Sherman's March Through South Carolina

"You Cannot judge war in Harsher terms then I will.  War is Cruelty and you cannot refine it, and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out." William Tecumseh Sherman in correspondance with Confederate Authorities regarding his expulsion of civilians from the City of Atlanta, and their attempts to have him change his policy.

"South Carolina is reaping at last the consequence of her treason..." George W. Pepper, speaking of the Burning of Columbia, South Carolina.

"The men in the army are spoiling for a fight and would give anything to "lock arms" with the hoards of Sherman. Most of them have been cutoff from their homes and have become terribly mad at the way things are going on and swear vengence against the whole United North."  Stephen Elliot Welch, Hampton's Legion(South Carolina), regarding the soldiers fighting in Virginia who's homes were in Sherman's path.

Look at the man to your left Does he look like a devil, saint, or simply a normal man. Some even went as far in South Carolina to brand this man the Devil Incarnate, the Antichrist if you will. They even regard his Campaign of the Carolinas and his March to the Sea as a sort of Satantic crusades. Strangely that view is not as drawn up along regional lines as one might think. Even some in the North seem to have a aversion to the brand of warfare he practiced. However its results cannot be denied. This "redheaded adopted child" arguably ended the American Civil War. First with his masterful march through North Georgia, then his March to the Sea. During Ulyss S. Grant's siege of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Petersburg, William Tecumseh Sherman literally sloshed through the very heart of the Southern Confederacy. Unlike some of his colleagues of the time who would foolishly attack enemy works, General William Tecumeh Sherman used the strategic turning movement like clockwork, repeatedly dislodging the fabian, but very capable General Joseph E. Johnson. However this general like his avowed mortal enemy, Nathan Bedford Forrest, would gain just as much notoriety as battlefield laurels. William Tecumseh Sherman practiced what is termed "total war". This fairly tame term for the practice, means quite simply that the proverbial gloves come off. No structure, or facet of the enemies society is off limits. William Tecumseh Sherman believed that war was not only between armies but societies. The very societies that sent its sons off to war would, if shown the horrors of war first hand, demand its end. This Belief, and the things he did to carry it out on the state of South Carolina in the Campaign of the Carolinas would earn William Tecumseh Sherman the distinction of being easily the most hated man in the history of South Carolina.

"Im Going to march to Richmond.....and when I go through South Carolina it will be one of the most horrible things in the history of the world. The devil himself could'nt restrain my men in that state. "