When Georgia Howled: Sherman on the March | GPB Documentaries
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The American Civil War in 1864 led to heavy casualties with President Abraham Lincoln facing re-election amid waning support. General Sherman's strategic campaign in Atlanta ultimately led to the city's fall and boosted Lincoln's political fortunes.
Insights
- Sherman's strategic brilliance in cutting off Atlanta's supply lines at Jonesboro was pivotal in forcing General Hood's evacuation, leading to the city's surrender and a significant boost to President Lincoln's political standing.
- The impact of Sherman's Atlanta Campaign extended beyond military victories, as it marked the end of slavery in the city, highlighted by the celebration of African Americans upon the arrival of Union forces, showcasing the broader societal implications of the conflict.
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Who led the Union forces during the Atlanta Campaign?
Sherman
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Summary
00:00
Sherman's Atlanta Campaign: Union's Strategic Victory
- The American Civil War in 1864 sees half a million dead and a million wounded, with no end in sight.
- President Abraham Lincoln faces re-election with waning Northern support for the war.
- Atlanta is crucial, being the strategic railroad hub of the Deep South and second only to Richmond in importance to the Confederacy.
- Sherman prepares to invade Georgia in April 1864, aiming to secure a victory for the Union.
- Atlanta's commercial success is due to the Western and Atlantic Railroad linking it to Chattanooga.
- Sherman meticulously plans to ensure his 110,000 men and 40-50,000 animals are fed daily during the Atlanta Campaign.
- Major General William T. Sherman, known for vowing to make Georgia howl, leads the Union forces.
- Sherman, originally from Ohio, had a tragic childhood and a foster father who helped him get into West Point.
- Sherman resigns from the peacetime army in 1853, experiences a nervous breakdown at the war's start in 1861, but recovers with support.
- Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, a West Point graduate, is tasked with defending Georgia against Sherman, with a history of bad blood with Jefferson Davis.
11:17
Sherman's strategic advances towards Atlanta and setbacks.
- Sherman, not the smartest tactician, avoids a risky move and instead plans to trap and destroy Johnston's army.
- General James McPherson leads 24,000 men through Snake Creek Gap to trap Johnston, but moves too slowly.
- Johnston evades the trap, leading to Sherman's disappointment in McPherson's cautious approach.
- Johnston misses an opportunity to defeat an isolated column of Sherman's army at Cassville.
- By May 25, Johnston retreats over 50 miles, seeking reinforcements that are unavailable, while Sherman advances to within 30 miles of Atlanta.
- Sherman's larger army continuously outflanks Johnston, compelling him to retreat repeatedly.
- Atlanta resident Sam Richards witnesses the impact of war in the city cemetery, with fresh graves of dead soldiers.
- Richards, a pre-war Unionist turned Confederate supporter, avoids fighting due to his exemption as a printer.
- Sherman crosses the Etowah River, a significant milestone in his campaign towards Atlanta.
- The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain sees Sherman's failed frontal assault, leading to heavy casualties and a need for alternative strategies.
21:21
Atlanta's Population Decreases During Civil War
- Atlanta's population has decreased from 20,000 to about 4,000 due to the war.
- Most of Atlanta's population consists of white women, children, and slaves.
- Sherman burns down Roswell Mills and charges the women there with treason.
- President Jefferson Davis replaces General Johnston with General John Bell Hood.
- General Hood, known for his courage, loses an arm at Gettysburg and a leg at Chickamauga.
- Hood launches attacks near Atlanta to prevent Sherman from cutting off the city's supply routes.
- General James McPherson is killed during a battle, mourned by both sides.
- Sherman bombards Atlanta for five weeks, causing civilian casualties.
- Enslaved individuals in Atlanta take the opportunity to run away to Union lines.
- Despite the bombardment, Sherman's efforts do not weaken Hood's Confederate army.
31:44
Sherman's March to Victory in Atlanta
- Lincoln expresses concern about being defeated in the war.
- War-weary residents of Atlanta wake up to silence on August 26th as the shelling stops.
- Sherman, frustrated with the stalemate in Atlanta, takes his army on a flanking march to the west and south of the city.
- Sherman's army cuts the last railroad supply into Atlanta at Jonesboro, sealing the fate of Hood and Atlanta.
- Atlanta's supply lines destroyed, General Hood orders an immediate evacuation, leading to a massive explosion in the city.
- Mayor James Calhoun surrenders Atlanta to Sherman on September 2nd, electrifying the North and boosting Lincoln's political fortunes.
- Sherman expels all remaining civilians from Atlanta, including secret Yankees who sympathized with the North.
- African American population celebrates the arrival of the Yankees in Atlanta, marking the end of slavery in the city.
- Sherman's engineers dismantle vacant houses in Atlanta to build new fortifications while his soldiers vote overwhelmingly for Lincoln in the presidential election.
- Sherman divides his army, sending part to deal with Hood in North Georgia and Tennessee, while the rest heads to Savannah to resupply and march north to Virginia to confront Lee.
42:23
Sherman's March: Atlanta to Savannah and Beyond
- Sherman instructs his men not to burn any buildings until the last minute to prevent fires from getting out of control.
- Churches and houses in downtown Atlanta are placed under guard to prevent arson.
- Sick or injured soldiers, along with hundreds of African Americans, are loaded onto the last trains heading north.
- Sherman's men tear up 40 miles of the Western and Atlantic Railroad above Atlanta to cut their last link to the north.
- Sherman's men file through the outskirts of Atlanta and commence burning every house in that part of town.
- General Slocum offers a reward for any soldier who would turn in a comrade as an unintended arsonist, but no one does.
- Engineers set fire to the rubble of the train depot and commercial buildings in the downtown business district, sparing churches and homes.
- Sherman's army marches out of Atlanta on November 16th as dense black smoke rises behind them.
- Sherman embarks on a 250-mile march to Savannah through Confederate territory, living off the land and destroying what his men can't eat.
- Sherman's march through Georgia destroys about 40% of Atlanta, and he issues Field Order 15, known as the Forty Acres and a Mule Plan, which is later revoked by President Andrew Johnson.
52:44
Sherman's Impact on Post-War Atlanta
- Sam Richards sarcastically comments on General Sherman's visit to Atlanta after the war, highlighting the city's rebuilding efforts post-destruction.
- Sherman's interactions with ex-Confederate generals Johnston and Hood, who blame each other for losing Atlanta and the war, continue to spark controversy.
- Sherman's evolving reputation in the South, from being the most hated man to a respected military leader, is noted, with his brutal war tactics being praised by later American generals.
