Siege of Atlanta from 22 July 1864

In late July 1864, Major General William T. Sherman’s Union army successfully laid siege to Confederate General John B. Hood’s army, which was now garrisoned in Atlanta, an important supply, manufacturing and railway hub. By 22 July, most of the Confederate army had evacuated, but a residual force battled the remaining portion of Sherman’s army, which had already occupied and burnt much of the city. Union forces engaged in conflict on the city outskirts, repelling repeated Confederate counterattacks. As the Union army moved southwestwards towards Macon, internal bickering between Sherman’s generals stalled their advance, allowing the Confederates time to rally. After further battles between Sherman and Hood, the final rail link was severed by the Unionists near Jonesborough on 31 August. On 1 September, with their supply lines down, Hood’s remaining troops were forced to surrender Atlanta to the Union.