One of the great enduring mysteries locked in the history of Savannah is why Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman chose not to burn down the city of Savannah.
Sherman sought approval from Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, then in command of all Union armies, and President Abraham Lincoln for his plan to march his army of 60,000-62,000 soldiers from Atlanta to Savannah. After some initial misgivings and reluctance, both Grant and Lincoln approved the strategy. About mid-November 1864 Sherman started his infamous "March To The Sea."
Sherman allegedly declared that "Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless to occupy it, but the utter destruction of its roads, houses and people will cripple their military resources. …I can make the march and make Georgia howl!" ('Sherman's March' by Burke Davis)
He further articulated his intent was "to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses and make them fear and dread us."
How did this Civil War campaign play out? Did Sherman torch everything in his path?
