Sherman's March to the Sea can be characterized by a few different things:
Creative originality of Sherman in devising this entirely new brand of warfare, attacking the civilian infrastructure that supported the enemy troops in the field.
Skillful camouflaging of his plans, concealing his proposed route through brilliant disinformation.
Shock and Horror of the civilian population at this wholehearted destruction of farms and railroads.
Accusations of brutality against civilians - mostly deserved not by Sherman's men, but by the mounted vandals (mostly deserters from both sides) who rode alongside the army for the pickings.
Outstanding success of the campaign, shortening the war by months at almost nil casualties.
And finally... the emergence of a popular marching tune 'While we were marching through Georgia', that would be played wherever Sherman went for the rest of his life.
There were too few Confederates there to pose any threat. When he reached Savannah, it looked as though there might be a battle with the small Confederate force under General Hardee. But they escaped across the river. Total Union casualties in the whole crossing of Georgia were only about 100.
Grant
There were approximately 3,500 slaves in Georgia in 1760. By 1780, there were over 20,000 slaves working on plantations across the state.
Become independent of his long supply-line back to Nashville, which was always being attacked by Confederate cavalry. Sherman saw that he could live off the land, following a good harvest.
Sherman's march to the sea began in Atlanta, Georgia and ended in Savannah, Georgia. Five different valleys converged on Atlanta, so when he burned Atlanta, he destroyed communications across the Southern Piedmont, an area of coal mines and foundries. was the state capital and where transportation again existed. Milledgeville was the state capital and the place of the next transportation center. From there to Savannah, a number of cows from Florida walked north every day to provide beef for Confederate Troops. Sherman destroyed all food for them for 60 miles. With the crops burned, the cows and horses had difficulty making it across the new desert. No reason existed to destroy Savannah.
What was sherman's goal in taking his army across Georgia?
He destroyed everything in his path
After the Battle of Atlanta, Gen Sherman began his march from there and advanced across Georgia and ended at Savannah. He then turned north and marched through South Carolina and into North Carolina.
There were too few Confederates there to pose any threat. When he reached Savannah, it looked as though there might be a battle with the small Confederate force under General Hardee. But they escaped across the river. Total Union casualties in the whole crossing of Georgia were only about 100.
The mountain chain that stretches across north Georgia is the Appalachian Mountain chain.
the chattahoochee
the chattahoochee
Across Georgia - from Atlanta to Savannah.
Demonstrate vividly that the Confederacy was too weak to survive, by marching almost unmolested across a major Southern state. Reduce dependence on his over-long supply line, as his army could easily live off the land. Punish Georgian civilians for supporting secession. (Grant said "Make Georgia Howl.") Relieve the blockade-runners' favourite port of Savannah. Capture the small Confederate army under Hardee. (This failed. Hardee escaped into South Carolina.)
Sherman's March to the Sea can be characterized by a few different things: Creative originality of Sherman in devising this entirely new brand of warfare, attacking the civilian infrastructure that supported the enemy troops in the field. Skillful camouflaging of his plans, concealing his proposed route through brilliant disinformation. Shock and horror of the civilian population at this wholehearted destruction of farms and railroads. Accusations of brutality against civilians - mostly deserved not by Sherman's men, but by the mounted vandals (mostly deserters from both sides) who rode alongside the army for the pickings. Outstanding success of the campaign, shortening the war by months at almost nil casualties. And finally... the emergence of a popular marching tune 'While we were marching through Georgia', that would be played wherever Sherman went for the rest of his life.
Grant
In museums across the United states