#525- THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (Part the Twenty-fourth)

On June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman launched a series of costly frontal assaults on Confederate positions at Kennesaw Mountain, only to face devastating losses with little territorial gain. Despite initial optimism, both McPherson’s and George Thomas’ commands were repelled by strong rebel fortifications, resulting in over 3,000 Union casualties—far exceeding Confederate losses of around 700. Sherman’s frustration grew as reports from Thomas and Schofield painted a grim picture: Thomas concluded that further frontal attacks would be suicidal, advocating instead for siege tactics like sapping. Sherman, though initially skeptical of Thomas’ cautious approach, ultimately respected his judgment and abandoned the assault. Meanwhile, a critical breakthrough came from John Schofield’s Army of the Ohio, whose division under Jacob Cox successfully crossed Ollie’s Creek and advanced along Sandtown Road, threatening the Confederate left flank and positioning Union forces just 11 miles from the Chattahoochee River. This development shifted Sherman’s strategy. By nightfall, he decided to pivot back to his preferred tactic—flanking—abandoning the railroad and preparing to maneuver around the Confederate left. The day’s bloodshed forced Sherman to confront the human cost of war, reinforcing his belief that only through calculated maneuver, not frontal slaughter, could victory be achieved. The episode underscores the turning point in Sherman’s campaign philosophy: after the failure at Kennesaw, he embraced flanking as the path to Atlanta. Though the day ended in tactical defeat, it yielded strategic clarity. Sherman’s decision to shift from direct assault to maneuver marked a pivotal evolution in his command style. His ability to accept failure, listen to subordinates like Thomas, and adapt in real time demonstrated the maturity of a general learning from battle. The episode ends with Sherman preparing to once again outmaneuver Joe Johnston—this time not by brute force, but by strategy, setting the stage for the final push toward Atlanta.