- Joined
- Oct 10, 2012
- Location
- Mt. Jackson, Va
On this date 11/15/1864, General Sherman starts his campaign through the state of Georgia by setting fire to the industries of Atlanta and then cutting his own supply line ( the railroad from Nashville ).
When Sherman learned of Lincoln's reelection on Nov. 8, the following day he issued Special Orders # 120, designed to be an expedition across Georgia in order to bring the war to the Deep South plantation owners and aristocrats. Uncle Billy also reasoned that the civilian economy and military operations were intertwined. When processed, a pig on a rural Georgia farm became salt pork for Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. His intention was to make "Georgia howl" and help bring about an end to the stalemate at Petersburg and the fighting elsewhere. His plan was for the army to live off the land until reaching Savannah, where the Union Navy could then become their supply line. Also, if they traveled light, they could move faster, the general was calculating it would take four to five weeks to accomplish. Sherman ordered 2,500 wagons be loaded with supplies for the journey which included ten days worth of food. Brigades would form "forage parties" to gather supplies en route. Corps commanders could decide to burn private property if their forces encountered guerrilla attacks.
Sherman then had his medical staff check the troops for illness and injury. The surgeons weeded out the sick, the weak, and even some overweight. This left Uncle Billy with roughly 60,000 men who were lean, mean, hardcore veteran soldiers who could endure the sustained march. The unfit were sent by rail back to Chattanooga asap. The army was then split in two - the right wing which consisted of the 15th & 17th Corps under maj. gen. O.O. Howard, and the left wing which was made up by the 20th & 14th Corps commanded by maj. gen. Henry Slocum.
Upon their departure on the morning of the 15th, first the right wing followed by the left, Union engineers had blown up or set fires to several buildings and factories plus they tore up up the railroads. Unfortunately the fire had also gotten out of control spreading to some civilian areas, as well. The Union engineer commander claimed that the massive fire was an accident. However, Sherman's intention was completely understood by his army- thoroughly destroy every building and every piece of equipment that might be militarily valuable.
When Sherman learned of Lincoln's reelection on Nov. 8, the following day he issued Special Orders # 120, designed to be an expedition across Georgia in order to bring the war to the Deep South plantation owners and aristocrats. Uncle Billy also reasoned that the civilian economy and military operations were intertwined. When processed, a pig on a rural Georgia farm became salt pork for Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. His intention was to make "Georgia howl" and help bring about an end to the stalemate at Petersburg and the fighting elsewhere. His plan was for the army to live off the land until reaching Savannah, where the Union Navy could then become their supply line. Also, if they traveled light, they could move faster, the general was calculating it would take four to five weeks to accomplish. Sherman ordered 2,500 wagons be loaded with supplies for the journey which included ten days worth of food. Brigades would form "forage parties" to gather supplies en route. Corps commanders could decide to burn private property if their forces encountered guerrilla attacks.
Sherman then had his medical staff check the troops for illness and injury. The surgeons weeded out the sick, the weak, and even some overweight. This left Uncle Billy with roughly 60,000 men who were lean, mean, hardcore veteran soldiers who could endure the sustained march. The unfit were sent by rail back to Chattanooga asap. The army was then split in two - the right wing which consisted of the 15th & 17th Corps under maj. gen. O.O. Howard, and the left wing which was made up by the 20th & 14th Corps commanded by maj. gen. Henry Slocum.
Upon their departure on the morning of the 15th, first the right wing followed by the left, Union engineers had blown up or set fires to several buildings and factories plus they tore up up the railroads. Unfortunately the fire had also gotten out of control spreading to some civilian areas, as well. The Union engineer commander claimed that the massive fire was an accident. However, Sherman's intention was completely understood by his army- thoroughly destroy every building and every piece of equipment that might be militarily valuable.