Sherman's march Study overview -S.S and SP

“I would make this war as severe as possible and show no symptoms of tiring till the South begs for mercy.”
A. Information on this topic
1. Bio of Sherman
a. Later drafted to be president (interestingly with strong southern support), but declined
2. Sherman’s tactics
a. Sherman, grant and Lincoln on strategy
i. Sherman and grant
1. “we were as brothers”-sherman
2. Some say the partnership secured victory in the civil war for the north
ii. Sherman abandoned union plan to move from Atlanta to Mobile
1. From a military standpoint, the port was already blockaded, so it was useless to the south
2. On the other hand, if Sherman advanced toward savannah and Charleston, which were capitals and major urban centers, therefore crippling morale
3. Sherman wanted to invade deeper, but Lincoln was hesitant, especially before an election
4. However, with Grant’s approval, Lincoln agreed
iii. Anaconda plan
1. The union’s initial anaconda plan was to strangle the south from all sides, and it worked well in the beginning, but Sherman’s march was the final blow. Sherman led his union troops through the heart of the south, burning three capitals and making the civilians feel it.
b. Abandoning front line and supply lines
i. In order to reach deep into enemy territory, Sherman had to abandon union supply lines
c. Total war and foraging
i. Sherman’s foragers became known as “bummers” and often ignored sherman’s rules
d. Separation of armies (divide and conquer)
i. Sherman separated his troops into two wings,
1. Gave support to each other
2. Stated within forty miles
e. Moral attack by attacking capitals and urban centers
i. Took state capitals to reduce morale
ii. Offered Sherman 25,000 bales of cotton from savannah and savannah itself to Lincoln for Christmas
iii. Showed the south that it couldn’t protect itself
3. Effects
a. Destruction of the Southern Economy-Manufacturing-Railroads / Sherman’s neckties
b. Idea of total war reduced morale
c. Less than 600 of 60,000 men lost – less than 1%
d. Helped Lincoln get elected in 1864
e. Destroyed over $1 billion
f. Captured three state capitals
g. Hastened victory dramatically
h. Effects on the South at the end of the war, reconstruction, and after reconstruction
i. Increased desertion rate in lee’s arm, as men came back to tend their homes
4. Popular public opinion
a. in the north about the idea of how they should fight total war or not-Lincoln’s Speech at the beginning of the war
5. Campaigns of Sherman’s March
a. Atlanta
i. Defended by general Joseph johnston
ii. A series of small skirmish before battle at atlanta
iii. Atlanta burns
iv. Railroad lines cut
v. Retreating confederate army did sizable damage to Atlanta when leaving – they burned buildings and armory
vi. Battle of Kennesaw mountain in which confederates won after Sherman feigned attacks on both sides
b. Savannah
i. Confederates tried to cut union supply lines to Sherman
ii. Hardee defended savannah with 10,000 troops, but fled before Sherman attacked
iii. Lincoln’s election in between
iv. Sherman gives Savannah to Lincoln for Christmas
v. Made Sherman very famous in north
c. Carolinas
i. Sherman feigned right and left, but ultimately forged straight ahead to real target, Columbia
ii. Columbia burns
iii. Manifestation of total war belief that war would end quicker if people personally felt it
iv. Destruction of public buildings
B. Conclusion
1. Sherman’s march reduced southern morale, and ended the war quickly. Sherman’s victories in the campaign of Atlanta helped Lincoln win the election of 1864.
2. Sherman later called to be drafted for president (with southern support, interestingly) but he declined