William T. Sherman and 1864

[Bigtimber]

Local elders will still comment about what he did around the Bryan County area when asked... on his way to the sea. No military postitions,,,just farms and such with the elderly, women and children. Took all the food, money and anything of value...burned the rest. All homes and shelter of any kind....and worst yet poisoned (and sent scouts out to poison) every known water well by killing livestock and throwing them in it. Many stories still float around of some haunted roads...because so many young, old and weak died trying to get to food and good water. Sounded more like a criminal than a solider.

 

[Walker44]

Question : Sherman allowed Hardy and 30 K Confederate troops out of Savannah over one night when he was ready to take the city -------------

 

[Milkman]

Question : Sherman allowed Hardy and 30 K Confederate troops out of Savannah over one night when he was ready to take the city -------------

What is the question ?

 

[westcobbdog]

Question : Sherman allowed Hardy and 30 K Confederate troops out of Savannah over one night when he was ready to take the city -------------

The accounts I have read say Hardee actually slipped away when he realized it was hopeless to defend her. Sherman approached with his main forces from the south as the quickest way to get sea supplies for his marauders, er soldiers was from the south. Bet many of the 30k men were old men, young boys, shop keepers,etc...

 

[Milkman]

The accounts I have read say Hardee actually slipped away when he realized it was hopeless to defend her. Sherman approached with his main forces from the south as the quickest way to get sea supplies for his marauders, er soldiers was from the south. Bet many of the 30k men were old men, young boys, shop keepers,etc...

Hardee was ordered to evacuate and save the garrison. It would have been futile to make a stand against well supplied Union forces on the land and sea. Beauregard knew it.

Also, Union troops did not yet control the area across the river from Savannah where Hardee evacuated across.

 

[Walker44]

Answer : Sherman and Hardy both were at West Point at the same time Harlee graduated in 1838 , Sherman in 1840, Both fought in the Second Siminole War together
Sherman on 12/20/64 was inside the then City Limits of Savannah. Sherman sent an officer to request , Harlee"s surrender. Harlee said that he would respond in the AM. That night under cover of darkess Harlee and 30 K troops , ( mostly young boys and elders ) went down what is now bay street and crossed over into SC near where the current Port of is located .
Sherman with 60K troops could have stopped the the escape but chose not to based upon his offer to Harlee ( West Point Code of Honor ) and his desire to avoid further deaths and also his desire to keep Savannah intact...... The next morning 12/21/64 after the escape was completed , The city surrendered Sherman took a lot of " heat " about the escape from the northern press

Sherman has had large groups of freed slaves following him through the march from Atlanta. He upon arrival in Savannah requested and was approved that ships be sent to the Port to take that slaves back to their home land. Since the ships were being used to keep the supply line open the final approval from the Department of War was never sent to the ships Capts. As a result the free slaves waited on the costal islands for ships that never arrived and Sherman moved north
You can hold what ever feelings you have about the man however he was an excellent leader , Taking a force of 60K without any supply line through Georgia and living off the land arriving in Savannah in 2 and 1/2 months later, Building road all along the way .
Also there were only minor engagements during the march , unlike the TN to Atlanta action.
I wonder just how much of the reports are now just old timers stories .

 

[Milkman]

The link below is to Amazons offering of what I think is the most complete chronicle of Sherman's march. It compiles documents from the OR, Sherman's memoirs, letters from Union Soldiers, Confederate soldiers, newspapers, etc. It gives a day by day history from mid November until Savannah is occupied.

http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Stor...29853&sr=8-2&keywords=southern+storm+in+books

 

[Bigtimber]

You can hold what ever feelings you have about the man however he was an excellent leader , Taking a force of 60K without any supply line through Georgia and living off the land arriving in Savannah in 2 and 1/2 months later, Building road all along the way .
.

One could call Hitler a great leader as well I suppose if you wanted to look at it that way. I kind of always agreed with the old saying...those that win the war get to write the history. I remember in school being drilled about Andersonvillie. How horrid and terrible those men were treated by the rebels. Never a mention of Camp Douglas or Rock Island. I would call him effective....he did do alot with alittle. On the other hand...when fighting monsters...its important not to become one.

 

[Milkman]

One could call Hitler a great leader as well I suppose if you wanted to look at it that way. I kind of always agreed with the old saying...those that win the war get to write the history. I remember in school being drilled about Andersonvillie. How horrid and terrible those men were treated by the rebels. Never a mention of Camp Douglas or Rock Island. I would call him effective....he did do alot with alittle. On the other hand...when fighting monsters...its important not to become one.

The especially inhumane aspect of the Union prisons was that they had the resources to properly clothe, house, and feed the Confederate prisoners and chose not to. I had a great great uncle who died in Elmira prison in New York where the death rate was 25%. Andersonville's death rate was 28%

 

[westcobbdog]

Yep the ratio of Southern boys held captive who perished in northern prisons was higher than yankees held captive down here with much less medicine, clothing, food and supplies.

 

[LTZ25]

Madison was saved because Sherman had a boy friend that lived there .

 

[Walker44]

Well we had reached a new level in this discussion

 

[Milkman]

A lot of people who haven't read much about the march don't realize that the d'yanks didn't get into massive holocaust mode until they got past Madison

 

[Walker44]

While many believe that Sherman spared the town because it was too beautiful to burn during his March to The Sea, the truth is that Madison was home to pro-Union Senator Joshua Hill. Hill had ties with General Sherman's brother at West Point, so his sparing the town was more political than appreciation of its beauty

 

[westcobbdog]

While many believe that Sherman spared the town because it was too beautiful to burn during his March to The Sea, the truth is that Madison was home to pro-Union Senator Joshua Hill. Hill had ties with General Sherman's brother at West Point, so his sparing the town was more political than appreciation of its beauty

Walker keep in mind these different historical events you are stating the answer to as "fact"are one persons opinion or account or perspective on the subject. Kind of like stating the very reason the war of northern aggression started as fact; its very hard to do. Also, welcome aboard. Where were you when we played civil war trivia, we could have used you.

 

[Resica]

Walker keep in mind these different historical events you are stating the answer to as "fact"are one persons opinion or account or perspective on the subject. Kind of like stating the very reason the war of northern aggression started as fact; its very hard to do. Also, welcome aboard. Where were you when we played civil war trivia, we could have used you.

We could play it again.

 

[westcobbdog]

We could play it again.

Well we wore out 100' s of questions! Maybe so resic, I am old with memory loss so many of the formerly posed questions would be completely new to me.

 

[Milkman]

Well we wore out 100' s of questions! Maybe so resic, I am old with memory loss so many of the formerly posed questions would be completely new to me.

Me too, my memory is so bad now I can hide my own Easter eggs.

 

[Milkman]

Bump this old thread for Confederate History month.