Sherman's March through Georgia: The Strategic Destructive Approach of Total War

During the American Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea in 1864, known as Sherman's March through Georgia, was not just a military campaign. It was a strategy aimed at breaking the will of the Confederate populace and undermining the war effort through a policy of total war.

Objectives and Tactics

The orders to Sherman were clear: burn military stores and industrial installations that might have aided the Confederate war effort if left untouched. However, as with other urban centers built primarily with wood, these structures needed the vigilant care of their inhabitants to remain intact. The absence of the population meant that they were bound to burn.

The primary goal of Sherman's March was to intimidate the civilian population of Georgia, making them abandon the Confederate cause. Sherman's soldiers commandeered food and livestock but also destroyed the homes and barns of those who fought back. Sherman noted, "We are not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people," and that "the hard hand of war must be made felt upon them to make old and young rich and poor feel the hard hand of war."

Strategy Behind the Destructive Actions

Some assert that Sherman's belief in the Confederacy's strength lay not in its fighting forces but in the material and moral support of sympathetic Southern whites. Factories, farms, and railroads provided Confederate troops with what they needed, and by destroying these, the war effort would weaken significantly. Additionally, Sherman aimed to undermine Southern morale by making life unbearable for Georgia's civilians, leading them to demand an end to the war.

One of Sherman's subordinates explained the necessity of such actions: "This Union and its Government must be sustained at any and every cost. To sustain it we must war upon and destroy the organized rebel forces–must cut off their supplies, destroy their communications, and produce among the people of Georgia a thorough conviction of the personal misery which attends war and the utter helplessness and inability of their 'rulers' to protect them... If that terror and grief and even want shall help to paralyze their husbands and fathers who are fighting us... it is mercy in the end."

Impact and Legacy

The destructive nature of Sherman's March had its intended effects but also had long-lasting impacts. It significantly damaged the South's economic infrastructure. It took until the 1930s, with the assistance of New Deal programs and the backdrop of World War II, for the South to begin its recovery. Personal experiences and historical records support this reconstruction timeline, particularly in places like Metro Atlanta.

Visitors to the region can still find remnants of Sherman's destructive campaign. In Jonesboro and other areas between Atlanta and Macon, one can still see railroad tracks wrapped around trees, a vivid testament to the devastation that occurred more than a century and a half ago.

Conclusion

Sherman's March through Georgia remains a pivotal moment in American military history. It illustrates the use of total war as a means to achieve strategic goals. The widespread destruction, while controversial, ultimately had the desired effect on Confederate morale and the war effort.