To be honest, I am not much of a neo-reb and I think Lincoln was a decent man caught in an untenable position. And despite my personal distaste for Sherman, he was a man of the times as well. If it weren't him; it would have been someone else.
However, that doesn't excuse his behavior and the callous disregard of the rules of war. The South had every right to reciprocate, but Lee wouldn't consider it. Sometimes the price of victory is too great.
Of course, our progenators did to Cathage exactly what you suggest and I would have to agree completely with the sentiment. However, the specifics are hard to work out. Since, as you pointed out, the combatants are not officially associated with any "true" nation.
And, short of total nuclear war, you could not accomplish the destruction of your list of "culpable" nations. And do you think the rest of the world will sit idly by as we nuke the entire Middle East? Sheesh, if it were only that simple!
What about one of the few times the Southern forces got into a Northern town of any size, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and burned it just as thoroughly as Columbia was enflamed?
Yes an honorable victory, something Sherman knew nothing about.
Sheesh ... you got that right.
8')