Sherman's Rainy Carolina Campaign 1865

From the May 30, Napa Valley register "Destructive Southern Campaign marked end of the war" by John Stephen Futini.

But, yet they were able to march in that Grand Review on May 24th, as I wrote about yesterday.  No doubt they were a bit footsore and worn out as they had trekked 700 miles across South and North Carolina and then into Virginia to get to that review.

Much of the way was extremely wet, making it even worse.

Their campaign began at Savannah, Georgia, went across South Carolina to the state capital of Columbia.

Reportedly,the rainfall during the campaign was the heaviest in twenty years, turning roads into quagmires and making small creeks into fast-running and deep water.  Swamp land, of which there was a lot, were also made worse.

Before leaving Savannah, Sherman had told his army, "We must all turn amphibious, for the country is half under water."

They met their first big obstacle on Feb. 9th, at the Salkehatchie (or Salk) River in South Carolina.  It was the first of nine major east-west river obstacles to overcome.

Their final goal was Goldsboro, North Carolina, an objective Sherman kept close to his vest the whole time.

Nearly every South Carolina home in 1 45-mile swath along the march was destroyed.

--Old Secesh