Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/268

264 and a half of Federal attack, endured "for a hundred days and nights their utmost power," and resisting all efforts to take away its crown by force, the old work saw with defiance the army of Sherman pass by in 1865 toward Columbia. The brave fort and gallant city were first in the war and last in the surrender.

During the time in which Grant was contending with Lee for the possession of Richmond, Sherman and Johnston were engaged in the campaign through Georgia. Sherman reached Atlanta soon after Grant had settled his army in the trenches at Petersburg and around Richmond, so that these cities were placed under siege about the same time, but this advantage had not been easily gained. His army, of sufficient strength to cover Johnston's front with one-half its own, thus leaving another army free to operate on the flank, encountered skillful and vigorous opposition on many battlefields. Adopting tactics for which his superior force was well adapted, Sherman forced Johnston back by flank movements, but not without severe engagements at Resaca, May 14th; New Hope church and Dallas, May 25th-2yth; Kenesaw mountain, June 27th; besides many small engagements in which the Federal army suffered great losses. Gathering his "three armies" around Atlanta in July, Sherman began to consider his next movements, and it has been said that the removal of Johnston at this stage of the campaign gave him great satisfaction. Johnston, who had fought him with skill from Dalton to the Chattahoochee river, but had contended with him by retreats, was succeeded by Hood, whose fame for impetuous leadership caused Sherman to consider that the Confederate plans would be changed.

Pausing to take observation from the position now reached, by the Confederate trend, it does not at once clearly appear that the situation had very much changed.