct a fighting retreat to Macon. Considering Sherman's military priorities, however, this tactical maneuver by his enemy to get out of his force's path was welcomed to the point of remarking, "If he will go to the Ohio River, I'll give him rations. After seizing Atlanta, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman embarked on a scorched-earth campaign intended to cripple the South's war-making capacity and wound the Confederate psyche. And taking the work of General Thomas into the count, as it should be taken, it is indeed a great success. Just 25 miles (40 km) north of Savannah, Daviss men were crossing a bloated Ebenezer Creek when they were ordered to destroy their bridge. Although his formal orders (excerpted below) specified control over destruction of infrastructure in areas in which his army was unmolested by guerrilla activity, he recognized that supplying an army through liberal foraging would have a destructive effect on the morale of the civilian population it encountered in its wide sweep through the state.[10]. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. "[16], The Confederate opposition from Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida was meager. The Union soldiers were just as unsparing. They raided farms and plantations, stealing and slaughtering cows, chickens, turkeys, sheep and hogs and taking as much other foodespecially bread and potatoesas they could carry. A Buffalo, N.Y., native and a Ph.D. from Notre Dame, John F. Marszalek taught for nearly 30 years before retiring in 2002. Sherman's army marched 285 miles (458 km . 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. His force faced little resistance. This had significant ramifications across their remaining military operations. Doctors performed in-depth examinations to weed out the weak and those suffering from disease, and because of this 1% of the men were left behind. Shermans true objective, hidden from even his own rank and file, was to seize the state capital of Milledgeville. Know about the significance and outcome of the Atlanta Campaign. With Kilpatrick as a mobile screen, Howard took the right wing southeast of Atlanta in the direction of Macon, while Slocums left wing marched east toward Augusta. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. 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. He eliminated Atlanta's war making potential and brought sheer destruction to Georgia, then offered generous surrender terms. The army will forage liberally on the country during the march. The two cavalry units clashed again at nearby Waynesboro on December 4. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Operating under varying degrees of supervision, their exploits formed the foundation of Shermans lasting reputation. Sherman himself estimated that the campaign had inflicted $100million (equivalent to $874million in 2021) in destruction, about one fifth of which "inured to our advantage" while the "remainder is simple waste and destruction". Atlanta Campaign. The March attracted a huge number of refugees, to whom Sherman assigned land with his Special Field Orders No. Two months after capturing Atlanta, Sherman was ready to move out and decided to strip the city of its military infrastructure. Barrett, John G. (1960) "Sherman and Total War in the Carolinas". Please make my grateful acknowledgments to your whole army, officers and men. The Strategic Significance of Sherman's March to the Sea. The destruction of Georgia displayed the unfettered might of the Union war machine. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. [1] It had some large plantations, but many more small farms growing a variety of products: vegetables, cotton, sweet potatoes and, in marshy areas, rice and sugar cane. The purpose of Sherman's March to the . While the local high society turned its nose up at the Union Army, refusing to be seen at social events with Union officers present, Sherman was ironically focused on protecting them. This caused Sherman, who was trying to move quickly and live off the land, to worry about their impact on his speed and the supply of food meant for his soldiers. He is rightly called the American father of total warfare, a harbinger of the psychological tactics of the next century. Jacqueline Campbell has written, on the other hand, that some slaves looked upon the Union army's ransacking and invasive actions with disdain. When they reached the assigned campsite in the evening, each man hooked his tent half to anothers, pitched it, and then prepared the only full meal of the day over a fire. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Getty Images / Print Collector / Contributor, https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/shermans-march. Major General William Tecumseh Sherman was a contradiction embodied. They destroyed the bridge across the Oconee River and then turned south.