General William Tecumseh Sherman

General William Tecumseh Sherman is famous for his March to the Sea in the Civil War, and for burning Atlanta and everything else in his path. He followed, if not perfected, the concept of total warfare. He believed you waged war not only against the opposing army, but that you did everything possible to eliminate the enemy's will to fight. He is famous for the quote, "War is Hell".

Prior to his destruction of Atlanta, he sent the following message to its inhabitants, "War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it".

Many thought Sherman crazy at the outbreak of the war when he stated the war would last for many years and lead to hundreds of thousands of casualties. Most thought it would be over in a matter of months.