He 'loved' them so much he left thousands to die without food and shelter, his army stole what personal properties they had - including cash, bonds, jewelry &c, destroyed their crops and livelihoods, deported hundreds to serve as yankee slaves (including several hundred white women and childred), raped and murdered others, and you call that LOVE?
What misguided, pathethic, psychotic lunatic would call that 'love'?
I think you have a very distorted view of Shermans' march.
There was very little abuse of the people.
Those caught raping were hung.
Sherman wanted to end the war that had dragged on for four long years and wanted ended as much for the South as he did for the North.
He knew the only way to end the war was to make the South see that they did not have an army that could protect them.