The four books, regarding the atlanta campaign, that i really liked the most are 1 the siege of atlanta. This historic 1864 map reprint shows general shermans campaign war map of the states of georgia and south carolina this map includes the locations of a very large number of small settlements, some of which no longer exist. Union general william tecumseh shermans campaign through. While it has a wealth of detail the book simply doesnt have enough on the strategy and tactics of the entire campaigns and the battles the constituted it. Im wondering what yall feel is the best allaround book on shermans march to the sea campaign. The petersburg campaign june 1864march 1865, also known as the siege of petersburg, was a climactic series of battles in southern virginia during the american civil war 186165, in which. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading marching through georgia. A new york times bestselling historian sheds new light on shermans epic march to the sea, especially the soldiers, doctors, nurses, and civilians who would change the nation for the better america in the antebellum years was a deeply troubled country, divided by partisan gridlock and ideological warfare, angry voices in the streets and the statehouses, furious clashes over race and. Based on letters and journals written by participantssoldiers, officers, civilians, southern storm should not be the first book on sherman s campaign through georgia that one reads. The most famous campaign of the hard hand phase of the war was general william t. Map of northwest georgia showing the lines of works erected by the united states forces in blue and confederate forces in red. Foster is a history professor at mississippi gulf coast community college, perkinston, mississippi. Over the next seven months, general sherman and over 60,000 of his men participated in what became one of the most infamous acts of the civil war, shermans. Grant entrusted him with 100k men for an invasion deep.
Sherman s swath of destruction spanned more than 60 miles in width and virtually cut the south in two, badly disabling the flow of supplies to the confederate army. It started with shermans army leaving the decimated city of atlanta on november 16, 1864 and. Southern storm, then, is an informative and mostly entertaining book which succeeds at correcting some misconceptions about shermans march once and for all. William tecumseh sherman february 8, 1820 february 14, 1891 was an american soldier, businessman, educator, and author. I almost tremble at her fate, but feel that she deserves all that seems in store for her. Weigley in his essay in peter parets makers of modern. No one ever has and may not agree with me as to the very great importance of the march north from savannah. Barrett 1956, 280 he argued that the treatment of the citizens in the carolinas destroyed morale and the will to resist union forces as they. In january 1861, as more southern states seceded from the union, sherman was required to accept receipt of arms surrendered to. Good day to day, place to place narrative of this campaign. Shermans march to the sea the campaign through georgia in 1864. Sherman s opponent in the atlanta campaign was a defensively minded general, characteristics that suited him well for the task at hand.
Shermans march to the sea was a military campaign of the american civil war conducted. The carolina campaign civil war 150 pinhole project. At the start of the carolinas campaign, shermans army group numbered 60,079 officers and enlisted men. William tecumseh sherman february 8, 1820 february 14, 1891 was an american soldier. The atlanta campaign is the name given by historians to the military operations that took place in north georgia during the civil war 186165 in the spring and summer of 1864. Savannah campaign march to the sea carolinas campaign. Mar 22, 2014 im wondering what yall feel is the best allaround book on sherman s march to the sea campaign. Historian john barrett discusses in his book, shermans march through the carolinas, that the federal march north from savannah brought the citizens of the carolinas to stern realities of the war. In 1864, general william tecumseh sherman marched his union force practically unopposed through the very heart of dixie, engaging in total war as he advanced destroying crops, killing livestock, burning buildings, dislodging railroad tracks. Sherman captured meridian, mississippi, inflicting heavy damage to it. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He destroyed much of the souths potential and psychology to wage war.
Mark grimsley described shermans savannah campaign in the hard hand of war. Shermans campaign from chattanooga to atlanta 1864. The son of an ohio supreme court justice, sherman was born in lancaster, ohio, orphaned at nine and raised by a wealthy friend of his father s, sen. Its a somewhat controversial subject and i want to get as unbiased a history as i can but an accurate one, too. General william tecumseh sherman always maintained that the carolinas campaign of 1865 was his greatest military achievement. Union cavalry operations in the atlanta campaign isbn. Shermans great campaign through south carolina its progress.
The campaign is viewed by historians as a prelude to shermans march to the sea savannah campaign. A scorchedearth campaign that continues to haunt the southern imagination, shermans march to the sea and ensuing drive north was a crucial turning point in the war between the states. By early 1864 most confederate southerners had probably given up hopes of winning the war by. This book about shermans november 1864april 1865 from atlanta to chapel hill is an indepth history full of eyewitness diary accounts from soldiers on both sides as well as southern citizens from the towns visited by shermans army. Sheridans 1868 winter campaign employed converging columns to turn the tide in favor of the cavalry. The book focuses on sherman s north georgia campaign, the battle of atlanta and the march to the sea as it affected the soldiers and civilians of both sides. Sherman s carolina campaign, in which his troops marched 425 miles 684 km in 50 days, was similar to his march to the sea through georgia, although physically more demanding.
