Which of the Union generals task was to lay waste to farmland in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia?

Union General Philip Sheridan was tasked with laying waste to farmland in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia during the American Civil War. His campaign aimed to deprive Confederate forces of resources and to demoralize the local population. This strategy, known as "total war," was part of a broader effort to weaken the Confederacy's ability to sustain its military operations. Sheridan's actions in the valley were notable for their ruthlessness and effectiveness in crippling Confederate supply lines.