ot use but waspresumed usable to the enemy. In view of this destruction, it isunderstandable that Sherman quoted "war is hell" (Sherman, William T.,Memoirs of General William T. Sherman. Westport, Conn.:Greenwood Press,1972). Finally, on December 20, Sherman's men reached the city of Savannahand from there Sherman telegraphed to President Lincoln: "I beg to presentyou as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns andplenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton" (Sherman,William T., Memoirs of General William T. Sherman. Westport,Conn.:Greenwood Press, 1972). Grant had decided that the only way to win and finish the war would beto crunch with numbers. He knew that the Federal forces held more than amodest advantage in terms of men and supplies. This in mind, GrantdirectedSherman to turn around now and start heading back toward Virginia. Heimmediately started making preparations to provide assistance to Sherman onthe journey. General John M. Schofield and his men were to detach from theArmy of the Cumberland, which had just embarrassingly defeated theConfederates at Nashville, and proceed toward North Carolina. His finaldestination was to be Goldsboro, which was roughly half the distancebetween Savannah and Richmond. This is where he and his 20,000 troopswould meet Sherman and his 50,000 troops. Sherman began the move north in mid-January of 1865. The only hope ofConfederate resistance would be supplied by General P.G.T. Beauregard. Hewas scraping together an army with every resource he could lay his handson, but at best would only be able to muster about 30,000 men. This byobvious mathematics would be no challenge to the combined forces ofSchofield and Sherman, let alone Sherman. Sherman's plan was to marchthrough South Carolina all the while confusing the enemy. His men wouldmarch in two ranks: One would travel northwest to give the impression of apress against Augusta and the other ...
