Civil War: Sherman's March - Barnard PhotographyA portfolio of 61 images of Sherman's campaign, from negatives taken in the field, by George N. Barnard, the official photographer of the military division of the Mississippi.
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Sherman's March to the Sea is commonly referred to as the Savannah Campaign. Civil War historian David J. Eicher wrote in his book, "The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War," that Sherman "defied military principles by operating deep within enemy territory and without lines of supply or communication. He destroyed much of the South's potential and psychology to wage war."
The march began two months after the end of the Atlanta Campaign. On November 12, 1864, Sherman ordered the continuation of his march through Georgia. In the course of the march, he cut himself off from his source of supplies, planning for his troops to live off the land. His men cut a path 300 miles long and 60 miles wide as they passed through Georgia, destroying factories, bridges, railroads, and public buildings.
Herman Hattaway and Archer Jones cited in their book "How the North Won: A Military History of the Civil War," the significant damage inflicted to the railroad system and Southern logistics during the campaign, writing that, "Sherman's raid succeeded in knocking the Confederate war effort to pieces."
After taking Savannah, Sherman ordered his troops into South Carolina on January 17, 1865. About a month later, South Carolina's capital, Columbia was under Sherman's control. Sherman's forces were approaching Raleigh, North Carolina when the war ended.
Ruins of the R.R. Depot Charleston South CarolinaZoom-in Ruins of the R.R. Depot Charleston South Carolina