The March To The Sea

[Basecat]

Evening all,

Hope all are well. I wanted to post on this, as in the last few days the March to the Sea seemed to pop up in the reading I have been doing here recently.

The more I delve into it, the more I wonder why after all of these years this event continues to be described as one of the greatest events of the Civil War. I am not denying that it was not important, but have a problem with the greatness of it.

When one really looks at the March to Savannah, all one sees is how they foraged liberally, how they made Georgia howl. Then the questions set in here. How tough was this march to the Union troops under Sherman? They barely had any resistance to it until they reached Savannah, and even then, Hardee and his troops evacuated the city, and Sherman himself was glad they did as he would not have to fight a battle there.

Why is it that Sherman was not told where Hood goes you follow, which is what Grant said to Meade in terms of Lee and his army?? When you look at this part of the war, one can easily see how Sherman passed the buck to Thomas to deal with Hood, and passed a buck that was almost bare in terms of gathering an army and dealing with Hood's march into Tennessee. How is that heroic??

I don't wish to call the March to the Sea insignificant, but just what was it??? Why were bummers sent out every day in that 60 mile swath to steal and plunder, when they had already gathered supplies that they would never get through as they marched?? I know the idea, to bring the war to the civilians, and make them understand just what war is, but in all of history, has there ever been a campaign as this, where the perils were few and far in between, and yet 141 years later it is lauded as one of the greatest military actions in the history of the world?

To me, Sherman got off easy, and my saying that means he knew he would not have to face the fighting that Thomas and company in Tennessee would, and better for him to pass that off to someone else, while he takes his glorified walk through Georgia. Much is made of the celebrated Christmas gift Sherman writes in his telegraph to Abe from Savannah, but to me it was an easy gift to give, as he was not challenged at all militarily. All through the many books and articles I have read about the march mention risk, but I ask, risk from what, as to me it looks like a walk in the park.

Regards from the Garden State,

Steve Basic

[Harry]

Sherman was more like McClellan than McClellan was.

Harry
_________________
"Dulce bellum inexpertis" - Erasmus (though some say Pindaros)

[The General]

Steve,

More than anything, it was intended to break the will of the Southern people by taking the war directly to them. And as that, it was terribly effective.

Likewise, it was intended to move Sherman's army to the sea where it could re-supply and then move north to join Grant in Virginia.

From a logistical standpoint, it had no equal and stands as a prime example of how an army travels on its stomach.

Eric
_________________
"If you want to have some fun, jine the cav'ry!"

[William]

Sherman should be brought forth on the grounds of "War Crimes" IMO*
_________________
Best Regards,
WBJ

[PatrickDunn]

Ahhhhhhh a thread I can answer perhaps ?

When Grant left Washington after his "promotion" he hopped on a
train and headed out to Cincinnati to meet with his successor -
Sherman.

Grant had a plan and when the two of them left the train and went
into their Hotel ( behind closed doors ) Grant laid out the maps and
unveiled his blueprint for peace.

Mind you this was a preliminary draft... "a plan for a plan" as Shelby
Foote put's it. Basically what Grant told Sherman was you go after
Joe Johnson and I'll go after Lee.

Later defined... together they were to (A) use the greatest number of
troops practicable and ( B ) hammer continuously against the enemy
AND HIS RESOURCES.

Grants grand design was a 2 pronged attack ( pincer? ) with Sherman
in the West and Meade in the East. Whoever prevailed first... would
then move to support the other.

Grant directed Sherman to crush Johnsons Army, go into the interior
of the enemy and their inflict all the damage that he could on their
war resources. This Sherman did and earned his place in History.

Sherman was the perfect man for the job. He shared Grants ideas
and wound not need anybody to urge him along.

Actually ( off topic ) the concept of massive retaliation on a civilian
population is the basic war plan we have now in the books. Chalk
one up for U.S. Grant ?


IMHO, the war "changed" after Gettysburg in that it now became
less pagentry and more cut and dry. Gone are the Excelsior Brigade,
the Iron Brigade... the troops are just massed and sent foreward into
the defenses of the enemy. One see's less "hero's" than before. It
may just be the way I read the books but it's like after Gettysburg
it was just bloodletting on a mass scale. Even the old Guard - Barlow,
Meade...and my favorite General Hancock...seem to fade.

Enough....One would think I was on speed!!! sorry :compress:

One question... would there be any interest to see someone do a
Film on one of the Naval engagements of the war - Mobile Bay
type stuff... naval mortars...Ironclads... etc. The technology has
reached the level to do this very well... just need Russel Crowe to
play Ferragut <--- spelling ... I know!!! Still at work.

There could be some REALLY great scenes when you imagine the
accounts of these typed of Battles ?

Later ...

Jeff

[markpeters]

Jeff,

[MarylandReb]

While Sherman gets credit for taking the war to civilians, David Hunter beat him by months with his shenanigans in the valley, which led to the confederate retaliation by burning Chambersburg. Not that David Hunter should get credit for anything other than being a boob....IMHO.
_________________
He who finds no pleasure in a naked sword, a falcon's flight, a noble horse, a beautiful woman, has no real lust for life. (Early German Sword inscription)

Mark

[The General]

Don't hold back, Mark. Tell us how you really feel about David Hunter. :cyclops:

Seriously, they didn't call him "Black Dave" for nothing.

Eric
_________________
"If you want to have some fun, jine the cav'ry!"

[MarylandReb]

[James_Longstreet]

[Borderstates]

This is the concept of "Total War". It is not pretty. Sherman broke the ability of the Confederacy to continue to wage war.

IMHO, this helped shorten the duration of the Civil War. This brought the bloodshed to a quicker end. This insured that ALL Americans would be free (we can have a talk about Civil Rights, Reconstruction and the 100 year slide backwards by the South in a more appropriate venue).
_________________
Respectfully yours,

Mike

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices." Harry S. Truman WWII Memorial

[James_Longstreet]

[Coy]

The truth about General Sherman and his march to the sea.


http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/grimsley1/myth/myth.htm


Kevin S. Coy

[Harry]

Mark Grimsley has certainly shot many and large holes into the whole "Sherman as war criminal" legend.

One of my favorite stories which I think he relates concerns some native Atlanta women who regaled the author with tales of the destruction of every building within miles of where they sat. Afterwards they offered to give a tour of several antebellum homes nearby!!!!

Sorry Allan, no way Sherman measures up in any way to the standards set by the Nuremburg tribunal. This rhetoric is akin to that of Harry Reed and Ted Kennedy.

Harry
_________________
"Dulce bellum inexpertis" - Erasmus (though some say Pindaros)

[Borderstates]

General Longstreet,

Not to be too confrontational, but the winners typically pick who gets tried for war crimes. With this as a back drop, Jeff Davis, Marse Robert (and some other generals who became Republicans after the war) would typically had first line access to the 13 steps or the cold concrete wall.

Posted in good fun. :bounce:
_________________
Respectfully yours,

Mike

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices." Harry S. Truman WWII Memorial