Battle of Atlanta

Battle context

The Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864, was a Confederate offensive attempt to break Sherman's encircling Union forces southeast of Atlanta during the Atlanta campaign. Despite fielding a larger force, Confederate troops under Hood were overwhelmed and suffered casualties roughly 40 percent higher than the Union forces engaged. The battle did not end the campaign—Atlanta itself did not fall until September 2, 1864, following a Union siege and sustained efforts to sever the railroads and supply lines feeding the city. The engagement is also notable for the death of Union Major General James B. McPherson, the second-highest-ranking Union officer killed in action during the war. Once Atlanta fell, Sherman's army moved south-southeastward through Milledgeville toward Savannah in the March to the Sea, a campaign that would further fracture Confederate logistical capacity and territorial cohesion. The battle thus marked a significant but intermediate step in Union efforts to capture a critical Confederate rail and supply hub.