How did William Tecumseh Sherman's army obtain food and supplies during the March to the Sea?

During the March to the Sea, Major General William Tecumseh Sherman planned for his army of approximately 62,000 men to "travel light" by abandoning traditional supply lines and living off the land.12

To sustain his troops, Sherman ordered them to "forage liberally on the country" throughout the march. This involved the use of authorized foraging parties tasked with gathering food and supplies from the surrounding areas. However, the process also included the actions of rogue soldiers, often referred to as "bummers," who looted civilian property and seized anything of value.13

While Sherman had initially secured some supplies—reporting over 8,000 cattle and 3,000,000 pounds of bread before departing—the primary strategy for the campaign was to sustain the army through the systematic seizure of resources from the interior of Georgia. This approach not only provided for the Union forces but also served as a core component of Sherman's psychological warfare, intended to demonstrate that the Confederacy could not protect its own citizens or resources.213