This find from the ETV Tape Vault gives us a gripping glimpse into Civil War History, chronicling Sherman's “March to the Sea.”
From Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, Sherman and his 60,000 troops pressed toward Atlanta. Upon taking Atlanta, he captured Savannah, Georgia and reportedly was so struck with the beauty of the coastal city that he ordered it spared and presented it to Abraham Lincoln as a "Christmas gift."
Sherman's troops had a different plan for the state of South Carolina, which was the birthplace of secession. Going through the dense Lowcountry swamps, the Union army trudged toward Columbia, South Carolina, intent not only to attack Confederate defenses, but also to disrupt the Confederate infrastructure and economy, with the aim of completely demoralizing the Southerners.
The program ends with the burning of Columbia and a firsthand look at the destruction of the city. Walter Edgar noted that Sherman brought the war home to the civilian population in a way that they never could have imagined. As for Sherman, he knew that he had to topple Atlanta before November, otherwise Lincoln would not win the election.
Secession rankled Sherman more than slavery and as he did in Georgia, Sherman moved his army around in South Carolina, in order to confuse the Confederate defenders. As the birthplace of secession, the full fury of the Union army descended upon Columbia. Sherman’s attack on Columbia caused chaos, and the complete breakdown of law and order. When the fires finally died out, over one-third of Columbia lay in ruins. Any government building, or any business, which could provide aid to the Confederate war effort was destroyed. It is still unclear as to who actually started the fire in Columbia, but a fierce and unrelenting wind helped spread the fire, destroying 265 houses and 193 businesses.
Side Notes:
- William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognition for his command of military strategy but criticism for the harshness of his scorched-earth policies.
- William Tecumseh Sherman, although not a career military commander before the war, would become one of "the most widely renowned of the Union’s military leaders next to U. S. Grant.”
- Walter Edgar, October 1, 2020 - History of South Carolina
