November 15–17, 1864
Two wings leave Atlanta
Sherman cuts the army loose from its Atlanta rail supply and divides roughly 60,000 troops into Howard's right wing and Slocum's left. Parallel routes widen the area covered and keep Confederate commanders uncertain whether the immediate targets are Macon, Augusta, or Savannah.
WHAT TO NOTICEThe march begins as a broad operational movement, not one column on one road.