 Nyorera kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Pakazosvika pakati paDecember 1861 Sherman akanga apora zvakakwana kuti adzokere kubasa pasi paHalleck muDhipatimendi reMissouri. Muna March, hurumende yaHalleck yakatumidzwazve kuti Dhipatimendi reMississippi uye yakawedzerwa kuti ibatanidze hurumende kumadokero. Basa raSherman rokutanga raiva rokutungamirira mapoka evarwi, rokutanga raiva rokudzidzisa varwi pedyo neSt. Louis uye ipapo raiva rokutungamirira Dunhu reCairo. Achishanda kubva kuPaducah, Kentucky, akapa rubatsiro rwemashandiro emabasa aBrig. General Ulysses S. Grant kutora Fort Donelson munaFebruary wa1862. Grant, aimbova mutungamiriri weDunhu reCairo, akanga achangobva kukunda zvikuru paFort Henryuye akapiwa kutonga kweDunhu risinganyatsozivikanwi reWest Tennessee. Kunyange zvazvo Sherman akanga ari mukuru mukuru, akanyorera Grant, Ndinonzwa kushushikana pamusoro pako sezvo ndichiziva zvivako zvikuru vaConfederate vane zvekuisa pfungwa kuburikidza neRwizi uye R Road, asi ini ndine kutenda mauri Nditungamirire munzira ipi neipi. 