This was a war strategy of the Union in the late stages of the Civil War. Armies would use all available resources to destroy the Confederate's ability to resist.

Example: Sherman's March to the Sea

In the context of the United States Civil War, the March to the Sea, or the Savannah Campaign, was the federal foray into late 1864 across Georgia.

The march began with Sherman's force leaving the city of Atlanta on November 15 and ending with the capture of Savannah Harbor on December 21. The campaign, often referred to as the first under the modern concept of total war, has done extensive damage to the Confederate economic infrastructure and fighting morale.