Sherman's March to the Sea facts for kids

Savannah Campaign; (Sherman's March to the Sea)
	Part of the American Civil War
	; Union soldiers destroying telegraph poles and railroads, and freeing slaves, who are assisting Union soldiers in making their way to safety.
Date	November 15 – December 21, 1864
Location	Georgia
Result	Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
William T. Sherman	William J. Hardee; Joseph Wheeler
Units involved
Army of the Tennessee; Army of Georgia;	Confederate militia
Strength
59,545–62,204	12,466
Casualties and losses
?	?

Savannah Campaign (map showing route of Sherman's March to the Sea).

Sherman's March to the Sea is the name given to the military Savannah Campaign in the American Civil War. This was a march of troops through Georgia that lasted from November 15 to December 21, 1864. It was lead by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army.

The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia, on November 15. It ended with the capture of the port of Savannah on December 21. His army burned military targets along with stores, other businesses, and the homes of the people who lived in their path. This ruined the Confederacy's economy and its means of travelling.

Sherman's plan of action of fighting deep inside enemy territory and without any extra supplies changed the way of thinking about how to fight a war.

Images for kids

Sherman's men destroying a railroad in Atlanta.
Sherman's March to the Sea was celebrated in music in 1865 with words by S.H.M. Byers and music by J.O. Rockwell.