The correct answer is B. Sherman wanted to inflict damage to punish South Carolina for having seceded the Union, so he carried out a total war strategy which included the widespread destruction of civilian supplies, buildings and infrastructure, sometimes linked to looting actions, which although officially prohibited, there are disagreements about how much Sherman's will existed to enforce this provision.
General Sherman began his advance toward Columbia (South Carolina) at the end of January 1865 at the head of about 60,000 men divided into three wings: the Army of Tennessee, the Ohio Army and the XIV and XX Corps.
The Confederate forces in the Carolinas were considerably lower for men and means. The bulk of the Southern Army was the Confederate Army of Tennessee of Johnston whose forces were 9,513 men in the middle of March, and a month later rose to 15,188.
The damage caused by Sherman was limited almost exclusively to the destruction of the property. Although there are no exact figures available, the loss of human life seems to have been very small. The destruction of food and infrastructure, together with the reduction of the morale of the enemy, were the objectives explicitly pointed out by Sherman.
