Atlanta 1864: Last Chance for the Confederacy (Great Campaigns of the Civil War)

"Atlanta 1864" brings to life this crucial campaign of the Civil War, as federal armies under William T. Sherman contended with Joseph E. Johnston and his successor, John Bell Hood, and moved steadily through Georgia to occupy the rail and commercial center of Atlanta. Sherman's efforts were undertaken as his former commander, Ulysses S. Grant, set out on a similar mission to destroy Robert E. Lee or drive him back to Richmond. These struggles were the millstones that Grant intended to use to grind the Confederacy's strength into dust. By fall, Sherman's success in Georgia had assured the re-election of Abraham Lincoln and determined that the federal government would never acquiesce in the independence of the Confederacy. Richard M. McMurry examines the Atlanta campaign as a political and military unity in the context of the greater struggle of the war itself. Richard M. McMurry is an independent scholar and the author of "John Bell Hood" and the "War for Southern Independence (Nebraska 1992)" and "Two Great Rebel Armies: An Essay in Confederate Military History". "Atlanta 1864 brings to life this crucial campaign of the Civil War, as federal armies under William T. Sherman contended with Joseph E. Johnston and his successor, John Bell Hood, and moved steadily through Georgia to occupy the rail and commercial center of Atlanta. Sherman's efforts were undertaken as his former commander, Ulysses S. Grant, set out on a similar mission to destroy Robert E. Lee or drive him back to Richmond. These struggles were the millstones that Grant intended to use to grind the Confederacy's strength into dust. By fall, Sherman's success in Georgia had assured the re-election of Abraham Lincoln and determined that the federal government would never acquiesce in the independence of the Confederacy. Richard M. McMurry examines the Atlanta campaign as a political and military unity in the context of the greater struggle of the war itself."--BOOK JACKET. The Author Presents The Situation As Federal Armies Under William T. Sherman Contended With Joseph E. Johnston And His Successor, John Bell Hood, And Moved Steadily Through Georgia To Occupy The Rail And Commercial Center Of Atlanta.--jacket. Presidents And Generals -- Grand Strategy For 1864 -- Preparations For The Field -- The Best Laid Plans -- To The Oostanaula -- On To The Etowah -- Into The Hell Hole -- On The Kennesaw Line -- Across The Chattahoochee -- On Other Fields -- Hood Takes Command -- The Rebels Strike Back -- Battle For The Macon & Western -- Let Old Abe Settle It. Richard M. Mcmurry. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "The fall of Atlanta in September 1864 was an important strategic and psychological victory for the war-weary North, virtually assuring that the Union would win the Civil War while assisting Lincoln in his reelection efforts. This concise volume by McMurry . . . closely examines this significant military campaign, places the struggle in its social and political contexts, and includes useful topical appendices and a bibliographical essay. Given its brevity, focus, and the author's unique insights, this readable and well-documented volume will be welcomed by Civil War enthusiasts and scholars alike."—Library Journal Narrates the 1864 campaign to destroy Atlanta in the hopes of Union victory in the Civil War and Lincoln's reelection, and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of commanding generals and public opinion in the North and South.