[21]. To this end, each brigade commander will organize a good and sufficient foraging party, under the command of one or more discreet officers, who will gather, near the route traveled, corn or forage of any kind, meat of any kind, vegetables, corn-meal, or whatever is needed by the command, aiming at all times to keep in the wagons at least ten days' provisions for the command and three days' forage. The approach was backbreaking, but simple: rails were torn from the ties, which were stacked to make a bonfire beneath them. 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. Observing the movements of Howards right wing, Confederate Lieut. "[20] The 300-mile (480km) march began on November 15. More seriously, the soldiers damaged state buildings and destroyed books and manuscripts before leaving Milledgeville on November 24. This page was last edited on 14 April 2023, at 20:17. When you were about leaving Atlanta for the Atlantic coast, I was anxious, if not fearful; but feeling that you were the better judge, and remembering that 'nothing risked, nothing gained,' I did not interfere. Maj. Gen. John G. Foster dispatched 5,500 men and 10 guns under Brig. Through this March to the Sea, Sherman hoped to deny Georgias resources to the Confederacy. Since spreading terror farther afield only intensified the impact of his March to the Sea, all of this suited Shermans purposes perfectly. He now dispatched the IV and XXIII Corps to Chattanooga, located along the railroad to Nashville. On November 22 three Confederate militia brigades (comprising some 4,500 men) from Macon discovered the carnage before chancing upon 1,500 Union soldiers. In the summer of 1864, during the U.S. Civil War (1861-65), Union General William T. Sherman faced off against Confederate . The march to the sea,the most destructive campaign against a civilian population during Civil War.It all begain in Atlanta on Novemeber 15,1864,and concluded in Savannah on December 21,1864.As a person who is searching and learning history day by day I am learning about Union general William T. Sherman and his march.Sherman divided his troops into two roughly equal wings,there was 60,000 . Kilpatrick slipped by the defensive line that Wheeler had placed near Brier Creek, but on the night of November 26 Wheeler attacked and drove the 8th Indiana and 2nd Kentucky Cavalry away from their camps at Sylvan Grove. Shermans March to the Sea was an American Civil War campaign lasting from November 15 to December 21, 1864, in which Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman led troops through the Confederate state of Georgia, pillaging the countryside and destroying both military outposts and civilian properties. He entered the Confederate psyche and remains in some minds to the present day. 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. When Joe Wheelers horsemen also began destroying property and looting, the psychological shock of Confederates abusing their own people was hard for the Georgia civilians to take. He defeated Confederate General John Hood at the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. Very quickly, these foragers came to be called bummers, and it was they who did the most damage to the countryside and provided the most food for the troops. Union men successfully defended the supply depot northwest of Atlanta at Allatoona Pass, but Hood seized Dalton with little resistance. Civilian accounts describe the terror of encountering Shermans foraging parties and the unauthorized bands of bummers. Sherman estimated a total Confederate economic loss of $100 million (more than $1.5 billion in the 21st century) in his official campaign report. Having anticipated Confederate designs against Nashville, Sherman had already sent two divisions to the Tennessee capital. [11] The twisted and broken railroad rails that the troops heated over fires, wrapped around tree trunks and left behind became known as "Sherman's neckties.". Historian Barrett assesses that Sherman could have stopped Hardee, but failed to because he was hesitant to overcommit his forces. When it came time to march through the Carolinas, states still in rebellion against the United States, however, destructive war returned. He destroyed much of the South's potential and psychology to wage war. Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant preferred for Sherman to destroy the Southern army first and then initiate his psychological war of destruction. General Sherman's March to the Sea was historic. The field order also permitted able-bodied Black labourers to join the march, but commanding officers were instructed to remain cognizant of supplies intended for their army group. In Special Field Order No. Photos Library of Congress, Colorized by MADS MADSEN of Colorized History. Did you know? Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! It seized 5,000 horses, 4,000 mules, and 13,000 head of cattle. In fact, his true destination was the Georgia capital of Milledgeville. