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Sherman’s March was certainly different from the 18th century European War practices, but it was typical or mild, compared to what wars have been throughout world history. Much of what happened was done by undisciplined soldiers on their own.

“Much of what happened was done by undisciplined soldiers on their own.”

I believe Sherman wrote freely about the need to exterminate enemies; first in the South, later in the West (native Americans).

He is credited with developing “modern war.”

Much of what happened was done by undisciplined soldiers on their own.

Which ultimately places the blame right back onto General Sherman.

Since the march to the sea took several weeks, at the first sign of soldiers getting out of hand they should have been disciplined in front of the troops.

Michael.SF. #5: "What Sherman did was a war crime."

KTM Rider #7: "Sherman probably had to hide out there because a lot of Rebs would want to whack him for those hideous deeds after the surrender when Lincoln orderd him to destroy the defensless south so it couldn't rise up again."

Michael.SF. #9: "The March to the sea: Targeting civilian property for destruction in violation of Lincoln’s Lieber code."

KTM Rider #17: "the Yankee newspapers at the time , and now Historians kept it a secret about how the destruction of the south after the surrender went down in order to keep Lincoln's hero status.
They pulled it off by refusing to accept the surrender until they were sure the armies were disbanded and all weapons surrendered, then the north sent in the crazies to loot rape and burn everything tore up railroad tracks bridges killed livestock burned atlanta to the ground"

I see that the nonsense here is growing ever deeper and thicker.
So let's add some facts to an otherwise fanciful tall tale.

First of all, this is the core of Sherman's Order Number 120, in November 1864:

"V. To army corps commanders alone is intrusted the power to destroy mills, houses, cotton-gins, &c., and for them this general principle is laid down:
In districts and neighborhoods where the army is unmolested no destruction of such property should be permitted; but should guerrillas or bushwhackers molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn bridges, obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless according to the measure of such hostility."

So, Sherman based his Special Field Orders No. 120 (November 9, 1864) on Lincoln's General Orders No. 100 (the Lieber Code, April 24, 1863) for the Union Army.

After Confederate surrenders, in June 1865 Sherman was assigned to the Military Division of Missouri, which covered all the land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, so Sherman was not involved in Reconstruction.

On the subject of Confederate surrenders, there were many, spread over several months:

"Confederate army units surrendered in various places on April 12, 16, 19, 20,21, 26, and 27.
"Various Confederate units surrendered on May 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 26 and 30.
"Confederate surrenders also occurred on June 2, 3 and 23.
"On November 6, 1865 the CSS Shenandoah surrendered to HMS Donelgal at Liverpool England.
"On August 20, 1866, President Andrew Johnson declared what he called the “insurrection” officially over and peace restored.
Many Confederate units never surrendered."

Every CSA surrender was "unconditional" including the delivery of weapons and disbanding of units, though, iirc, officers kept their sidearms and cavalry their horses.

As for alleged "crazies" sent after the war to rape, burn and pillage the South, we are now into the land of Lost Cause mythology, totally fanciful, utterly devoid of historical facts, the myths were intended to, and were successful in, solidifying "The South" politically as Democrats.