What do you think the outcome of the Civil War would have been had Sherman not undertaken his “march to the sea”?

Discussion Questions: Sherman’s March

1. To what degree General Sherman be held responsible for the actions of his men, even if they deliberately violated his orders? Should Sherman be held responsible for  the action of the “bummers”?

2. Sherman’s supporters claimed that his objective bringing an end to the destructive Civil War justified any means to get to that point. Do you agree?

3. Were Sherman’s tactics the only way he could have achieved his goal of bringing the war to an end? Or is there another course of action he could have taken to achieve the same end?

4. What do you think the outcome of the Civil War would have been had Sherman not undertaken his “march to the sea”?

5. Imagine that you were Sherman about to set off from Atlanta to Savannah: Write a diary entry in which you reflect upon the upcoming journey. What are your goals? Your concerns about the possible setbacks?