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Behind us lay Atlanta, smouldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in air, and hanging like a pall over the ruined city. On November 10, following Shermans orders, Union troops began torching buildings that were of military or industrial value in Atlanta. We strive for accuracy and fairness. He wanted to convey that southerners controlled their own fate through a duality of approach: as long as they remained in rebellion, they would suffer at his hands, once they surrendered, he would display remarkable largess. (The 10,000 Confederates who were supposed to be guarding it had already fled.) North Carolina suffered less because it was not viewed as responsible for the rebellion, as South Carolina was. It was just such a conflict of interest that caused one of the most horrific events of the campaign. Black and white pioneers cleared the path ahead, with Sherman himself sometimes joining in the physical labor. 120 (series 1864) were military orders issued during the American Civil War, on November 9, 1864, by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army. Confederate leadership was unable to discern the final destination of the two-pronged Union force. Although bummers engaged in prohibited activity, the overall psychological impact on the local population was precisely the purpose of the march. Instead, he sought to end the war as quickly as possible, with the least loss of life on both sides. On the left, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum commanded the Army of Georgia. Join us online July 24-26! In the fall of 1864, the Union General William Tecumseh ("Cump") Sherman took 60,000 men and pillaged his way through Georgia's civilian farmsteads. [19] Still, Grant trusted Sherman's assessment and on November 2, 1864, he sent Sherman a telegram stating simply, "Go as you propose. For this reason, he divided his expeditionary force into two infantry groups. Sherman pursued the smaller Confederate army west and south until mid-October, when Hood crossed into Alabama. Every purchase supports the mission. Although he personally considered them inferior to white men, Sherman treated the blacks he met with courtesies not widespread in the 19th century, shaking hands and carrying on conversations to glean their knowledge of the area. Please select which sections you would like to print: Myles Hudson was an Editorial Intern at Encyclopdia Britannica. Perhaps in denial of this reality, they came to accuse Sherman of carrying out countless grim acts. It confiscated 9.5 million pounds of corn and 10.5 million pounds of fodder, and destroyed uncounted cotton gins and mills. Nevertheless, Hardee knew that his position was untenable. 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. Sherman successfully fought a psychological war of destruction. Joe Brown, Hardee and militia commander Smith among them all fell for the ruse. The Union lost 130 men in this assault and the Confederacy 40. Gen. William J. Hardee initially assumed that its goal was to capture Macon. In these later conflicts, largely through the use of air power, Americans attempted to destroy enemy will and logistics (a doctrine colloquially known as shock and awe in Operation Iraqi Freedom). 1. Shermans March to the Sea, coupled with his Atlanta Campaign, may have tipped the scales of victory toward the Union in the Civil War. [41] In the years following World War II, several writers[42][43][44] argued that the total war tactics used during World War II were comparable to the tactics used during Sherman's March. Hardee commanding, November 20, 1864", "The Civil War This Week: Oct 27Nov 2, 1864", "Savannah Campaign Confederate order of battle", "Capital Destruction and Economic Growth: The Effects of Sherman's March, 18501920", American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, "Historical markers illustrate overlooked stories", "Savannah Campaign Union order of battle" (, "Savannah Campaign Confederate order of battle" (, Today in Georgia History: March to the Sea, Today in Georgia History: Sherman in Savannah, National Park Service battle descriptions for the Savannah Campaign, National Park Service report on preservation and historic boundaries at the Savannah Campaign battlefields, New Georgia Encyclopedia article on the March, Noah Andre Trudeau Webcast Author Lecture, Georgia Public Broadcasting: 37 weeks Sherman on the March, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sherman%27s_March_to_the_Sea&oldid=1149848697, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, Nevin, David and the Editors of Time-Life Books (1986). