Battle of Atlanta
1864 battle of the American Civil War / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Battle of Atlanta took place during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Union forces commanded by William Tecumseh Sherman overwhelmed and defeated Confederate forces defending the city under John Bell Hood. Union Major General James B. McPherson was killed during the battle, the second-highest-ranking Union officer killed in action during the war. Despite the implication of finality in its name, the battle occurred midway through the Atlanta campaign, and the city did not fall until September 2, 1864, after a Union siege and various attempts to seize railroads and supply lines leading to Atlanta. After taking the city, Sherman's troops headed south-southeastward toward Milledgeville, the state capital, and on to Savannah with the March to the Sea.
Battle of Atlanta | |||||||
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Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
Confederate fortifications on the southeast side | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States (Union) | Confederate States | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William T. Sherman[1] James B. McPherson † |
John Bell Hood[1] William J. Hardee[1] | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Army of Tennessee[1] | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
34,863[fn 1] | 40,438[fn 2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
3,722[2] | 5,000 (according to Col. Taylor Beatty of General Hood's staff)[4] | ||||||
The fall of Atlanta was especially noteworthy for its political ramifications. In the 1864 election, former Union general George B. McClellan, a Democrat, ran against President Lincoln, although he repudiated his own party's platform calling for an armistice with the Confederacy. The capture of Atlanta and Hood's burning of military facilities as he evacuated were extensively covered by Northern newspapers, significantly boosting Northern morale, and Lincoln was re-elected by a significant margin.