From November 15 until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The purpose of this “March to the Sea” was to frighten Georgia’s civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. Sherman’s soldiers did not destroy any of the towns in their path, but they stole food and livestock and burned the houses and barns of people who tried to fight back. The Yankees were “not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people,” Sherman explained; as a result, they needed to “make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war.”1 Major General Sherman’s Army consisted of two wings, left and right, and a cavalry division in support of both wings. …show more content…
Behind him on the platform sat Howell Cobb, Beauregard, and Hardee. In his speech Davis complimented the three, paying tribute to the latter as a mainstay of the Army of Tennessee, one of the South’s heroes of long standing, and Georgia’s “own and true Hardee”.9 After this trip, Davis appointed Hardee responsible for the defense of the states of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The possession of Florida did not seem to concern particularly either the Union or the Confederacy ; except for extensive cattle herds there it could claim little strategic importance.10 So General Hardee decide visited Charleston and Savannah , the most important seaports city for Confederacy. Charleston city and harbor were the most heavily fortified in the Confederacy and had been defended successfully since 1861.11 So he decided to throw most of his troops and efforts on the defense of …show more content…
According to which Hardee and his 10,000th army could retreat. Sherman not consider about them he want to take Savannah and complete “March to the Sea”. Hardee three days made a decision and soon on December 20 gave his troops an order to retreat.On the evening December 20 , the night was dark , with fierce winds deadening the sounds of wagon and the tramp of troops.Hardee and his lieutenants had planned retreat carefully.On the both 19th and 20th Confederate infantry and artillery had kept up a heavy fire, the purpose being to use up ammunition that could not be carried off while also keeping the Federals from observing the evacuation.At the same time , the forts and batteries below Savannah spiked their guns, destroyed their remaining ammunition , and were evacuated by boat or were marched into Savannah and across the pontoon bridge.16 Next day General William T. Sherman enter to the