Atlanta Campaign

The Atlanta Campaign (6 May 1864 – 2 September 1864) was a series of battles during the American Civil War. The campaign was planned and executed by the Union Army under Major General William T. Sherman.

The first part of the plan was to defeat the Confederate Army of Tennessee, led by General Joseph E. Johnston. The second goal was to take the important city of Atlanta. Sherman captured Atlanta but was unable to destroy all of the Army of Tennessee.

Background

The American Civil War had been going on for three years when Ulysses S. Grant was given command of the Union Army.[1] Despite having a much smaller army, the Confederate States had been moving forces to battle whichever Union Army was active at the time, wghich helped the Confederates win most of the battles.

Grant decided to coordinate his armies and defeat the Confederate armies. All of his field armies would engage the Confederate field armies at the same time. That would pin down the smaller Confederate armies so that the Union Army could defeat them. Grant would personally lead the Army of the Potomac against Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia and would try to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.[1] Sherman would move his army against Johnston and capture the second-largest Confederate city, Atlanta, Georgia.

If successful, that would shorten the war and get U.S. President Abraham Lincoln re-elected in November.[1] If they failed, Lincoln would lose the election and the Southern states might break away permanently.[1]

Campaign

By 1864, the Confederacy knew that it could not defeat the stronger Union Army but could win the war by simply not losing to Union.[2] The Confederates would keep fighting until the Union got tired of war and asked for peace.[2] Lee had to defend Richmond and keep the Union Army away. Johnson had to defend Atlanta and keep the Confederate supply lines open.[2]

Sherman had over 100,000 men, whom he divided into three field armies.[3] Johnson had 53,800 men but at the last minute received another 15,000 men, which made his armythe larger main Confederate army.[3] However, it was still only about half the size of the Union Army facing him. In the opening weeks of the campaign, Sherman forced Johnston's army. back from one place to another.[3]

Sherman moved two of his field armies again and again against Johnston, and a third army under James B. McPherson threatened the supply lines. McPherson's army was also used in flanking maneuvers. Sherman's combined armies kept moving towards Atlanta while Johnson's armies fell back. Finally, Johnson retreated into Atlanta on July 9–10.[3] Confederate President Jefferson Davis dismissed Johnson for not stopping the Union Army and gave command to John B. Hood, Johnson's second in command.[3]

Hood had little chance of succeeding, and when he took command, Sherman's army was five miles from the city.[2]

Siege of Atlanta

Hood ordered his men to attack Sherman's army on July 20.[4] Attempts caused Hood by July 22 only to have lost 8,000 men to Sherman's losses of 3,000.[4] Hood retreated to Atlanta again. Sherman set up his cannon and began a bombardment of Atlanta that would last a month.[4] Then, Sherman withdrew his armies and left only a small force. Hood's army followed them to Jonesboro, Georgia. Sherman's army cut Hood's line of retreat to Atlanta.

The Battle of Jonesborough lasted two days and ended on 1 September.[4] After taking heavy casualties, what was left of Hood's army burned its supplies and ammunition and left Atlanta.[4] Sherman then took Atlanta, which was a major loss for the Confederacy.[3] The Union victory almost guaranteed Lincoln's re-election and also led to the next campaign, Sherman's March to the Sea.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 American Civil War: The Essential Reference Guide, eds. James R. Arnold; Roberta Wiener (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011), pp. 18–20
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Civil War in Georgia: A New Georgia Encyclopedia Companion, ed. John C. Inscoe (Athens : University of Georgia Press, 2011), pp. 73–84
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "The Atlanta Campaign; A Strategic Overview". The Civil War Trust. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 American Civil War: The Essential Reference Guide, eds. James R. Arnold; Roberta Wiener (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011), p. 21

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