Person in the Opera ad: * has 8 browsers open * Chris: You gotta pump those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers.

If I recall correctly, the demonization of Sherman really did not start until the creation of the Lost Cause myth. Both Hood and Johnston stated that Sherman did nothing wrong.

@cactuscornette

3 ай бұрын

IIRC Johnston died after catching a cold serving as a pallbearer during Sherman's funeral.

@scotzrewl

3 ай бұрын

@@cactuscornette Correct.

@beans00001

3 ай бұрын

post civil war Sherman did some stuff wrong

@richeybaumann1755

3 ай бұрын

Sounds exactly right. The Lost Cause is a fascinating example of how even something as massive as a civil war can be rewritten and reframed solely by the power of propaganda and documentation. The southern leaders started writing and speaking as soon as they lost the war, claiming that slavery was incidental to the war and that it was all about freedom from Yankee tyranny.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

@@cactuscornette Pneumonia, to be specific.

I'm a tour guide in NYC and as you probably know we have a statue of Gen. Sherman in Grand Army Plaza at the SE corner of Central Park. When giving a tour there, if I know some guests are from GA in the group, I'll usually say: "Here is a man that our friends from Georgia are likely not fans of, Gen. William T. Sherman." 🤷‍♀️

@ThatGUY666666

3 ай бұрын

I saw that statue when I visited NYC in May, there was Uncle Billy riding along flanked by Nike the goddess of victory. That checks out, Sherman was good at victory.

🎶Bring the good ol' bugle boys, we'll sing another song...🎶

@swordsnspearguy5945

3 ай бұрын

Sing it with the spirit that will start the world along!

@nathanbraden3586

3 ай бұрын

Sing it as we used to sing it 50,000 strong!

@EriktheRed2023

3 ай бұрын

While we were marching through Georgia!

@Byzant7

3 ай бұрын

Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the jubilee!

@mason-masonsminecraftmason2756

3 ай бұрын

Hurrah! Hurrah! From Atlanta to the Sea!

I remember reading article. Lots of modern day a southerners would tell about how their grandfathers’ farms were burned by Sherman. When asked where these farms were located, it was pointed out that these locations were no where near Sherman’s march.

@yake222

Ай бұрын

History revisionists don't know much about History, go figure.

You should visit the General Sherman and General Grant trees at Sequoia National Park in California. They’re some of the biggest trees in the world.

@murkywateradminssions5219

3 ай бұрын

Sherman's tree depends on other trees being burnt for its own sustainment and I loved that lol

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

Which is ironic since Grant was a rather small man Physically, I mean. Otherwise he was a very big man.

“Sherman’s March to the Sea,” aka “Traitors suffer consequences and forever after clutch their pearls.”

@s.henrlllpoklookout5069

3 ай бұрын

They FA and FO'd

@anderskorsback4104

3 ай бұрын

That's not really a feasible basis for any norms about what constitutes a war crime. Not saying Sherman was a war criminal by any means, but if the matter of whose fault the war is in the first place has any implication on the matter, you effectively don't have any laws of war. Everyone always thinks the war is the fault of the other side.

@arlonfoster9997

3 ай бұрын

@@anderskorsback4104 yes people in wars do have those assumptions which diminishes the fact that both sides in any war commit atrocities

@jeffslote9671

3 ай бұрын

I’m sure the poor farmers in central Georgia had almost no say in state politics

@arlonfoster9997

3 ай бұрын

@@jeffslote9671 couldn’t agree poor. I think the average middle class or poor southerner who fought for the CSA had no say in the Confederacy as a political institution that benefited the wealthy plantation owning elites

Savannah was the largest city in Georgia until Atlanta surpassed it in 1880

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

I’m pretty sure Atlanta briefly surpassed Savannah during the war, but yeah Atlanta has been the biggest since 1880

I'm surprised you didn't mention Sherman's message to Lincoln after taking Savannah on December 22nd: “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition and also about 25,000 bales of cotton."

Always impressed by your Civil War knowledge. The Civil War was so formative to who are as a nation today and every decision we have made since so I love learning about it

My 3rd great-grandfather was a private in the 57th Illinois Infantry Regiment, and took part in the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, and the Carolina Campaign.