Atlanta to savannah campaign book 179 kindle edition by smith, david, hook, richard. Introduction goldsboro during shermans occupation, march. Shermans opponent in the atlanta campaign was a defensively minded general, characteristics that suited him well for the task at hand. Shermans great campaign through south carolina its. Shermans march to the sea the campaign through georgia. He led more than 60,000 union troops to blaze a path from atlanta to savannah, ordering his men to burn crops, kill livestock, and decimate everything that fed the rebel war machine.
He served as a general in the union army during the american civil war 186165, receiving recognition for his command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the scorched earth policies he implemented in conducting total war against the. The atlanta campaign was a series of battles fought in the western theater of the american civil war throughout northwest georgia and the area around atlanta during the summer of 1864. Osprey campaign 179 shermans march to the sea 1864. A south carolina general of the civil war, a biography of the littleknown general, was a 1992 selection of the history book club. Much has been written about his savannah campaign, some acclaiming his brilliant military strategy, others denouncing his ruthless tactics. Based on letters and journals written by participantssoldiers, officers, civilians, southern storm should not be the first book on shermans campaign through georgia that one reads. Dickey is the new york times bestselling author of empire of mud, a history of the troubled rise of washington, d. Story of soldiers and civilians during shermans campaign. The essence of the unions hard war strategy is demonstrated in general william tecumseh shermans march to the sea, a path of destruction across the state of georgia principally from atlanta to savannah. Jun 01, 2009 southern storm, then, is an informative and mostly entertaining book which succeeds at correcting some misconceptions about shermans march once and for all. Shermans march to the sea essential civil war curriculum. Sherman advanced north from savannah, georgia, through the carolinas, with the intention of linking up with union forces in virginia. This is rubins second civil warrelated monograph, the first being a shattered nation. Joseph benson foraker was born on july 5, 1846, on a farm about one mile 1.
By early 1864 most confederate southerners had probably given up hopes of winning the war by conquering union territory. William tecumseh sherman union general brought total war to the southern heartland. The campaign of the carolinas january 1 april 26, 1865, also known as the carolinas campaign, was the final campaign conducted by the united states army against the confederate states army in the western theater. Shermans march to the sea trudeau, noah andre on amazon. The petersburg campaign june 1864march 1865, also known as the siege of petersburg, was a climactic series of battles in southern virginia during. Historian john barrett discusses in his book, sherman s march through the carolinas, that the federal march north from savannah brought the citizens of the carolinas to stern realities of the war.
William tecumseh sherman is one of the most famous generals in history, and one of the most hated in the south. In january 1865 general william tecumseh sherman leads his army of sixty thousand veteran soldiers. Shermans 18641865 campaign in georgia and the carolinasthe birthplace of the insurrection. The march to the sea was the culmination of union general william t. General shermans march to the sea, also known as the savannah campaign, was conducted through georgia from november 15 to december 21, 1864. Southern general shermans 1864 campaign war map of georgia.
Foster quotes from confederate and union military and civilian sources throughout the book. Summary map covering most of georgia and south carolina, showing defenses along the sea coast and around the principal towns, confederate prisons at andersonville and south of millen, ga. His discussion of strategy is general and primarily about sherman s decision to have his army forage off the land. It s a somewhat controversial subject and i want to get as unbiased a history as i can but an accurate one, too. This book about sherman s november 1864april 1865 from atlanta to chapel hill is an indepth history full of eyewitness diary accounts from soldiers on both sides as well as southern citizens from the towns visited by sherman s army.
Though the red army managed to push the wehrmacht back from moscow, the. Shermans march and the fight for a new nation, also published by pegasus books. Louis democrat, of thursday last, has the following paragraph. There s a lot of books out there so i need some help in making a choice. Sherman never intended to destroy the south, they maintainmerely. I recommend this book because it is an uncensored account of sherman s march. Story of soldiers and civilians during shermans campaign kindle edition by kennett, lee b download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Sherman left for chattanooga on may 7 to begin the atlanta campaign with 100,000 troops.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Sherman s 1864 campaign during the american civil war 18611865 and was a devastating example of total war. William tecumseh shermans march to the sea is one of the most famous events in the annals of war. In the book he recounts union general william tecumseh shermans. William tecumseh shermans march to the sea devastated the south, as sherman pruned the oldsouth myth of magnolia splendor to a stump.
