Campaign for Atlanta
By the spring of 1864 the Confederacy was weakening and the mighty war power of the Union was at least being employed. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered a concerted offensive by all Union armies; his orders to Gen. William T. Sherman at Chattanooga, Tennessee, were to attack the Confederate army in Georgia.
Gen. J. E. Johnston’s Confederate army confronted Sherman near Dalton along Rocky Face Ridge in the north Georgia mountains and the confrontation developed into a fight for Atlanta.
Again and again, Sherman repeated the same strategy; that is, whenever he found the Confederates entrenched in strong positions, he would hold them back with part of his force and send another part behind their flank, attempting to cut the Western & Atlantic railroad.
Battle at Kennesaw
Sherman resumed his advance on June 10, 1864. By June 19, Sherman’s troops forced Johnston to withdraw again. Once more, Sherman extended his lines to the south to get around the Confederate flank. Johnston countered by shifting 11,000 men under Gen. John Bell Hood to meet the threat. At Kolb’s Farm, Hood struck, but without success and his attack failed to drive away the Northerners.
The assaults continued to June 27. In the end, the Confederates lost 800 men and the Union lost 3,000 men. The Southerners abandoned their Kennesaw lines in the night of July 2, 1864.
– Staying on the trails is an easy way to protect historic earthworks and other features of the park. Please walk and ride only on designated trails and avoid areas that are closed for revegatation, signed as sensitive, or unmarked.
Many of the trails can be rough and steep. Wear sturdy shoes, a hat, and carry plenty of water. Check the weather and take a jacket; summer thunderstorms are common.
Please keep in mind the following rules of the trails:
– Stick to the trails.
– Take out all the trash, yours and others.
– Manage your dog. Use a leash and pick up poop.
– Leave it as you find it. Take only photographs and leave only footprints.
– Share the trails with others.
