March Across Georgia

"While I deplore this necessity daily and cannot bear to see the soldiers swarm, as they do, through fields and yards... nothing can end this war but some demonstration of their helplessness. This Union and its government must be sustained, at any and every cost; to sustain it, we must war upon and destroy the organized rebel forces, must cut off their supplies, destroy their communication produce among the people of Georgia, a thorough conviction of the personal misery which attends war, and the utter helplessness and inability of the their ruler State or Confederate to protect them".

On December 20th Sherman's army entered Savannah, where the Union fleet was waiting with supplies (which were not needed) and mail which was much appreciated. Sherman then started North into South Carolina. There his troops took particular pleasure at destroying property at the sight of what was considered the heart of the rebellion- South Carolina.