Sherman's March to the Sea
November 14-December 22, 1864

After nearly four months of masterful campaigning, Union MG William Tecumseh Sherman and his massive western army group marched triumphantly into "fairly won" Atlanta on 2 September 1864. The proud commander knew that this was a signal accomplishment, but two important challenges, issued that Spring by General-in-Chief Grant, remained. Now that the "Gate City of the South" was secured, it was time to either eliminate the threat still posed by the Confederacy's major western army, the Army of Tennessee (38,000 men - GEN John Bell Hood, commanding) or continue to ravage Georgia's war resources during a risky march to the sea. Deeming it strategically futile to continue to pursue the elusive Hood, now operating north and west of Atlanta, Sherman sent the Army of the Cumberland (commanded by MG George H. Thomas - the "Rock of Chickamauga") to the Federal base at Nashville, TN. It would be largely Thomas' responsibility to deal with Hood should he continue to avoid Sherman by instead invading Tennessee. Destroying anything of military consequence in Atlanta and cutting the supply and communications lines (including bridges, telegraph wires, and railway tracks) to the north, Sherman's veteran army (62,000 men) set-off on its devastating march through the Georgia heartland to Savannah. Moving southeast in two great "wings" of two corps each, complete with a 5,000 man cavalry screen, the Federal troops cut a swath 275 miles long and up to 60 miles wide across the countryside. Anything of military value was put to the torch. Foraging parties and "bummers" (indiscriminate looters) destroyed all foodstuffs and livestock that could not be carried-off or consumed. No significant Confederate opposition was encountered, although some skirmishes with MG Joseph Wheeler's cavalry and the Georgia militia occurred along the way. On 22 November, Union troops entered and ransacked Milledgeville, the undefended state capital. By covering 10 to 15 miles a day, Sherman's army stood before its objective, Savannah on 10 December. The blockaded port and commercial center, Georgia's oldest city, was defended by about 10,000 men (LTG William Hardee, commanding). The approaches to the city were guarded by earthwork fortifications, swampy lowlands, and a trench system. Another time-consuming and costly siege appeared likely. But Federal forces made contact with the U.S. Navy's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron on 13 December after a gallant charge by XV Corps infantry took the earthen Fort McAllister that controlled access to the sea below the port city. Now Sherman could be re-supplied by the Navy, and the fate of Savannah was sealed. GEN P.G.T. Beauregard, the over-all commander of the Confederacy's new Military Division of the West, urged the evacuation of the city before its garrison was trapped. And on the night of 20 December, Hardee's defenders fled north to South Carolina, crossing the Savannah River on a pontoon bridge...South Carolina would also be Sherman's next destination. Just in time for Christmas, President Lincoln received a wire from a jubilant Sherman: "I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton." Estimated Casualties: Union - 2,100+; Confederate - 1,000+.

Notes:

  1. Numbers in parentheses reflect estimated strength of armies or units.

  2. Estimated casualty figures are totals for killed, wounded, missing in action, and taken prisoner.

  3. Alternative names of battles and campaigns appear in parentheses.

  4. Military and naval rank abbreviations in text: LT - Lieutenant, CPT - Captain, MAJ - Major, LTC - Lieutenant Colonel, CDR - Commander (Navy), COL - Colonel, BG - Brigadier General, MG - Major General, RADM - Rear Admiral (Navy), LTG - Lieutenant General, VADM - Vice Admiral (Navy), and GEN - General.

  5. Army Organization: Although authorized and actual strength and the rank of the commanding officer often varied, the standard military unit during the War was the infantry regiment (1,000 men, COL commanding) which was comprised of 10 companies (100 men each, CPT commanding). 3-4 Regiments = 1 Brigade (3,000-4000 men, BG commanding). 3 (sometimes 4) Brigades = 1 Division (9000-12,000 men, BG or MG commanding). 2-4 (usually 3) Divisions = 1 Corps (18,000-24,000+ men, MG - North and MG or LTG -South commanding). 2 or more Corps = An Army (usually 20,000-100,000+ men - MG, LTG, or GEN commanding). 2 or more Armies = An Army Group (usually 100,000+ men - MG, LTG, or GEN commanding).

Sources:

Photographs courtesy of The Generals of the American Civil War Website.

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