Sherman and Grant’s Total War: A Strategy of Destruction

During the Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman and General Ulysses S. Grant became famous for employing a strategy known as total war. This strategy aimed to break the enemy's will to fight by targeting not just military forces, but also the infrastructure and civilian resources that supported those forces. Total war focused on making war as destructive and widespread as possible, even if it meant harming non-combatants.

Sherman’s March to the Sea and the Burning of Atlanta

One of the most controversial examples of total war was General Sherman’s March to the Sea. In late 1864, after capturing the Confederate city of Atlanta, Sherman began a brutal campaign through Georgia. His goal was not only to defeat Confederate forces, but also to destroy the South's ability to continue the war. Sherman’s army cut a 60-mile wide swath of destruction through Georgia, burning towns, stealing food, destroying railroads, and tearing up telegraph lines. Sherman’s forces created a path of devastation, making it difficult for the Confederacy to supply its army and maintain its infrastructure.

The Burning of Atlanta was a key moment in Sherman’s campaign. Atlanta was a major transportation hub and industrial center for the Confederacy. In September 1864, after a series of battles, Sherman captured the city. He ordered the evacuation of civilians, and soon after, much of Atlanta was set on fire. While many of the fires were accidental, the damage to the city was significant. Sherman’s actions were aimed at crippling the South’s resources and morale, but the destruction of a major city caused significant suffering for Southern civilians.

Grant’s Total War Strategy

While Sherman’s march through Georgia was perhaps the most famous example of total war, Ulysses S. Grant also implemented total war tactics throughout the Union Army. As General-in-Chief of the Union Army, Grant ordered simultaneous attacks on Confederate forces in multiple theaters of the war. His goal was to keep the pressure on the Confederacy, forcing them to fight on multiple fronts. Grant’s tactics included targeting Confederate infrastructure—railroads, supply lines, and factories—in addition to attacking Confederate armies directly.

Grant’s goal was to destroy the Confederate war machine and force a surrender. His strategy led to heavy casualties and widespread destruction. The Union Army’s aggressive actions contributed to the eventual collapse of the Confederacy, but they also led to widespread suffering among Southern civilians who had little to do with the fighting.

Ethical Considerations of Total War

The tactics used by Sherman and Grant have been the subject of much debate. On one hand, total war helped bring the Civil War to a quicker conclusion by crippling the Confederate war effort. On the other hand, it led to widespread suffering, especially for civilians. For many, the destruction of homes, farms, and entire cities raised serious ethical questions. Should civilians be targeted in a war, even if it helps end the conflict more quickly? How much destruction is justified in the name of military victory?

While both Sherman and Grant believed that total war was necessary to end the Civil War and preserve the Union, the human cost of these tactics was enormous. The South’s infrastructure was devastated, and thousands of civilians lost their homes and livelihoods. For many Southerners, Sherman’s March to the Sea is remembered as a traumatic event that symbolized the brutality of the war.