272 The American Civil War
Sherman knew that if he could just cut
the Western & Macon Railroad. Hood would
be compelled to abandon the city. His
cavalry failed to do the job, and he planned
to pull back part of his army for defense,
freeing up others for offensive operations to
the southwest. Slowly, he wheeled his forces
toward the railroad. In order to protect that
last, vital line, Hardee launched a vicious
attack against Howard's men at Jonesboro,
but he could not dislodge them. With
Thomas's and Schofield's columns gaining
parts of the line, too. Hood had no choice
but to abandon Atlanta. He exploded rail
cars loaded with ammunition and evacuated
his armed forces from the city. On
2 September 1864, a gleeful Sherman wired,
'Atlanta is ours, and fairly won.'