After capturing Atlanta in September 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman led about 60,000 soldiers on a march to Savannah from November 15 to December 21, 1864.
His army destroyed railroads, factories, and supplies across Georgia, a strategy meant to break the Confederacy’s ability and will to fight.
Ohio Connection
Sherman was born in Lancaster, Ohio, in 1820, and his boyhood home is now a museum.
What Came Next
Sherman offered Savannah to Lincoln as a Christmas present, then marched north through the Carolinas in early 1865.
Explore More
Ohio is full of Civil War history. Visit the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery, the Sherman House Museum in Lancaster, Grant’s birthplace in Point Pleasant, and Morgan’s Raid markers across southern and eastern Ohio. County historical societies often hold letters, photos, and flags from local regiments, so check with yours too.
Save this pin to your American history board and share it with a fellow history lover. Visited a Civil War site in Ohio or beyond? Pin it next to this one.