In September 1864, the fall of Atlanta—the Confederacy’s most important city behind Richmond—was imminent. The Federal siege of Petersburg, Virginia continued with no critical activity. Federal troops were poised to lay waste to Virginia’s fertile Shenandoah Valley, and Abraham Lincoln was faced with challenges from both Democrats and Radical Republicans in the upcoming presidential election.
The Fall of Atlanta
Confederate General John Bell Hood tried one last desperate attack to drive Federals under William T. Sherman away from Atlanta. When the attack failed, Hood abandoned the key industrial Confederate city. After setting fires to stores and munitions, the Confederates marched out and the Federals entered. Sherman wired Washington: "Atlanta is ours and fairly won."
The Federal capture of Atlanta sparked massive celebrations in the North and strengthened the Federal fighting spirit. Without Atlanta, the Confederacy no longer had one its most important manufacturing and supply centers needed to continue the war effort. The fall of Atlanta virtually assured that the Federals would win the war.
As Hood withdrew to fight another day, Sherman began a harsh occupation of Atlanta by ordering all civilians to leave the city. When Hood and the Atlanta mayor vehemently protested, Sherman replied, "You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will…" In all, 446 families totaling about 1,600 people were forced out of Atlanta without most of their possessions. This made Sherman the most hated man in the South.
The 1864 Presidential Campaign
Former U.S. General-in-Chief George McClellan formally accepted the Democratic nomination for president in the upcoming election. However there were concerns that McClellan, who supported continuing the war until the Union was restored, would repudiate the party’s platform, which called for an immediate end to hostilities.
In his letter of acceptance, McClellan applauded Democratic efforts to oppose the Lincoln administration but refused to approve the “peace” plank, stating that he owed it to his former soldiers to see the war through to victory. The "Peace" Democrats were furious, but they had no time to find an alternative to McClellan as their nominee. This caused a crucial rift in the Democratic Party as the election drew nearer.
Meanwhile the Radical Republican candidate for president, John C. Fremont, withdrew his candidacy because he feared splitting the Republican vote and enabling McClellan to win. In exchange for Fremont’s withdrawal, President Lincoln made a deal with Radicals in Congress to replace some of his more moderate cabinet members with those friendlier to the Radicals.
The Shenandoah Valley Campaign
After maneuvering for over a month in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, General Philip Sheridan’s Federals attempted to cut Confederate General Jubal Early’s supply and retreat lines south of Winchester. In response, Early advanced along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad toward Martinsburg. Early had only 15,000 men to oppose Sheridan’s 40,000-man army.
Northeast of Winchester, Sheridan attacked Early at Opequon Creek. After nearly eight hours of back-and-forth fighting, Federal cavalry broke the enemy’s line and sent the Confederates reeling. Early ordered a general retreat after losing nearly 4,000 men, or over a quarter of his army. Sheridan pursued the retreating Confederates and positioned his Federals to attack them at Fisher’s Hill.
After a successful Federal assault, Sheridan pursued Early for four miles before the Confederates rallied. However the Confederates reeled once more from a surprise Federal attack, and Early ordered a withdrawal. The Confederates lost another 1,235 men. Still retreating, Early tried making a stand but could not. They moved south to Port Republic and on into the Blue Ridge Mountains.
With the Confederate routs at Winchester and Fisher’s Hill, Grant and Sheridan agreed that the Shenandoah Valley campaign was over. Sheridan set about burning farms and destroying any foodstuffs that would be useful to the Confederate armies. Meanwhile Early regrouped within the Blue Ridge and planned to launch one last surprise counterattack in October.
Sources
- Long, E.B. and Long, Barbara: The Civil War: Day by Day (New York, NY: Da Capo Press, Inc., 1971)
- Wallechinsky, David and Wallace, Irving: The People’s Almanac (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1975)
- Ward, Geoffrey C.; Burns, Ric; Burns, Ken: The Civil War (New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1990)
Walter Coffey - Walter Coffey is a freelance writer who resides in Houston, Texas. Walter has written several works of historical fiction and non-fiction, ...
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