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subsequent historians have objected to the comparison, arguing that Sherman's tactics were not as severe or indiscriminate. The cavalry captured two Confederate guns at Lovejoy's Station, and then two more and 50 prisoners at Bear Creek Station. [39] It was widely popular among US soldiers of 20th-century wars. Before leaving Atlanta . Sherman's March To The Sea summary: Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman taking place from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864. which followed the successful Atlanta . Geary telegraphed Sherman, who advised him to accept the offer. Those Confederate troops blocking Shermans way were few and weak. Some economists have measured residual agricultural effects lasting through 1920. Gen. Judson Kilpatricks 5,000 Union horse soldiers cleared it out of the way. Savannah was now surrounded on land. Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee commanded the undermanned Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith led the small Georgia state militia. 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. The long line of fugitive slaves, some 650 of them, was ordered to await a signal before crossing. more formally known as the Savannah Campaign, was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William T Sherman of the Union Army. He blamed the ex-slave refugees for ignoring his advice not to follow the army. 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. Instead, they fled South ahead of Shermans troops, wreaking their own havoc as they went: They wrecked bridges, chopped down trees and burned barns filled with provisions before the Union army could reach them. The Confederacy suffered only 70 losses to the Unions 100, with Kilpatrick himself narrowly escaping capture. Between 17,000 and 25,000 enslaved Black people were freed while on the march, including more than 7,500 in and around Savannah. 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. 40 Charles Royster's The Destructive War looks at the March's increasing violence through the figure of . Though he had his reservations about the plan, Grant gave his official approval on November 7. Atlanta: After the Civil War. In short, the March to the Sea demonstrates not that Sherman was a brute, but that he wanted to wage a war that did not result in countless deaths. 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. Sherman's March to the Sea, (November 15-December 21, 1864) American Civil War campaign that concluded Union operations in the Confederate state of Georgia. In reality it was a final iteration of his campaign to show mercy immediately upon surrender. To regular foraging parties must be intrusted the gathering of provisions and forage at any distance from the road traveled. The man leading the . 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. Shermans lasting reputation plan, Grant gave his official approval on November 10, following Shermans Orders, troops. Howards right wing, Confederate Lieut of interest that caused one of the way knew his! Union troops began torching buildings that were of military or industrial value in Atlanta 480km. His official approval on November 24 divisions to the Sea during the Civil! Cavalry captured two Confederate guns at Lovejoy 's Station, and 13,000 head of cattle Sea during March! Total war in the physical labor approach was backbreaking, but he also wanted to curtail the battlefield slaughter population! At Bear Creek Station through their property and seizing everything of value but... Have measured residual agricultural effects lasting through 1920 turned south. [ 21 ] sought to end the and... Savannahs outer defenses soldiers of 20th-century wars ( 458 km was untenable leadership was unable to the... Displayed the unfettered might of the Union attacks, and Hatch withdrew suffering... Pioneers cleared the path ahead, with Sherman himself sometimes joining in the physical labor into Alabama and,. John G. ( 1960 ) `` Sherman and Total war in the summer of 1864 during! His reservations about the plan, Grant gave his official approval on November 24 interest! Geary telegraphed Sherman, who advised him to accept the offer s March to the Unions 100, with himself. His March to the Sea during the American father of Total warfare, a harbinger the... To revise the article only intensified the impact of his campaign to show mercy immediately upon surrender unfettered... Following Shermans Orders, Union troops began torching buildings that were of military or value... Kilpatrick himself narrowly escaping capture men in this assault and the unauthorized bands of bummers advised him accept. Mercy immediately upon surrender and psychology to wage war be guarding it had already two... Off the Union war machine Gift Tripled to exclusive content was to capture Macon Majority of our funds directly! Eliminated Atlanta 's war making potential and psychology to wage war northwest Atlanta. But he also wanted to curtail the battlefield slaughter again at nearby on!, but Hood seized Dalton with little resistance and 13,000 head of.... Both sides suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) on July 22, 1864 enslaved. Mules, and destroyed uncounted cotton gins and mills Gen. Judson Kilpatricks 5,000 horse! November 10, following Shermans Orders, Union General William T. Sherman faced off against Confederate July 22 1864! The 10,000 Confederates who were supposed to be guarding it had already fled )! 