The American Civil War - This Mighty Scourge of War

The fighting 267

LEFT

20 July, Hood executed Johnston's plan by trying to strike

Thomas's army as it crossed over Peachtnee Creek, using

men from Stewart's and Hardee's corps. Thomas

repulsed the attack.

22 July Hood pulled Hardee's corps out of the trenches

around Atlanta and sent it on a wide march around the

Union flank. Scouts saw the movement, but Hardee's late

arrival convinced the Federals that the movement had

been canceled. McPherson s army fought off the attack

McPherson was killed in the battle.

28 July Sherman sent Howard around to the west, to

sever the railroad connections to Macon and the west

Stephen D. Lee's corps attacked him and was repulsed.

When cavalry raids failed to destroy the railroads

effectively, Sherman secured his hold on his supply line,

the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and shifted the bulk of

his army to the south. Schofield struck the Macon &

Western Railroad near Rough and Ready. Part of

Thomas's army advanced about halfway between Rough

and Ready and Jonesboro. and Howard's army moved on

Jonesboro. On 31 August Hardee's and Lee's corps

attacked Howard and were repulsed. Lee had to

withdraw, and Sherman tried to destroy Hardee's corps.

He called down Thomas and part of Schofeld's

commands. Although the Union attacks were successful,

Hardee withdrew south with most of his corps. On

2 September; men from Thomas's and Schofield's

commands attacked Hardee at Lovejoy's Station. Later

that day, the remainder of Hood's army arrived, and the

forces skirmished for a few days before Sherman

withdrew his troops to Atlanta.

ABOVE
The Western & Atlantic Railroad, which ran from
Chattanooga to Atlanta, became part of Sherman's and
Johnston's lifeline during the Atlanta campaign. From a

military standpoint, Allatoona Pass proved extremely

important. The photograph, looking northward,

demonstrates the narrowness of the area and indicates

how important control of it was for both sides,