Quote:
Originally Posted by White Fox
NC did have the largest population of people in the Confederacy still loyal to the union, but the river layout in Virgina (the rivers mainly flowing from East to West) prevented Union forces from marching in from that direction as rivers posed serious obstacles to military forces at that time, especially if there is another force on the opposite side of the river. However, farther West the Mississippi River allowed the Union forces to easily sweep into the South. They then proceeded to march East from there to where much of the South's industry and people were located. Mostly, the geography of Virginia prevented Sherman from marching South from Maryland, which would have devastated much of Virginia and NC.
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No it didn't. Lee and Grant were tied up in Virginia. Sherman made his march across the south after taking the railroad hub of Chattanooga. After marching to Savannah, he turned north and would have eventually came up behind Lee to reinforce Grant, if the war had lasted that long. He never had planned to come south trough Virgina. Sherman was the commander of the western army.
Either way, it's off point. The tactic was effective in helping to producing the Confederate surrender.