The Washington herald., 1914-08-02

Fifty years ago today Gen. w. !. sher-
man continued a hanking movement
| around Atlanta, Ga. which had begun
| July 81 and which had for an object the
cutting OF the Confederate line OF sup
| ply. the railroad to Macon
The movement was one OF the most
notable ones of the campaign. BY It
Gen. Sherman was to transfer his entire
army from the east to the west side OF
| the city and to tax to the utmost the
energy and resourcefulness OF the Con-
federates who met II.
For a second time in the campaign
conditions governing the movements Of
| the combatants were reversed. In its
early part the Cohfederates, then conf
manded by Gen Joseph f. Johnston, had
fought a mastery defensive fight but
had been pressed back by the superior
numbers Of the Federals. Then Gen.
Johnston was removed and his successor.
Gen. John B. Hood, was directed TO take
the offensive.
Gen. Hood had done what was expected
OF him. but the result had been so disas-
trous TO the Confederates that President
Davis, who had himself been in favor OF
an aggressive policy. was induced to ad-
wise Gen. Hood TO refrain from assault
ing the Federals in their works. So Gen.
Hood had reverted to Gen. Johnston's s
tactics, and prepared to meet the move
ment OF Federals around Atlanta as
Johnston had a similar movement at
Kenesaw Mountain, earlier in the cam
paign.
A Railroad mt Stake.
The railroad from Atlanta to Augusta.
which left the former city from the east,
had been destroyed for many miles by
Federal cavalry. Gen. Hood was COM
PEELED TO rely upon the Macon road,
which ran out OF Atlanta to the south
west. and then turned to the east
Having effectively crippled the Angus
ia Railroad, Gen Sherman turned his
attention to the Macon line. and as that
could be more easily reached from the
west OF Atlanta, determined TO throw
his army 10 that side of the city. On
July q the Army OF the Tennessee. under
Gen. o. o. Howard. had moved by the
rear from the Augusta road to the vicln-
ity OF Ezra Church. northwest of Allan
ia There, on the 18th. the Confederates
fought their last offensive battle for
many weeks. They lost heavily and
Howard strengthened his position.
Next, on August l, Sherman ordered the
Army of the Ohio. under Gen. John b.
Schofield, to make a similar movement;
that is to march from the left of the
Federal army to the opposite flank. The
movement was completed in the early
evening of August ., Schofield taking
suOnS pOSlllOn On thS ileAt VI oSii-
Howard Only the army Of the Cumber
land, under Gen. George H. Thomas. had
held its place. 1t was almost due north
of Atlanta
Thus far everything had gone smooth
~, and Gen. Sherman was highly salts
fed with the progress he had made. He
now wished TO extend his flank until It
should touch the Macon road. Its pos
session by US would, in my judgment. re-
suit in the capture OF Atlanta" Sherman
wrote in his memoirs. 6
Yet the task was to be no easy one.
and a month was to eiapse before the
streets of Atlanta should feel the tread
of marching Federals. Hood. though not
so skilled a general as was his prede-
cessor, nevertheless was brave, resource
full and ever alert. and was to wage a
desperate struggle to save his communi-
cations.
Refuses to Obey.
In the two days following the move
ment of the Army of the Ohio to the
west of the city, much time was to be
wasted by the Federals through friction
between the commanders on the extreme
riht.g As the trouble grew out Of the
movement which was completed fifty
years ago today, 1t may properly be an
ticIpated.
on August Gen. Sherman ordered Gen.
Schofield to push his flank to the south,
across a stream called Utoy Creek. and
to seize the highway from Atlanta to
Sandtown. on the Chattahoochee River.
As Schofeld's whole army consisted of
only a single corps, the Twenty-third.
and a small body OF cavalry, Sherman