Friday, June 12, 2009

Sherman's Army -May 1864 - Logistics

In May 1864, Sherman's Army started south for Atlanta. The roughly 95,000 infantry were supported by the following:

  • 254 Cannon (50 Batteries) and 6,000 artillery men. Which averages out to 24 men per cannon.
  • 5,000 wagons
  • 33,000 Mules
  • 12,000 horses
Which means Sherman had approximately 50 wagons and 450 horses and mules per thousand men.

5 comments:

Trooper York said...

Logistics are what wins battles. Wha's that saying. Amauters talk strategry and tactics, professionals talk logistics.

Trooper York said...

When I read historical fiction or alternative history or miltary fiction I am always fascinated by the preparations and the discussion of the logistics. Weird but true I find that very entertaining.

Trooper York said...

Harry Turtledove has an entire series based on the civil war but in a universe that uses magic as a weapon. Exact counterparts of people like Longstreet, Lee and Stonewall are written into the series. It is a massive and complicated process that doesn't quite hit the mark. But it is an interesting failure for Civil War buffs.

rcocean said...

Trooper,

Thanks for posting. The more military history I read - the more interested I've gotten in logistics.

I've gotten to understand that it pretty much drives everything in the Civil war & it explains why so much happened the way it did.
Speaking of alternative history, have you read:

"Dixie Victorious: An Alternate History of the Civil War"?

I've heard mixed reviews.

Trooper York said...

Yeah I didn't like it at all. Two much better views of the South victorious:

Harry Turtledove: How Few Remain

Harry Harrison: Srars and Stripes Forever.