The Atlanta Campaign was in the spring of 1864. The Union army, with Sherman as their general, wanted to take control of Atlanta and force Confederate soldiers out of it. The Union wanted to capture Atlanta for strategic and political reasons. Atlanta was a major rail center that the Confederates depended on for supplies and weapons. In addition, if the Union had a victory, it would ensure that Abraham Lincoln got re-elected. Sherman and his army needed Atlanta because it was a major city in the South. Atlanta was the capital city for the Confederate army. So Sherman took the Union army to Atlanta and attempted to control it. But the confederates weren't going to give up without a fight. Jefferson Davis sent his army, along with Generals Lee and Johnston, to protect Atlanta. Sadly, the Confederates had no hope in prevailing. The Union army was strong and massive. They slaughtered the Confederate and took hold of Atlanta. The capture was crucial because it increased Northern support and ensured Lincoln's re-election. The victory also ensured that the South would not come back and re-use the city or railroads for military purposes. It is said that after the campaign ended, General Lee replaced Johnston because he wasn't aggressive enough and would always retreat. The Atlanta Campaign was a major battle because it set up the plan for Sherman's March to Sea.
Sherman's March:
Sherman's March began in February 1864. William Sherman served with Ulysses S. Grant as generals of the Union army. At this point in the war, the Union desperately needed a victory. Sherman purposed that he march down to the sea, all the while wreaking havoc on the South states. Sherman hoped that by doing this, the war would end quickly because the Confederates would be scared to fight. He also hoped to destroy their main means of supplies and weapons. General Sherman waited in Atlanta, after the Atlanta Campaign, for the approval of his battle plan. Once it was approved, Sherman took his soldiers and began his march, heading to Tennessee. There Sherman meet up with the Confederate army who was under the command of John Hood. Hood was no match for Sherman and the Unions. The Union army outnumbered the Confederates and had more advanced technology. During his march, Sherman cut off all communication with the remaining Union armies. By December 1864, William Sherman had marked a forty to sixty mile line of destruction through Georgia and had captured Savannah. He then continued on to South Carolina, angry at them for seceding form the Union first. By February 1864, Sherman had taken Columbia and South Carolina hostage and was well on his way to North Carolina. On April 26th, 1865, Johnston and all the troops in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida surrendered. This was the biggest surrender for the Confederate army. This march was important because it caused Lincoln to be re-elected and railroads were destroyed , causing Confederate supply lines to stop. In addition, the capture of Atlanta was demoralizing for Southern citizens and because of the march, there were cracks in the Confederate military. Sherman's March was an important historical ever never to be forgotten. The March was so destructive that a few months later the South pulled out of the war, causing an end to the Civil War.
Union Blockade:
The Union blockade of Georgia's coast was when the Union army prevented supplies from entering Georgia's coast and ports. The Union hoped that this military strategy would limit the supplies going to the Confederate army, therefore the South would not be as prepared or advanced as the North.
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