If you ask a casual history buff, they’ll tell you William Tecumseh Sherman basically burned his way across the South. It’s a vivid image. But if you're looking for the specifics—like when was Sherman's march exactly and how long did it actually take—the answer is surprisingly tight. We are talking about a very specific window in late 1864 that changed the trajectory of the American Civil War forever.
The Short Answer: November 15 to December 21, 1864
Honestly, it wasn't that long. The official Savannah Campaign, popularly known as the March to the Sea, lasted just over five weeks. It kicked off on November 15, 1864, when Sherman’s troops walked away from a smoldering Atlanta. It ended on December 21, 1864, with the capture of Savannah.
That’s 36 days.
In that little more than a month, 60,000 Union soldiers cut a path of destruction 285 miles long and about 60 miles wide. They weren't just marching; they were dismantling the Confederacy's ability to feed its own army.
Why November?
Timing was everything. Sherman had captured Atlanta in September, but he spent weeks chasing Confederate General John Bell Hood around northern Georgia. It was a game of cat and mouse that was getting nowhere. Sherman eventually realized that instead of chasing an army, he could just destroy the resources that kept that army alive.
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By mid-November, the harvest was in. The barns were full. If you're going to "live off the land" with 60,000 hungry men, you do it when the corn and sweet potatoes are ready for the taking.
What Happened Day by Day: The Timeline
To understand when was Sherman's march, you have to look at the milestones. It wasn't one big clump of movement. It was two massive wings of the army moving in parallel to keep the Confederates guessing. Were they going to Macon? Augusta? Savannah? Nobody knew.
- November 15-16: The army leaves Atlanta. Before going, they destroyed anything of military value. Fire, as it tends to do, spread. About 40% of the city ended up in ruins.
- November 22: The Battle of Griswoldville. This was the only "real" battle of the march, and it was a tragedy. A small force of Georgia militia—mostly older men and young boys—charged Union infantry. It was a slaughter.
- November 23: Sherman enters Milledgeville, which was the state capital at the time. Legend says Union soldiers held a "mock session" of the legislature and voted to repeal secession before they left.
- December 9: The Ebenezer Creek tragedy. This is one of the darker moments. Union General Jefferson C. Davis (no relation to the Confederate president) pulled up a pontoon bridge, leaving hundreds of formerly enslaved people stranded on the other side to be captured or drowned.
- December 13: The assault on Fort McAllister. This was the "plug" holding the Ogeechee River. Once the Union took it, they could finally connect with the U.S. Navy and get supplies.
- December 21: Savannah’s mayor surrenders the city. Sherman famously telegraphed President Lincoln, offering him the city as a "Christmas gift."
The "Total War" Strategy
You’ve probably heard the term "total war." Sherman didn't invent it, but he sure did practice it. He wasn't trying to kill every civilian he saw. In fact, his orders technically forbid soldiers from entering private homes. But when you tell 60,000 men to "forage liberally," things get messy.
They weren't just looking for a snack. They were looking to break the South's spirit. They bent railroad ties around trees—calling them "Sherman's neckties"—so the tracks could never be used again. They burned cotton gins. They took the horses.
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Historian Bennett Parten has pointed out that while the destruction was massive—estimated at $100 million in 1864 dollars—the psychological impact was even bigger. It proved the Confederate government couldn't protect its own people. If the Union army could walk through the heart of Georgia virtually unopposed, the war was effectively over.
Common Misconceptions About the Dates
A lot of people get the "March to the Sea" mixed up with what happened next. After Savannah fell, Sherman didn't stop. He turned north into the Carolinas in early 1865.
If you're wondering when was Sherman's march and you're thinking of the burning of Columbia, South Carolina, you're actually thinking of the Carolinas Campaign in February 1865. That was arguably even more destructive than the Georgia leg, mostly because the Union soldiers had a particular grudge against South Carolina for being the first state to secede.
How the March Ended
When Savannah fell on December 21, the "March to the Sea" was technically done. But the impact lingered for decades. A 2021 study by researchers at Yale found that the counties Sherman marched through saw lower agricultural investment and property values that persisted well into the 1920s.
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It wasn't just a military move; it was a massive economic shock.
Actionable Insights for History Enthusiasts
If you're planning to dive deeper into this period, don't just stick to the textbooks. Here is how to get the "real" story:
- Read the Memoirs: Sherman’s own Memoirs are surprisingly readable and blunt. He doesn't sugarcoat much.
- Check the Maps: Look at the Library of Congress digital archives. The "right wing" and "left wing" routes are fascinating to trace against modern-day Georgia towns like Sandersville and Covington.
- Visit the "End Point": If you’re in Savannah, go to the Green-Meldrim House. That was Sherman’s headquarters. You can stand in the room where he wrote the Christmas telegram to Lincoln.
- Look for "Sherman's Neckties": While most were recycled, some local museums in Georgia still have the actual twisted rails on display.
Understanding the timeline of when was Sherman's march helps put the end of the Civil War into perspective. It wasn't a slow grind; it was a fast, brutal sprint that broke the back of the Confederacy in just over a month.
To see where the march fits into the broader war, you should look at the timeline of the Carolinas Campaign that immediately followed, as that was the final nail in the coffin before Lee's surrender at Appomattox.