I love that people point at Sherman as a "war criminal" when his reasoning was entirely based on military success. Meanwhile, Grant tells Sheridan that he wants the Shenendoah Valley to be so free of it's natural resources that a bird would have to fly north to migrate for the winter. One man's trying to force a surrender, the other is trying to change Science as we know it.

@LuxRoyale

3 ай бұрын

Reasoning being military success does not mean it isn't a war crime. I am not saying that this was a war crime, just that that is a terrible, terrible standard to set for what constitutes a war crime.

March to the Sea is like the final form of the term “fuck around and find out”

One of my favorite expressions is: "Burns like Sherman through Georgia."

I like how he says the biggest war crime was abandoning the 600 slaves, and not the traitors slaughtering them afterwards.

@adamwolsey8589

3 ай бұрын

Couldn’t be more correct.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

Sherman knew what would and did happen to them, which makes him complicit. He knew that too, given how shaken he sounds in his memoirs when this comes up.

@Rangerluck

3 ай бұрын

He ment the biggest war crime by the Union

@KingofDiamonds85

3 ай бұрын

Traitors is not correct.

@kyleheins

3 ай бұрын

​@warlordofbritannia Sherman had nothing to do with the decision to abandon 600 freedmen, he ordered it never be repeated as well. Davis should be saddled with the guilt for that action. Also, the rebs did commit a war crime striking down unarmed civilians.

‘Hawkeye’ Pierce (from MASH) said it best: “war is war and Hell is Hell, and of the two, War is worst” eventually explaining that “in War with an exception of a few High Brass, everybody suffers”

I grew up hearing stories of Sherman being basically, a demon (I’m from Alabama). Maturity is realizing he did nothing wrong and that we had it comin 😅

I'm always thoroughly impressed by Chris's civil war knowledge. knowing a seemingly ordinary church, knowing which rank someone was at any given time, it's impressive.

20:31 I remember on Emperor Tigerstar's video "The American Civil War: Every Day" there was a comment that said something online the lines of "losing New Orleans this early on in the war is like quickly losing your queen in chess." and I might note that I can relate to that.

When I was I a kid I lived in Georgia for 12 years between Atlanta and Athens. One thing that has never been forgotten is the burning of Georgia/Atlanta. When my grandparents came to visit, my grandpa born and raised in the Bronx said “It’s a shame there isn’t as much history down here” to which a neighbor said “There was until you Yankees came and burned it all to the ground” I never forgot that comment. Just shows how the wounds are still lying beneath the surface for some of the folks down there.

Sherman answered by letter the request of the Mayor of Atlanta to spare the city. Sherman not only said he would spare the city of destruction he would feed and repair the city. All the people of Atlanta had to do was pledge allegiance to the United States and abide the laws. This request was not honored and therefore the citizens of Atlanta were considered to be in rebellion against the government.

Isn't it so fitting that the tank was named after this particular man?

Joe Wheeler served as a general in the Spanish-American War. Gary Busey played him in the "Rough Riders" miniseries.

My family is from Georgia. When I was younger I just thought everyone in my home state would hate Sherman but the more I got into history and started looking at it, a lot of locals in the state actually saw his "March to the Sea" as a cleansing of the State. I forgot where I read them but I can see it. The South did flip at some point, from mostly blue to red.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

The parties switched between the ‘70s and early 90s, but the South has *always* been more conservative. The one time Georgia was genuinely progressive was during that brief period of Reconstruction where the rights of the freedmen were actually enforced. The real irony is how Atlanta is the biggest hub of progressivism south of the Mason-Dixon Line. In that way Sherman truly cleansed the city.