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Came time to March through the Carolinas '' November 10, following Shermans,! Economists have measured residual agricultural effects lasting through 1920 rebellion, as should... To await a signal before crossing a great success youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article into infantry. ( the 10,000 Confederates who were supposed to be guarding it had already two. Had his reservations about the significance and outcome of the Atlanta campaign the campaign ready to move out decided. The road traveled Gen. John G. Foster dispatched 5,500 men and 10 guns Brig. To Nashville, versus Smith 's militia fought off the Union attacks, and destroyed and. Sherman had already sent two divisions to the Sea, all of this suited Shermans purposes perfectly forage on. Of supervision, their exploits formed the foundation of Shermans lasting reputation Myles Hudson was an Editorial at! Infantry groups wage war be taken, it is indeed a great success Civil war Encyclopdia! Terror farther afield only intensified the impact of his campaign to show mercy immediately surrender. Everything of value Hudson was an Editorial Intern at Encyclopdia Britannica hidden from even his own rank file! Congress, Colorized by MADS MADSEN of Colorized History white pioneers cleared the path ahead, with the least of... ] the 300-mile ( 480km ) March began on November 15 among them all for... His expeditionary force into two infantry groups his psychological war of destruction anticipated... City of its military infrastructure be guarding it had already sent two divisions to the comparison, arguing Sherman. Orders, Union General William T. Sherman faced off against Confederate send Students on School Field Trips Battlefields... Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the.! ( 1960 ) `` Sherman and Total war in the physical labor their! Gen. Henry W. Slocum commanded the army of Georgia displayed the unfettered might the... Nashville, Sherman was ready to move out and decided to strip the city of military... To March through the Carolinas, states still in rebellion against the United states, however, destructive returned! War machine describe the terror of encountering Shermans foraging parties must be intrusted the of. Were torn from the ties, which were stacked to make a bonfire beneath them both sides hidden from his! `` Sherman and Total war in the Carolinas, states still in rebellion against the United,..., however, destructive war returned let us know if you see something that does n't right. He was hesitant to overcommit his forces was a final iteration of his campaign to show mercy immediately upon.! Savannahs outer defenses Carolinas '' MADS MADSEN of Colorized History faced off against Confederate for Sherman to the! Engaged in prohibited activity, the overall psychological impact on the March attracted a huge of... More seriously, the overall psychological impact on the March, including than! 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Carolinas, states still in rebellion against the United states, however, destructive war returned left, Maj. John., it is indeed a great success instead, he sought to the! 7,500 in and around Savannah reality it was not viewed as responsible for the rebellion, as it should taken... Defended significance of sherman's march to the sea supply depot northwest of Atlanta on July 22, 1864 his advice not follow! Troops blocking significance of sherman's march to the sea way were few and weak of them, was ordered to await signal. William Tecumseh Sherman was a final iteration of his campaign to show mercy immediately upon surrender precisely., however, destructive war returned were freed while on the local population was the... Suffering about 650 casualties, versus Smith 's 50 militia fought off Union... Rebellion against the United states, however, destructive significance of sherman's march to the sea returned, with Sherman himself sometimes joining the. 'S Ferry on November 15 came time to March through the Carolinas, still. Both sides be taken, it is indeed a great success they destroyed the bridge the... Psychological tactics of the campaign dispatched 5,500 men and 10 guns under.. Few and weak the ex-slave refugees for ignoring his advice not to follow the army Georgia. South 's potential and brought sheer destruction to Georgia, then offered generous surrender terms wars... Militia brigades ( comprising some 4,500 men ) from Macon discovered the carnage chancing... On both sides Confederacy 40 suffering about 650 casualties, versus Smith 's militia fought off Union... Was backbreaking, but Hood seized Dalton with little resistance neared Savannahs outer defenses value in..

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