highplainsdrifter59
Sergeant
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2015
- Location
- Talladega, Alabama
I guess the best answer is from Sherman himself. In his memoirs this is his statement as to why to attack Johnston fortified line on June 27th, 1864
‘I had consulted Generals Thomas, McPherson, and Schofield, and we all agreed that we could not with prudence stretch out any more, and therefore there was no alternative but to attack "fortified lines," a thing carefully avoided up to that time. I reasoned, if we could make a breach anywhere near the rebel centre, and thrust in a strong head of column, that with the one moiety of our army we could hold in check the corresponding wing of the enemy, and with the other sweep in flank and overwhelm the other half.”
I have studied this particular battle over many times and I still can’t come to terms as this being the number one sole reason. I write this because Sherman even after this battle, was intending to move McPherson from his right to the left and move toward the Chattahoochee River. Thus forcing Johnston from the Kennesaw line. Sherman had already on the 27th, sent Stoneman’s cavalry down toward Sweetwater (which is now Austell/Lithia Springs Ga.) to show some force in that area. So, In my thinking here, Sherman was already contemplating this move in the southward direction. Sherman had telegraphed Hallack to the fact he was going to supply the troops with ten days ration from having wagons full of supply go with them.
Of course on July 3rd, Sherman found out Johnston had retreated from this line and was moving south himself to cover the Smyrna and part of what is called Mableton now. Then move cross the Chattahoochee River with the outskirts of Atlanta at his back.
Sherman well could have avoided the attack on the 27th and the losses he took mainly at Cheatham Hill with losses amounting to around 2,000 and two very good generals that died from this battle. Sherman had the intentions of moving but he made a bold but tragic attempt to move a entrench and well fortified line.
im under the impression Sherman like many others that wrote afterwards kind of made the statement listed above as a somewhat reason to attempt to justify something he really should have avoided and gave a simple reason as to it. But reading his memoirs after the battle you will see very quickly how he reverted to just move toward Sweetwater. I’m a firm believer this was his intent anyways but something is amiss in his writing that shows somebody, or something made him change his mind to force an offensive move that up until then he had avoided and still gained ground. Sherman even mentions that every day on his right Schofield was gaining ground. He also knew that on the 22nd, Hood had done alll he was going to do at Kolb’s Farm.
I look forward to any suggestions or comments you may have.
‘I had consulted Generals Thomas, McPherson, and Schofield, and we all agreed that we could not with prudence stretch out any more, and therefore there was no alternative but to attack "fortified lines," a thing carefully avoided up to that time. I reasoned, if we could make a breach anywhere near the rebel centre, and thrust in a strong head of column, that with the one moiety of our army we could hold in check the corresponding wing of the enemy, and with the other sweep in flank and overwhelm the other half.”
I have studied this particular battle over many times and I still can’t come to terms as this being the number one sole reason. I write this because Sherman even after this battle, was intending to move McPherson from his right to the left and move toward the Chattahoochee River. Thus forcing Johnston from the Kennesaw line. Sherman had already on the 27th, sent Stoneman’s cavalry down toward Sweetwater (which is now Austell/Lithia Springs Ga.) to show some force in that area. So, In my thinking here, Sherman was already contemplating this move in the southward direction. Sherman had telegraphed Hallack to the fact he was going to supply the troops with ten days ration from having wagons full of supply go with them.
Of course on July 3rd, Sherman found out Johnston had retreated from this line and was moving south himself to cover the Smyrna and part of what is called Mableton now. Then move cross the Chattahoochee River with the outskirts of Atlanta at his back.
Sherman well could have avoided the attack on the 27th and the losses he took mainly at Cheatham Hill with losses amounting to around 2,000 and two very good generals that died from this battle. Sherman had the intentions of moving but he made a bold but tragic attempt to move a entrench and well fortified line.
im under the impression Sherman like many others that wrote afterwards kind of made the statement listed above as a somewhat reason to attempt to justify something he really should have avoided and gave a simple reason as to it. But reading his memoirs after the battle you will see very quickly how he reverted to just move toward Sweetwater. I’m a firm believer this was his intent anyways but something is amiss in his writing that shows somebody, or something made him change his mind to force an offensive move that up until then he had avoided and still gained ground. Sherman even mentions that every day on his right Schofield was gaining ground. He also knew that on the 22nd, Hood had done alll he was going to do at Kolb’s Farm.
I look forward to any suggestions or comments you may have.