@kyleheins

3 ай бұрын

​​@@warlordofbritannia saying the parties switched requires judging history by modern standards, and viewing history trough a modern lens. The change was in relevant political subjects, not the fundamentals of the parties. The driving forces are still related to what they were in the 1860's but with drastically different applications and interpretations today.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

@@kyleheins Look at this way, if Lincoln was alive today and we adjust for how politics has shifted, would he be more likely to be a Republican or a Democrat? Which party is (or at least more often is) for expanding civil rights, restricting big business, dominates the left-leaning northeast, and believes one of the main roles of government is to fund internal improvements? The Democrats, of course. But in the 1860s these were the main political objectives of the Republican Party. Which party is against any further expansion of civil rights, is pro-business rather than pro-worker, dominates the right-leaning South, and doesn’t believe the government should be interested in internal improvements? The Republicans, though it was the Democrats in the 1860s who held these positions.

@maryloumawson6006

3 ай бұрын

@@warlordofbritannia Republicans have always been for protecting the individual from the government whether that individual was black or white. It's true that Republicans are pro-business, but only because it is the right of INDIVIDUALS to engage in business without government interference. However, these days government interference BENEFITS big business by keeping down their competitors (through regulation, taxation, and exemptions), so most BIG businesses are pro-Democrat.

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

@@warlordofbritannia This is highly disingenuous though. No-one from the 1860s would be a Democrat, or a Republican at this stage, because of the 1960s. Also what the @~?£ has geography got to do with it?

I grew up in Marietta just north of Atlanta. When learning Georgia's history our school was right down the road from the square so we took a "field trip" to visit the Kennesaw House which was one of Sherman's headquarters and where he stayed before the march to the sea.

@VloggingThroughHistory

3 ай бұрын

Marietta is where the national cemetery is as well!

As soon as I saw this release by the Armchair Historian. I knew it needed a reaction by our boy!

9:33 I really do appreciate the point you do make, you can’t be an innocent bystander if you actively provide to a warring party.

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

They are in the country though.

The game you are thinking of is Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Although Oblivion and Morrowwind had roughly the same style.

@anderskorsback4104

3 ай бұрын

Could honestly be one of any number of action-adventure cRPGs.

Everyone forgets that from 1618 to 1648 half of Germany, one quarter of France, a third of all Europe was killed over how we should worship the Prince of Peace. After that there was a gentleman's agreement to march on roads and fight on non-cultivated fields until a general named...Bonapart changed the rules back to living off the enemy. Compared to some of the ancient armies modern armies are amazingly humane.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

Unlimited wars tend to be fought with unlimited ferocity

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was far more than just a religious tiff and Worship is more significant than that. Also War was not magically peaceful after that.

Most people do not realize, that Sherman loved the South. He was president of LSU before the war and had strong friendships in the Confederates. The Confederates even tried to recruit Sherman.

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

He was a committed unionist and was rather brash about the War starting...then had a mental breakdown.

@magnubeido8832

2 ай бұрын

​@@johnnotrealname8168 yes and his prediction about how the war would go was more accurate than the prevailing general opinion at that time

@zevnduck9904

10 күн бұрын

quit yapping

Replacing Johnston with Hood was one of the biggest mistakes of the war. Thank you, Jefferson Davis!

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

Neither were good but the former was more realistic for what he had available.

@brianholly3555

3 ай бұрын

@@johnnotrealname8168 Grant said that he feared Johnston more than any other Confederate general, including Lee, so that’s one professional’s judgement.

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

@@brianholly3555 Well in Georgia.

@petriew2018

2 ай бұрын

@@johnnotrealname8168 in fairness Hood was one of Longstreet's best subordinates, and was one of the confederacy's best division commanders for a while. However he had literally just lost his second limb of the war had been in poor health for a while, so making him an army commander really was just a pretty poor idea on Davis' part. Johnston was one of the best commanders on either side in general, so i really don't know where you're getting your history from.

@johnnotrealname8168

2 ай бұрын

@@petriew2018 Bruh! The issue was initiative. I am not writing he was a bad general but that he was not doing enough. You might respond that he could not do anymore but that still leaves us in the same position.

A local Georgian public broadcaster has a documentary on this topic. It's called "When Georgia Howled " and is free on KZread.

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

A solid documentary that is absent any myths of the lost cause or whatever.

