I'm returning to what you posted above because Sherman did, in fact, order the targeting of civilians and their houses and cities on occasion. I cite the following from the Official Records of the war, that massive collection of cables, orders, and reports issued during the war.
General Sherman to General Schofield, August 1, 1864: "You may fire from ten to fifteen shots from every gun you have in position into Atlanta that will reach any of its house. ... Thomas and Howard will do the same."
General Sherman to General Watkins, Calhoun, Ga., October 29, 1864: "Cannot you send over about Fairmount and Adairsville, burn about ten or twelve houses of known secessionists, kill a few at random, and let them know it will be repeated every time a train is fired on from Reseca to Kingston?
General Sherman to General George H. Thomas, November 11, 1864: "… Last night we burned Rome, and in two or more days will burn Atlanta ..."
General William D. Whipple to General D. S. Stanley, November 13, 1864: "General Sherman left Kingston yesterday morning; camped at Allatoona last night; will probably reach Atlanta to-morrow, whence he starts on his trip south. He has already burnt Rome, and says he is going to burn Atlanta and other towns south."
I also found the following in the History of South Carolina:
Sherman is reported to have said the following in Salem, Illinois, in July 1865 about a change in policy he made on his march to the sea. "Therefore, I resolved in a moment to stop the game of guarding their cities and to destroy their cities."
Targeting of noncombatant civilians is a disgrace to any real warrior. When I think of Sherman, anger and shame contend.
Thank you. I was unaware of those instances. In those cases, Sherman is certainly directly to blame for targeting civilians.
Freeper 4CJ posted some stuff about what Sherman’s men did to his ancestors neighbor it was awful.