Sherman's March to the Sea

Summary

Sherman's March to the Sea was a military campaign conducted by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman from November to December 1864, spanning approximately 300 miles from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. Sherman's 60,000 troops practiced "total war," destroying military targets, infrastructure, and civilian property to cripple the Confederacy's ability to sustain the war effort. The campaign involved systematic destruction of railroads, factories, farms, and supplies while largely avoiding direct combat. This march became one of the most controversial and psychologically devastating operations of the Civil War.