The end of the Civil War also brought about the introduction of Total War. GeneralsInteractive popup. Assistance may be required. U.S. Grant, Philip Sheridan, and most notoriously,Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. William Tecumseh Sherman, actively burned the homes, destroyed crops and livestock, and wrecked the railroads that could be supporting rebel efforts. While they did not deliberately target civilians and gave time for citizens to evacuate before lighting the fires, they also did not express much remorse when their property was destroyed or women and children might have difficulty feeding their families for the winter. Everything was fair game in order to get the South to surrender.

March to the Sea

Sherman's March to the Sea is the most infamous application of Total War. It began with the burning of the city of Atlanta to the ground and ended with a path of destruction clear to Savannah. See the path on the map below:

Perspectives on the March to the Sea

In the next section, you will analyze three sets of primary sources to give you different perspective on the March to the Sea and Total War. After each document, answer the questions in your notes.