After General Grant won a key battle at Vicksburg, forces under Sherman headed East toward Meridian. Meridian was a key railroad center. Sherman decided to split his army and meet at Meridian. After it was captured, he would then move on Selma, Alabama. Sherman sent several distractions, to confuse confederate general Polk and also surrounded Mobile Bay so they could not send reinforcements to their confederate counterparts. Sherman’s plans worked so well that Polk thought he was attacking Mobile Bay and thereby evacuated Meridian. One of the other regiments that split apart from Sherman’s army wasn’t so lucky. The regiment led under officer Smith met confederate resistance and in the midst of a retreat, the entire left flank of his army
During the Battle of Oak Grove, General McClellan’s goal was to reach high ground to gain a height advantage. The thick woods of Oak Grove became the unofficial line that separated both sides of the conflict. Another of General McClellan’s goal was to secure the Richmond and York River Railroad to be able to secure a faster supply line and to have the ability to move his siege guns up to put more pressure on Richmond. General Sickles of the Union Army pushed through Oak Grove and was able to drive the Confederates from York Railroad. Less than two hours after the beginning of the battle, General McClellan calls for his forces to cease movement and moves his command post to the front.
Sherman and George Thomas were promoted to Brigadier General in August, 1861, and assigned to the Department of the Cumberland. He told Andrew Johnson, in which he was under the command of, that with 60,000 men Sherman could drive the enemy out of Kentucky. The newspapers claimed that Sherman must be “crazy” to demand such a force and the public accepted the insult because the writers have. always declared that he was crazy
On May the 5th 1964 Major William Tecumseh Sherman was beginning his invasion of Atlanta. He first started with Atlanta because Georgia was “Heart of the Confederacy”. Georgia was heart of the Confederacy because it was an important location. It was mainly important because it had many founderies, factories, supply depots, and it was where the countries main arsenal factories
Prior to ordering the evacuation of Atlanta in preparation for his march, General William T.Sherman wrote to the mayor and city council of Atlanta stating, “You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than any of you to secure peace.” This quote explains the concept of “Total War”, a military conflict in which the parties involved devote themselves to sacrificing, or doing anything to completely win a war (“Sherman’s March”).
The confederate army was worn out from their march to Shiloh. The next day, Grant’s army once gain clashed with Beauregard’s. This battle lasted until about mid-day, and resulted in Beauregard retreating to Corinth. This led to the battle of Corinth, which was an easy victory for the Union Army. After the union took over the railroad station, they cut off the supplies that were being taken to the confederate Army.
Sherman´s March to the Sea was the most destructive campaign against a civilian population during the Civil War; it began in Atlanta on November 15, 1864, and concluded in Savannah on December 21.The purpose of this “March to the Sea” was to frighten Georgia 's civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. Sherman led more than 60,000 soldiers on a 285 mile march. Sherman wanted his march to be so secret that he cut telegraph line to avoid enemy reports of his location. When he was on his was he burned houses.
The March to the Sea was the most disastrous campaign. It began in Atlanta on November 15, 1864, and ended in Savannah on December 21, 1864. William T. Sherman had destroyed everything that was in his way, which includes farms, houses, and barns. After Sherman and his forces had captured Atlanta, he prepared to move his base to the coast. Abraham had wanted Sherman to wait until after the election in November to invade the enemy territories.
The Atlanta Campaign is the name by historians to the military operations that took place in north Georgia during the Civil War. In the early May 1864, Federal forces under Maj. Gen William T. Sherman began battling the Confederate Army of Tennessee for possession of north Georgia. Sherman had 110,000 men and 254 cannon in three armies concentrated near Chattanooga.
General McClellan made the South flee causing the Union to win another battle. In Mississippi General Grant led another battle to victory with the surrender of the Confederacy. General Sherman led the Union army in Savannah and destroyed the cities and broke the spirit of the Confederacy. This was another victory. The final battle of the Civil War was led by President Lincoln.
Grant’s overall goal in the campaign was to capture the Confederate capital, Richmond Virginia. Grant realized that maneuvering over occupied Confederate territory would result in catastrophic losses but it was a risk he was willing, and felt one he needed to take. Grant first encountered Lee in the battle of the wilderness. The terrain included steep hills and immensely thick brush. Chaos reigned supreme in the battle as 26,000 men died in the period of three days.
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign. In thirty seven weeks, Sherman marched 62,000 men more than three hundred miles across Georgia. In his path lay ruin. Bridges, cotton, livestock, factories, telegraph lines and hundreds of miles of railroads were destroyed. The campaign begins on November 15, when Sherman's troops leave Atlanta after they razed it to the ground.
The Battle of Gettysburg was a three day fight in which an estimate of 51,000 soldiers were killed in total, but besides all of the casualties, what else makes this battle special? The Battle of Gettysburg was a huge factor in the abolishment of slavery. It is one of the most important battles because it created new war strategies and was the turning point in the Civil War, which led to the Gettysburg Address. The Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, was very confident because of his army utmost victory.
Lincoln called for 500,000 troops on both sides settled for a long battle. Abraham surprised a lot of people by proving to be a more than a capable wartime leader. He learned quickly about strategy and tactics in the early years of the Civil War, and choosing the best commanders. General George McClellan continually frustrated Lincoln with his unwillingness to advance, and when McClellan failed to see Robert Lee’s retreating Confederate Army in the outcome of the Union victory at Antietam in September 1862. Antietam is a creek of north Maryland emptying into the Potomac
The Battle of Gettysburg was July 1 - July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg was a game changer in the Civil War for 3 reasons: the geography, morale, and losses. The first reason Gettysburg was a turning point-or game changer- was because the Confederates lost a lot of men. The Confederates lost about 34% of their men (Document B.)
Sherman’s March to the Sea: America’s War Crime Between November 15 and December 21, 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman led 60,000 Union troops on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The purpose of the march was to strike fear into Georgia’s civilian population and lower the moral on the Confederate home front (History). This “March to the Sea” left a scar through the heart of Georgia and impacted life in the South for decades. Sherman’s actions were war crimes, but were the best thing under the circumstances.