Most people in the South, especially in Georgia and the
Carolinas, cringe when they hear the name General Sherman. Many
think of him as that evil Union general who destroyed
Southerners’ homes and property. This book tries to set the
record straight: he was somewhat involved in the destruction
that occurred, but his part of it was limited and he tried to
control his army’s conduct. Much of the destruction blamed on
Sherman and his army was really committed by Confederates and
ordinary people who turned into criminals. For instance, the
burning of Atlanta was actually an accident that started when
General Sherman decided not to leave a garrison in Atlanta. He
intended to destroy anything that a Confederate army might use
if it recaptured Atlanta; in the process of destroying military
items, some hidden ammunition caught fire and spread to other
nearby buildings. Criminals took advantage the situation to loot
and cause trouble before Union troops could stop it. According
to author John F. Marszalek, only thirty