Battle of Savannah
The Battle of Savannah, part of the American Civil War, took place in December 1864 during General William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea Campaign. Following the capture of Atlanta, Sherman aimed to continue his operations in Georgia, targeting Savannah, which was held by Confederate forces under Lieutenant General William J. Hardee. As Sherman marched 285 miles towards Savannah, his troops employed total warfare tactics, destroying military resources and aiming to demoralize the Southern populace. Upon reaching Savannah, a siege began, which intensified after Sherman’s forces captured Fort McAllister on December 13. This crucial victory allowed Sherman to encircle the city effectively. Savannah fell into Union hands on December 21, 1864, marking a significant success for Sherman and his campaign. This occupation not only represented a strategic military triumph but also contributed to the broader Union strategy of dismantling Confederate resistance, leading Sherman to continue his destructive path into the Carolinas thereafter. The fall of Savannah was celebrated by Sherman, who famously telegraphed President Abraham Lincoln to present the city as a “Christmas gift.”
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Battle of Savannah
Type of action: Campaign in the American Civil War
Date: December 9-21, 1864
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Combatants: 62,000 Union vs. 15,000 Confederate forces
Principal commanders:Union, Major General William T. Sherman (1820–1891); Confederate, Lieutenant General William J. Hardee (1815–1873)
Result: Sherman eventually captured Savannah, the state’s largest city and a major port
The forces of Confederate general John Bell Hood had been driven back into northern Alabama. General William T. Sherman, no longer fearing opposition from the enemy, planned his March to the Sea Campaign after occupying Atlanta. His main goal was to continue operations in Georgia and capture Savannah. To achieve this objective, Sherman marched his troops 285 miles. As they marched, they destroyed anything of military value in their path. Sherman wanted to demoralize the southern population by using total warfare tactics. His forces reached Savannah in early December, but Lieutenant General William J. Hardee maintained strong defensive fortifications. A siege ensued until December 13, when one of Sherman’s divisions took Fort McCallister along the Ogeechee River. This action allowed Sherman to surround the city and seize it eight days later. Sherman later telegraphed President Abraham Lincoln and presented the city to him as a Christmas gift.
Significance
The occupation of Savannah signaled the ultimate triumph of the March to the Sea Campaign. Sherman then continued his path of destruction into the Carolinas.
Bibliography
The Civil War: Most Hallowed Ground. Documentary. PBS Video, 1989.
Fellman, Michael. Citizen Sherman: A Life of William Tecumseh Sherman. New York: Random House, 1995.
Glatthar, Joseph. The March to the Sea and Beyond: Sherman’s Troops in the Savannah and Carolinas Campaigns. New York: New York University Press, 1985.
Marszalek, John. Sherman: A Soldier’s Passion for Order. New York: Free Press, 1993.