March to the Sea
By: Wayne Brown
General Tecumseh Sherman marched to the sea in 1864
His actions brought down the south ending the Civil War
He captured Atlanta and set it on fire then set upon his quest
The army would take Savannah and all between before it rest
Sherman demanded scorched earth and in the path burned all
He would destroy the Confederacy from within to make it fall
The army burned the crops, killed the livestock, cut off supply
In his path soldiers, farmers, women and children would die
The army tore up the railroads and burned the buildings down
There was nothing safe or sacred in village or in town
With fire and destruction, the Confederacy hit its knees
Burned crops, burned land, scorched sky, scorched trees
The army took liberties throughout this southern land
Confiscating food, livestock, and any fire-arms in hand
Leave no rock unturned was the ordered operating state
Onward to Savannah, burn it and don’t be late
Atlanta lay behind the eastbound army all in ruins so charred
Southern boys fought but Sherman’s Army came down hard
Now most lay dead or dying as the army advanced its course
Singing John Brown’s Soul with a glory hallelujah chorus
Sherman arrived at Savannah in the early December days
The city defended as 10,000 southerners blocked his ways
But too many heavy guns there rested in Sherman’s hands
Well-prepared to destroy all that sat upon these lands
Sherman’s sent a messenger to Savannah’s defense
“Give up or die” as soon the shelling shall commence
The harshest measures will befall all who will resist
Drop your guns now and surrender; cease and desist
The southern boys escaped under cover of the night
The Savannah mayor surrendered to end the plight
Sherman quickly telegraphed Lincoln with the riff
Savannah is a Christmas present; please accept my gift
And so it was that the war soon came rapidly to an end
Lee surrendered his armies so the healing could begin
By Sherman’s scorched earth the southland soon learned
That Sherman sang Yankee Doodle while yet Ol’Dixie burned
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© 2010 Wayne Brown