Georgian here living in Atlanta and working out of Kennesaw with family in Macon. Growing up here Sherman was absolutely demonized and and my grandfather frequently referred to the war as "the war of Northern Aggression."

If you hear William Tecumseh Sherman and think his middle name sounds familiar because it's the same name as the Shawnee Chieftain Tecumseh. This is because Sherman's father fought Tecumseh in the War of 1812 and even though he fought against him he respected him so he named his son after him.

@carywest9256

2 ай бұрын

Only a D.A. to history wouldn't know who Tecumseh was!

You really added a lot of info. to this video! Thanks! I really enjoyed it!

It's actually pronounced Cull-Ohh-don, with the long O sound. I don't live too far from there. You know WV loves their pronunciations like saying Hurr-i-kin instead of Hurricane. Lol

VTH, just popped in to say that as a NE Ohioan, if you are ever in the CLE area and want the best pizza in the world, go check out the little hole in the wall joint A Slice Above. It will knock your socks off, and probably cause you to start house hunting in cuyahoga county.

People like to argue about whether or not Sherman was justified (he was), but they miss the point. Oversimplified says it well: "Sherman had an unusually modern concept - that the army can only survive with the support of the people. Strike at the people, and the army collapses." He knew that the most efficient way to end the war was by "making Georgia howl" - that is, terrifying the civilians into submission.

@johnnotrealname8168

3 ай бұрын

Yeah and terror-bombing is illegal. I get it, he did not do that, but the argument you made follows from that logic. Second point, that is completely incorrect resources matter and that is what he targeted.

I'm from Atlanta. Every single time I hear about Sherman's March I remember driving up to Cloudland Canyon and seeing all the chimneys sticking out of the ground preserved by the State of Georgia. Strange. Edit: For both you and Armchair Historian: It's AtlaNa. The second t is silent.

Griffin did a great job as always. Hope your feeling better Chris.

Cool timing for this. Two days ago, I went out to NYC with my fellas and saw the Augustus Saint-Gaudens General Sherman statue on the edge of Central Park

A historian’s eye on a controversial figure, neither excusing nor commending. Sherman’s writings on the foolishness of war are worth reading into the context. He fought fiercely while finding it detestable… when the only thing you agree on is killing, getting it over quickly with can be the most inhumanely humane end to the violence. Weird that I’ve gotten a lot of Sherman videos in my feed the last week. 55 folks “the most decisive 37 weeks” touched more on the political implications.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

Historians commend (and condemn) all the time. It’s becoming emotionally invested in such judgements that compromise one’s integrity.

As a long time viewer, I love how when you correct people you don’t insult them

Love your reactions 🎉🎉🎉

Was waiting for your thoughts on this video!

Speaking about tabs, I was in a Zoom meeting with my faculty advisor (I’m a grad student in History) and when she shared her screen, it gave me anxiety on how much tabs she had open. I would estimate she had 50 tabs open.

@livethefuture2492

3 ай бұрын

I have multiple windows on multiple desktops of 50 tabs each...😅 Doesn't mean I'm very productive. Actually quite the contrary, it just means that I leave a lot of projects unfinished and never get round to closing it off.

Excellent job Chris.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you? Sherman’s March to the Sea is my favorite Civil War story, even though I find it very sad.

It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.

Been waiting for your reaction to this VTH ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Thanks again for what you do. You're one of the few channels that I hit like before I watch lol

Hope you get fully recovered soon Chris.

As a novice student of Civil War history, I very much enjoy your channel. I have watched almost all of your Ultimate General-Civil War videos. My Great, Great Grandfather William Hayden served in the 7th Iowa Volunteer Cav. I have all his medals and his GAR ribbon. I think his unit mainly fought in the western theater and on the plains of South Dakota and Nebraska.

Been waiting for this commentary lets go

05:23 President Lincoln waving an Atlanta Falcon's flag, LOL!

“So long and thanks for the silverware…”

People these days use a lot of words they don't understand. Like "war crime" for example.

And yes, I saw it the day it was released and the title was about America war-criming itself.

Another interesting fact about Jefferson C Davis. After the war, he was in charge of the transfer of the newly purchased Russian America in 1867. He was commander of the Military Department of Alaska and the de facto first Governor.

