The fall of Savannah, Georgia, was a pivotal moment in the American Civil War, resulting from General William Tecumseh Sherman's military campaign known as the March to the Sea. After successfully marching from Atlanta to Savannah, Sherman's forces faced little resistance as they approached the city. The Confederate forces, led by General Hardee, were largely outnumbered and ill-prepared, leading to the surrender of Savannah on December 21, 1864. This victory granted the Union a key strategic port and disrupted Confederate supply lines significantly.

The day following the surrender, Sherman sent a telegram to President Abraham Lincoln, playfully framing the city as a Christmas gift. This correspondence not only underscored the successful military strategy employed by Sherman but also highlighted the deeper psychological warfare at play, as the Union aimed to break the will of the Confederacy during the holiday season. Lincoln’s reception of this message underscored the importance of the victory, both as a symbol of hope to the Northern populace and as a strategic military gain.

The capture of Savannah enabled Union forces to cut off critical supply routes, further isolating the Confederate states and crippling their capacity to sustain the war. Sherman's relentless tactics, involving total war against both military and civilian resources, fundamentally shifted the course of the war, contributing to the eventual surrender of the Confederacy in 1865.