General William Tecumseh Sherman's army during the Civil War, particularly through his "March to the Sea," resulted in significant destruction in the South. While his campaign primarily targeted military resources and infrastructure, it also caused civilian casualties and suffering. Estimates of civilian deaths due to the combined effects of warfare, including violence, starvation, and displacement, vary, but thousands of Southern civilians were affected. Sherman's strategy aimed to break the will of the Confederacy, often resulting in tragic consequences for non-combatants.
It also targeted the civilian population of the South.
Go for the civilian underpinning of the Confederacy. Show that you can march anywhere in the South, unmolested. Bring it home to the farmers and the families. Make them howl for surrender.
General William Tecumseh Sherman was not necessarily "afraid" of the South, but he was deeply aware of the challenges and complexities posed by Southern society during the Civil War. He understood the resilience and determination of Southern forces and the potential for guerrilla warfare, which could prolong the conflict. Sherman's strategy of total war, particularly during his famous March to the Sea, was aimed at breaking the South's will to fight by targeting not just military targets but also infrastructure and civilian resources, reflecting his recognition of the South's social and economic resilience.
William T. Sherman in Georgia and South Carolina. Phil Sheridan had also been doing something like this in the Shenandoah Valley - on the orders of U.S. Grant.
Sherman's "March to the Sea"
The effect of the March to the Sea was to bring devastation to the civilian population.
It also targeted the civilian population of the South.
He attacked the civilian infrastructure of the Confederacy, to starve the South, including their armies.
full siege or total war, but I am almost positive it is full siege... :)
Major General William T. Sherman's strategy as he invaded the South was to destroy or capture any type of supplies that could aid the Confederate armies. He confiscated civilian livestock and destroyed civilian farmlands. His goal was to deny the Confederate armies of the supplies it needed to carry on the war. Sherman has been criticized for his strategy which brought on much hardship to Southern civilians.
Attack the civilian infrastructure that supported the Confederate armies in the field.Scorched Earth Tactics. Burn the South until no resistance remained.
For the North, Sherman, with the highly-rated McPherson as one of his subordinate commanders, killed at Atlanta. For the South, John Bell Hood.
General Sherman believed that destroying civilian property during his march through Georgia was necessary to weaken the Confederacy's resolve and resources. His strategy, known as "total war," aimed to demoralize Southern civilians and undermine their support for the war effort. Sherman felt that by disrupting the infrastructure and livelihood of the South, he could hasten the end of the conflict. This approach reflected a belief that the war needed to be brought to a swift conclusion, even at the cost of civilian suffering.
Because he had failed to destroy the Army Of Tennessee, as ordered. But he had managed to destroy civilian morale when he occupied Atlanta, and decided to continue with this policy.
Go for the civilian underpinning of the Confederacy. Show that you can march anywhere in the South, unmolested. Bring it home to the farmers and the families. Make them howl for surrender.
General William Tecumseh Sherman was not necessarily "afraid" of the South, but he was deeply aware of the challenges and complexities posed by Southern society during the Civil War. He understood the resilience and determination of Southern forces and the potential for guerrilla warfare, which could prolong the conflict. Sherman's strategy of total war, particularly during his famous March to the Sea, was aimed at breaking the South's will to fight by targeting not just military targets but also infrastructure and civilian resources, reflecting his recognition of the South's social and economic resilience.
Sherman was destroying the recent harvest from some of the richest farmland in the South. This would help to starve both the civilian population and the Confederate armies in the field. He also wrecked the railroads, which would help to ruin the Southern economy.