@warlordofbritannia

3 ай бұрын

Did he kill the Russian commander/de facto governor?

Chris, can you react to Napoleon in Egypt part 2 by Epic History? I want you to note some parallels between some of the battles portrayed in the video and other ones from your historiography knowledge. I already guessed which ones you will referenced.

“Who is a civilian” or “what is a legitimate military target” aren’t that big of questions, at least at this point. When historians go for these issues it’s more about questioning the efficacy of, for example, strategic bombing. At least that’s been my experience, which is limited in turn by what I’ve read.

Was eagerly awaiting this one.

You were looking a bit rough. Glad you are on the mend. I saw the original video twice and it made my day when I got a notice that you were doing a react to me

The elder scrolls game you’re thinking of is Skyrim lol

Thanks for the superior content mate, and good luck fighting the Dreaded Man Flu !

Whenever I watch something about Sherman, the voice over Ken Burnes used in his Civil War doco is the first thing that comes to mind. It just seemed to suit him so well

Hey! Just started getting into your channel and love your reaction videos. So informative and provide a more nuanced approach to the American Civil War. I thought I should let you know that recently another history buff, the Navel Historiographer Drachinfel did a video all about the USS Moniter when he visited her preservation and it's an interesting little bit. The first half, the second half is about the inner workings, but I think you might like it and could do a reaction video to it perhaps?

Epic History has released a new video by the end of last month, the final part of Napoleon in Egypt, by your standards, you can watch it now (more than two weeks have passed since the release of the video), I would like you to tackle it. Thanks!

That's awesome that you're writing a book and of course, I'm not surprised

My favorite sub to look through sometimes is Shermanposting. I live near Columbia and I find this all so hilarious!

I’m glad you’re finally covering some Georgia battles! I hope you come down to some of the battlefields deeper south one day. Unfortunately, this video didn’t cover any of the pre-Atlanta battles of the Georgia Campaign which is the primary area where I grew up. I grew up on New Hope battlefield (yes, ON the battlefield, because the area has been settled on). There is a memorial less than 5 minutes up the road from my house where the local Dominos even found cannon balls on their property. I even discovered what I think are some trenches in the woods behind my childhood home. I believe the battle of New Hope is the first time the Confederates repelled the Union army in this campaign. About 30 minutes away is Kennesaw Mountain and even closer is the Picketts Mill battlefield which is said to be one of the most well preserved battlefields in the county. Hopefully you can make it down here one day because I’d love to see your content on it!

@VloggingThroughHistory

3 ай бұрын

My 4th great grandmother's brother was killed at Kennesaw Mountain. I visited there years ago but that was before I had the channel. Will be going back at some point in the near future as several of the guys from the unit I'm writing a book about are buried at Marietta.

Jackson at the very start of the war postulated that an invasion of the north destroying the industrial capacity and cutting off D.C. would be necessary for confederate victory. Lee and Davis did not agree. It took Sherman to prove Jackson correct. Thank you for the quote from Sherman at the very end. I need to commit it to memory.

Georgia actually got off pretty easy. The Union troops held their wrath for South Carolina. As one unknown soldier of the 15th Corp allegedly said right before entering South Carolina..."Here is where treason began, and by God here is where it shall end!"

@RickJaeger

3 ай бұрын

smacks of Homer Simpson "Hey, I got off pretty easy. 😀"

i really enjoy your civil war reactions

Great Video. Hope your doing well. God bless

Hey bud. I've been familiar with some of your old vids for a while but only recently caught up on your newer vids and learned you were a fellow huge Civil War buff. During my recent bout of the flu I've just been going down some serious rabbit holes and probably watched every Civil War vid you've done. Awesome stuff! I was thinking about doing a video on General Barlow someday because I think his story is one of the most entertaining stories of all the generals (maybe not quite Sickles level entertaining but the next closest thing). Would love to hear your thoughts on Barlow someday.

