During the Civil War, the Union used many tactics to get the upper hand over the Confederacy, some of which were questionable. On November 15th, 1864, Major General William Tecumseh Sherman commanded his troops to pillage all of the possible aides to the Confederates in Atlanta, Georgia. That day, he began a march to the port of Savannah, which his troops would reach on December first later that year. The troops devastated every town they passed, immensely changing economics, the personal lives of citizens, and their ultimate goal, harming the south’s war effort.
The Southern economy was predominately based on farming, especially with a number of large plantations. As a result of the march, commonly called Sherman’s March to the Sea or the Savannah Campaign, all farms were burned, not just those associated with the army. Farming equipment was destroyed as well, even on small family farms. As a result, it became difficult for someone in the south to find cotton, tobacco, or other crops in a market. Not only this, but if a farm was spared, it was extremely difficult to make a profit anymore, as supply depots were destroyed. Roads and railways were demolished…show more content… As he had wished, the army’s food supplies dropped significantly. Other supplies, such as munitions made at the factories, routes of transportation to battle, and supply depots were at a great loss. The depletion of supply depots affected not only the sellers, but also the buyers, making it that much more difficult for the Confederate Army to access supplies. Consequently, the army was weakened, and the Union began to gain more and more ground, hinging on this weakness. Soldiers in the south were not only weakened physically, but also mentally. Many of them no longer had homes to return to, and their families were forced out. Ultimately, Sherman’s use of total war was beneficial to the war effort of the Union, with its many
