July 22, 1864

In the months leading up to the battle, Confederate General Joesph E. Johnston had repeatedly retreated from Sherman's superior forces. All along the railroad line from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Marietta, Ga., a pattern was played over again and again. Johnston would take up the defensive position, Sherman would march to outflank the Confederate defenses, and Johnston would retreat again. On july 17th, as he was preparing for the Battle of Peachtree Creek, Johnston was releaved of his command and Hood was given control. Hood lashed out at Sherman's army at Peachtree Creek but the attack failed with heavy casualties. Gen. Hood, with his vastly outnumbered army, was faced with two problems. First, he needed to defend the city of Atlanta. Secondly, his army was small in comparison to the huge armies Sherman commanded. Meanwhile Hood took Hardee's troops on a march around the Union left flank. This was a Jackson-esque movement. However, it took longer than expected for Hardee to get into position, and during that time Gen. McPherson had correctly deduced a possible threat to his left flank by sending in the 16th Corps to strengthen it. Gen. Hardee's force met the other force and the battle was on. Although the initial Confederate attack was repulsed, the Union flank began to retreat. At this point, Gen. McPherson, who had ridden to the front to observe, had been shot and killed by the Confederate infantry. The main lines now formed an "L" shape, with Hardee's attack coming from the lower part of the "L", and Cheatham's attack on the Union front as the vertical member of the "L". Hardee's attack stalled as the Union's 16th corps regrouped and held the line. Meanwhile, Gen. Cheatham's troops had broken through the Union lines, but Gen. Sherman massed 20 artillery pieces near his headquarters, and had them shell Confederate forces, while Logan's 15th corps regrouped and repulsed the Confederate troops. The Union suffered 3,641 casualties, the Confederates, 8,499 casualties. This was a devastating loss for the already reduced Confederate Army.