Sherman, the western sanitary commission sent large supplies for the union prisoners. William tecumseh sherman invaded georgia from the vicinity of chattanooga, tennessee, beginning in may 1864, opposed by the confederate general joseph e. Joseph benson foraker july 5, 1846 may 10, 1917 was an american politician of the republican party who served as governor of ohio from 1886 to 1890 and as united states senator from ohio from 1897 until 1909. This campaign was under the leadership of major general william tecumseh sherman of the union army. Introduction shermans march in blue and grey, march. Introduction shermans march in blue and grey, marchapril. Sherman and civil war history, by wesley moody, is published. The american civil war and the origins of modern warfare. Pop south is pleased to welcome a discussion with anne sarah rubin, associate professor of history at the university of maryland baltimore county, on her new book through the heart of dixie.
It does not cover the entire campaign, but picks up with the numerous raids starting on july 3, 1864 and going to the end of kilpatricks raid on august 22, 1864. Author robert oconnell discusses his book, fierce patriot. Castel, douglas southall freeman snippet view 1938. Shermans march in myth and memory, by edward caudill and paul ashdown, is published. Southern general shermans 1864 campaign war map of. Sherman s 1865 carolinas campaign receives scant attention from most civil war historians, largely because it was overshadowed by the army of northern virginia s final campaign against the army of the potomac. From the skirmish at buzzard roost gap all the way to savannah ten months later, kennet follows the notorious, complex sherman, who attacked the devastated the heart of. Dec 18, 2017 the four books, regarding the atlanta campaign, that i really liked the most are 1 the siege of atlanta.
In this engrossing work of history, lee kennett brilliantly brings general shermans 1864 invasion of georgia to life by capturing the groundlevel experiences of the soldiers and civilians who witnesses the bloody campaign. This historic 1864 map reprint shows general sherman s campaign war map of the states of georgia and south carolina this map includes the locations of a very large number of small settlements, some of which no longer exist. The campaign, which started with the burning of atlanta and ended with a furious, vengeful march through the carolinas, brought the union army into some of the. Shermans march to the sea, by noah andre trudeau, is published. General william tecumseh sherman is probably best remembered for his spectacular 1864 march to the sea in which he stormed 225 miles through georgia with no line of communication in a union campaign to take the american civil war to the confederate population.
David stahel argues that, in fact, it was its first strategic success in the east. Sherman march to the sea civil war crimes civilian diary. Theres a lot of books out there so i need some help in making a choice. His intent was to drive through the confederate lines in two places and push toward the railroad in. Shermans mississippi campaign is highly recommended to civil war enthusiasts and those interested in general sherman. Available also through the library of congress web site as. Most of the soldiers were veteran volunteers who had enlisted during the first two years of the war and then reenlisted after their two and threeyear terms had expired. Union cavalry operations in the atlanta campaign by david evans, which in my opinion is the absolute best book regarding cavalry.
Grant entrusted him with 100k men for an invasion deep into the south toward rail center of atlanta. The story of soldiers and civilians during shermans campaign. Confederate hopes in 1864 hinged on frustrating union forces in the field and forcing abraham lincoln out of office in the november elections. Nov 24, 20 the essence of the unions hard war strategy is demonstrated in general william tecumseh shermans march to the sea, a path of destruction across the state of georgia principally from atlanta to savannah. Having been born and reared in jackson, a town sherman burned, i enjoyed reading and learning more about a man most southern boys have been told to dislike. William tecumseh shermans march to the sea devastated the south, as sherman pruned the. He was the son of henry and margaret reece foraker, and one of 11 children, of whom nine reached adulthood. However, the confederate forces opposing him were much smaller and more dispirited. Shermans 1864 campaign during the american civil war 18611865 and was a devastating example of total war.
He humiliated southerners and became a scapegoat of southern wrath, the one to blame for what became of the confederacy from reconstructions failures, a regional malaise in an era of progress, to the simplistic stereotypes of lynch mobs and klansmen. Over the next seven months, general sherman and over 60,000 of his men participated in what became one of the most infamous acts of the civil war, shermans march. The carolinas campaign 1865 the truth is, the whole army is burning with an insatiable desire to wreak vengeance upon south carolina. The meridian campaign or meridian expedition took place from february 3 march 6, 1864, from vicksburg, mississippi to meridian, mississippi, by the union army of the tennessee, led by maj.
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