The American Civil War - This Mighty Scourge of War

264 The American Civil War

Joseph E Johnston was one of the great enigmas of the
Civil War. The Confederacy expected great things from
Johnston, but he never seemed to rise to meet those
expectations. He fell afoul of President Jefferson Davis,
who blamed Johnston for the loss of his beloved
Vicksburg. Johnston returned as commander of the
Army of Tennessee, only to be removed at Atlanta
(Library of Congress)

XII Corps, which he merged to form the

XX Corps. Sherman's total force, infantry,

cavalry, and artillery, totaled around 100,000.

Extremely sensitive to logistical issues,

Sherman worried about Confederate cavalry

raids striking his lengthy supply line on the

campaign. He gathered large numbers of

locomotives and rail cars to service his army.

During the months before the campaign

began, Sherman accumulated supplies and

stockpiled all sorts of other necessities, such

as rails, ties, and material for bridging. He

directed the construction of blockhouses to

protect vital positions along the rail route,

and he devoted considerable numbers of

troops to protecting that line of support.

After three years of active service, and

years of army experience and contemplation.

Sherman had concluded that the search for

the climactic battle, especially against a

competent opposing commander like

Johnston, was a bootless one. Large armies,

sustained by industrialization, advanced

agriculture, and more modern supply

methods, could withstand great losses, as the

Rebel Army of Tennessee and the Yankee

Army of the Potomac had, and still be

effective forces. Where Sherman could

damage the Rebel war effort was by taking

Atlanta. A manufacturing city second only to

Richmond, it was also a critical rail nexus.

Originally, Sherman had planned for

Thomas and Schofield to hold Johnston in

place while McPherson's Army of Tennessee

sliced down from northern Alabama to seize

Rome, Georgia. The move might compel

Johnston to fall all the way back to the

Atlanta defenses. When it became clear that

Banks could neither return A. J. Smith's men

to McPherson nor undertake a strike on

A Grant and Sherman protege in the war,

James B. McPherson graduated first in his class at West

Point. He began the war as an engineer and rose to

command the Army of Tennessee. He was killed in the

Battle of Atlanta. (Library of Congress)