What can be said about the Southern economy after Sherman's March to the Sea?

The Southern economy after Sherman's March to the Sea faced significant destruction due to the tactics employed during the campaign. General William Tecumseh Sherman led his troops through Georgia in a deliberate strategy of total war, aiming to cripple the Confederacy's ability to sustain its war effort. His forces destroyed infrastructure, supply lines, and agricultural resources, which were critical to the Southern economy. By targeting railroads, plantations, and other economic assets, the march not only demoralized the Southern populace but also had lasting effects on the region’s economic viability.

This destruction contributed greatly to the hardships faced by the South in the aftermath of the Civil War, as rebuilding efforts were needed to restore agricultural production and reinstate the commercial systems that had been devastated. The effects of this scorched earth policy meant that the immediate economic landscape of the South was not one of recovery or growth, but rather one marked by loss and the challenge of rebuilding from the ruins.