How can you say this? You must be a student of the "might makes right" school of thought. It was an unconstitutional, illegal war that killed destroyed thousands of lives. There is no justification for these actions - Sherman himself said if the Union lost, he would be tried for war crimes.
Actually, I just read yesterday that Sherman later even denied ever being told there were any rapes by his army in the march to the sea, although it was clear he was informed of at least two.
So he seemed pretty much in denial.
--See "Sherman's march" by Burke Davis.
What is your source for Sherman saying he was a war criminal?
Walt