General William Tecumseh Sherman's total war strategy against the south helped end the Civil War and forever changed the nation. Sherman's brutal and effective campaign, which not only saved the Lincoln presidency, the Union, and thousands of lives, but also made Sherman one of the most hated and controversial figures in American history. In November 1864, Sherman and an army of 60,000 troops began their march from Atlanta to Savannah, and then up through the Carolinas. He led his soldiers over 650 miles in less than 100 marching days, losing only 600 men along the way. Sherman achieved his goal: to expedite the end of the war.