“Yeah, what am I gonna do, believe the history or the man himself? Don’t be ridiculous.”
You seem to think that paragraph shouts “genocide!” It doesn’t. That’s in your mind. He intended to terrorize the civilian population, yes. Does that mean the U.S., which did likewise, committed genocide in WWII, for instance? No.
In my mind?
“I propose that we break up the railroad from Chattanooga forward, and that we strike out with our wagons for Milledgeville, Millen, and Savannah. Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless for us to occupy it; but the utter destruction of its roads, houses, and people, will cripple their military resources. By attempting to hold the roads, we will lose a thousand men each month, and will gain no result. I can make this march, and make Georgia howl!” —from a telegram, dated 9 Oct 1864, from W.T. Sherman to U.S. Grant. Vol II, p. 152
Yeah, when he says Until we can repopulate Georgia
Why do you think he used "repopulate'? Because eveyone was gonna go on vacation at Sandals? You can't change history, my man. sorry.