What routes did William Sherman take?

Answer 1

Southeast from Atlanta to Savannah in a swathe fifty miles wide. Then across the river into South Carolina.

It was a complete reversal of his orders from Grant, which were simply to destroy the Army of Tennessee.

Sherman had failed to do this, and meanwhile he knew that it was up to him to provide some good news for the North in time for the General Election, which Lincoln was in danger of losing.

Capturing Atlanta made a big story, though it had no great strategic significance. But the Army of Tennessee managed to escape Northwards, and meanwhile Sherman was growing increasingly worried about his supply-line, frequently sabotaged by Confederate cavalry.

To the surprise of everyone, including a sceptical Grant, he abandoned both the enemy and his own supply-line, to embark on a long punitive raid of the rich Georgia farm country, while comfortably living off the land.

This devastated civilian morale, while also bringing the Confederate armies closer to starvation than they were already.