Commanders
- Union: William T. Sherman, James B. McPherson, and John A. Logan
- Confederacy: John B. Hood (plus Joseph E. Johnston who was replaced by Hood by being too defensive)
Objectives
- Union: Weaken the South by capturing its railroads, medical centers, and factories [Atlanta was known for its railroads (transportation) and manufacturing (supplies)]
- Confederacy: Protect Atlanta by forcing the Union's campaign north
Strategies
Flanking- a maneuver in which the one force would attack the sides of the opposing force (if successful, the enemy will be surrounded)
- Union: being notified of the Hood misconception of abandoning his defenses, Sherman decided to send McPherson, as well as Dodge's corpse, to advance in tearing up railroad tracks.
- Confederacy: Hood turned to a more offensive approach which was to attack McPherson. He devised a plan to have a suspended attack until McPherson's army, the army of the Tennessee, was disarranged at the left side where the railroad would be. He would then situate one corpse between Thomas (Union) and Atlanta and have the rest proceed the flanking maneuver.
Advantages/Disadvantages
Union: better generals, less men
Confederacy: behind schedule, home-field advantage
Casualties: the Confederacy had more
Outcome:
- The Union wins
- guarantees Lincoln's re-election
- succeeded in damaging railroads and cutting down supplies in the South
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