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Why did the Confederate army not fight when Sherman marched on Savannah?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
At the start of the 1864 campaign in Georgia the Confederates opposing Sherman, the Army of Tennessee, were commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston fell back more than one hundred miles before Sherman's larger force, to the area of Atlanta. Johnston almost started a battle two times, but got flanked by the Yankees and had to retire. Johnston was a cautious man and did not like to fight a battle unless everything was perfect. He fought only two battles in the entire war, and lost both. Having retreated all the way to Atlanta Johnston was replaced by John B. Hood. Hood was the exact opposite of Johnston - extremely reckless. Hood promptly attacked Sherman three times, but lost so many men doing so that he no longer had sufficient force to man the vast entrenchments surrounding Atlanta. Hood had to pull out of the city and allow the Yankees to walk right in. Hood continued to lurk in the area.
Then Hood hit on the idea of destroying Sherman's supply line, which was a single railroad line extending back through Chattanooga, Nashville and on to Louisville. Hood did not know that Sherman had already planned to destroy his own supply line, and Atlanta, and strike out for Savannah, "living off the land", "foraging liberally", meaning robbing all the farmers along the way that his army could reach of all foodstuffs. When Hood moved against Sherman's supply line nothing could have delighted Sherman more. Sherman said if Hood would go to the Ohio River he would give him rations for the trip.
So there was the extremely rare spectacle in war of two opposing armies marching off in opposite directions. Hood came to grief in Tennessee in the Battles of Franklin and Nashville, as there was another entire Federal army in Tennessee waiting for him.
All there was remaining in Georgia to oppose Sherman were some state militia troops. These were too few to do much, but did what they could. Convicts were released from the state prison and promised a pardon if they would fight, and these, along with the boys comprising the student body of the Georgia Military Academy tried to fight Sherman at Griswoldsville, but were slaughtered and easily brushed aside.
General Hood lead the Confederate Army of Tennessee North toward Chatanooga hoping he could cut Sherman's supply lines and force the Union army to leave Georgia and come north after him. Thus there were no significant Confederate forces left in Georgia to oppose Sherman.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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What did grant order sherman to do?
to fight until he wore out the confederate army
What happend during the battle of Savannah during the civil war?
The Battle of Savannah, which took place in December 1864, was fought between Union forces led by Major General William T. Sherman and Confederate forces defending the city. The Confederates, under the command of General William Hardee, were able to repel the Union assault and hold on to Savannah, which remained a Confederate stronghold until the end of the war. The battle resulted in relatively low casualties but was an important part of Sherman's March to the Sea campaign.
I led a March to the Sea. I practiced total war in moving my army from Atlanta to Savannah to break the will of the South to fight. Who am I?
General William Techumseh Sherman
Why did the loud soldier object to marching?
he felt that when soldiers marched there should be a fight at the end of it .
Who was the Confederate General whose command bore the brunt of the fight at Fredericksburg?
Confederate General Longstreet
What did grant order sherman to do?
to fight until he wore out the confederate army
Why was the Civil War called a total war?
William Sherman and his army marched to take over Savannah,Georgia.They destroyed EVERYTHING in their path that the Confederates could use to keep fighting.Total war destroyed the Confederates' will to fight and their energy.
What happend during the battle of Savannah during the civil war?
The Battle of Savannah, which took place in December 1864, was fought between Union forces led by Major General William T. Sherman and Confederate forces defending the city. The Confederates, under the command of General William Hardee, were able to repel the Union assault and hold on to Savannah, which remained a Confederate stronghold until the end of the war. The battle resulted in relatively low casualties but was an important part of Sherman's March to the Sea campaign.
I led a March to the Sea. I practiced total war in moving my army from Atlanta to Savannah to break the will of the South to fight. Who am I?
General William Techumseh Sherman
What the expectations of Union General William Sherman after the appointment of Confederate General John Hood?
US General William Sherman learned of the new commander of the Southern Army of Tennessee, John Hood and expected a tough campaign on his way to Atlanta. Despite Sherman's good judgment, he met little resistance from Confederate forces. As the end of July, 1864 approached, he gave thought that the Confederate forces were to evacuate Atlanta without a fight.
Did William t sherman only fight in two battles?
No, he fought in a lot of battle like First Bull Run, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Savannah etc.
What were 3ways that general sherman and his troops destroyed parts of Georgia?
General Sherman devastated Georgia. He was very determined to get to Savannah. In order to do this, he would need to travel across the entire state to get to the port town. The capitol, one of the first cities he encountered, was Atlanta. Soldiers in Confederate regiments evacuated the town, and layed low trying to fight back the Union corps under Sherman. For thirty days, Sherman kept fire on the town. He put it under siege. Finally after clearly losing control, the confederates pulled out of the town. In their tracks, there was intense fire. They did not want a thing of good to come the Sherman, or the union corps in which he commanded. He still was able to claim the town, but there wasn't a thing left for them to take. So Atlanta, thanks to Sherman's relentless siege, was destroyed. He then travelled on through smaller towns (many more than I care to mention) burning, and destroying them after his men had foraged and gotten so useful supplies. Finally, after as many as five months, he reached his target, Savannah. There was nearly no force opposing him, and he and his corps marched right through the gates of the town. He did not do much to the town except for taking supplies. he wired President Lincoln that he had captured the town. In his wire, he said " President Lincoln, it is my honor to present you a Christmas present; the town of Savannah. This is everything Sherman and his part of the Federal army did on their sixty mile march from Atlanta to the sea.
Where were the first french troops sent to help colonists fight against the british?
The battle of saratoga
Why did the loud soldier to marching?
he felt that when soldiers marched there should be a fight at the end of it .
Why was the confederacy unable to stop Sherman campaign?
Sherman was too brutal and kept sending in men to fight he believed in Total Warfare. IMPROVEMENT. Because Hood's Army, after having evacuated Atlanta, instead remaining in Georgia and hindering Sherman's activity there, started a campaign to invade the Tennessee with the ultimate goal of menacing the Ohio Line. Gen. Beauregard, at that time Confederate overall commander of the Western Fronts, authorized the choice. Despite his efforts he didn't succeeded in gathering sufficient troops to effectively fight Sherman's Army.
Did Rodger Sherman fight in the revolutionary war?
yes
What were some of the structures in the south that had to be rebuilt after the civil war?
Because William Sherman Used a method of total war that means taking out the confederate weapons and gear and taking the peoples will to fight (like houses building etc.)