28:49 your thinking of elder scrolls skyrim

I watched the original video before they took the war crimes out of the title. looking forward to this reaction

Ooh. This is gonna be fun

100 million would be worth about $2 billion today. Another important fact to understand is the *proportion* of wealth that represented. The value of all farmland and manufactory output in Georgia in 1860 was about $175 million. In 1870, it was about $120 million (thus showing the effect of the devastation).

I’m a Kansan and would love to hear more about the Battle of Mine Creek. I know very little about it other than that it was the second largest Calvary battle of the war. Would love a video on it or something which includes it (Civil war Calvary battles video?)

Love the content! When will you be reacting to Napoleon in Egypt: the siege of acre?

_”Sherman was an American Hero, change my mind”_

This video made me love Sherman more and more🤣

I hope you get better!

Great reaction, Chris. There is a small documentary on the Battle of Marianna, Florida on KZread (It's my home town) and I'd love to share it with you.

I did a paper on Kilpatrick in college but all I remember is his nickname "Kill-cavalry." It was not a compliment.

Do you have any videos about the inland campaign of 1864? My recommendation would be the continuation of the Napoleon in Egypt campaign.

Really loved your reaction to Thoughty2's Napoleon video. Would love to see you react to him more. He's got some great history videos.

"War is Hell" as far as I've know, always had been.

Check Sherman’s maps as they are the first time a map includes the resources of the area. Sherman wanted to feed his army at the same time deny the food to the rebels.

Im from ga. And i love sherman lol

Armchair may have cleared his decks before opening up on his projects

I'm not sure how I feel about Sherman. After the war he employed the same tactics against Native Americans during the westward expansions where nearly three-quarters of the indigenous population was lost. He succeeded in forcing the remainder onto reservations.

I’m from the Kennesaw area. I’ve often thought of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in late June to be one of the bigger last lines of defense before reaching Atlanta. Also, any historical evidence of the burning of Atlanta being the origin of it being referred to as Hotlanta? (Asked in jest, just in case it’s unclear)

I would argue that the March through Georgia, and through South Carolina, had a different, further effect on the Confederacy. I've read in various books that in the first two to three years of the war, Confederate soldiers who received letters from home were reinforced in their beliefs in the "cause" as it were. Mothers, sisters, wives and sweethearts encouraged their men to continue fighting. You can argue that making war on women and children is wrong, but when Sherman marched through the South, the tone of the letters apparently changed, from "Keep fighting" to "I'm tired and the war's gone on too long and the children are sick and you need to come home and help bring the crops in." Lee's army at the start of the Forty Days campaign (i.e. the Wilderness) was about as large as it ever had been, but when he surrendered at Appomattox Court House he had little more than 10% of that left. The rest weren't *all* casualties of battle or sick...a lot of them deserted, convinced finally that they'd lost the war, and personal considerations were more important that patriotism. In the aftermath of the war, of course, every Confederate was brave and fought on to the end, but of course that wasn't really the case...and I think Sherman had a lot to do with that change in sentiment. Yes, Jefferson C. Davis was a piece of work to say the least. Competent general, but not exactly a moral role model for everyone else. It's my argument that warfare had been "civilized" during the first portion of the 18th century, with armies relying on "magazines" containing food, ammunition, what medical supplies they had at the time, and perhaps spare things like cavalry sabres, saddles, and the like. Napoleon changed that back to the more traditional "living off the land" strategy, because the "magazine" strategy limited the size of your army to how many supplies you could stockpile.

The Outlaw Josey Wales comes to mind

A surface mine, wet or no, that is armed before either a timed or prox trigger is always a torpedo; where as, a land mine is only armed through pressure then triggered and detonated when released. modern torpedoes are the same as the stationary ones in that they are pre armed, but the only difference is that they have propulsion. Obviously stationary torps are just obsolete and so we don't use them anymore, but they are technically still distinct devices even today. Long story short... pre armed vs unwittingly armed by the victim.

Cut off your enemies access to supplies. Deprive the enemy of nice things. And make your enemy's supplies help you. - Sun Tzu paraphrased Art of War 5th century BCE.

It’s said that when they made the flamethrower variant of the Sherman tank it had a bad habit of driving towards Georgia