Sherman's March
Let It Burn
Background Info
- November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864
- Sherman went on a rampage of burning and destroying everything in his path from Atlanta to Georgia
- 50-mile wide swath of destruction
- 285 miles long
- 60,000 Soldiers
- Also called the 'Savannah Campaign'
Sherman's March Path
This map shows the route that Sherman and his men took from Atlanta to Savannah
General Sherman
Cruel, Cold, Unfeeling. Just a few words that people have used to describe this General. The black ribbon on his left arm is in morn of the death of Lincoln.
Burning Cities
Ruins of the R.R. Depot in Charleston S.C., 1865
March To The Sea
This 'March To The Sea' was to "make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war" quoted by Sherman himself. Sherman and his 60,000 troops went on a 50 mile wide, 285 mile long trek of destruction from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia from November 15 to December 21, 1864. This was an act of total war by the Union. The purpose was to frighten the Georgia citizens in order for them to lose support in the war. It was extremely effective because Sherman took many railroads and made them into 'Bow Ties'.
Bow Ties
Sherman's men bending the railroads of the South around a tree
Destruction
Another photo of Sherman's men destroying the South
Bye-Bye RailRoads
The railroads of the South were destroyed everywhere that Sherman marched
Over the River
Sherman's men marching over a small river in pursuit of Savannah
March On!
Lincoln at Fort McAllister December, 1864 over seeing the march
Additional Facts
- Sherman heated railroads and bent them around trees into 'Sherman's Bow Ties' making them unusable
- The march started off as pursuit of the South but turned into a 'March To The Sea' whenever Sherman set fire to Atlanta
- The South set fire to their own ammunition buildings before the Union could get the them