By Kevin Seabrooke

Recognizing that the Confederacy could not win a war of attrition, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered five simultaneous offensives in the spring of 1864 in a strategy to exhaust Southern resources and manpower.

Featuring several major battles and significant casualties, the Overland Campaign of Virginia pitting Grant against Robert E. Lee has historically overshadowed the Battle of Atlanta. Somewhat understandable given the leaders involved and the fact that it marked the first time that the Army of the Potomac pursued Lee after an initial engagement, forcing him to remain on the defensive, unable to reinforce any other campaigns.

Award-winning author David A. Powell, who had access to hundreds of primary accounts, many previously unused and 21 original maps, aims to shine the light on a campaign he sees as equal in importance to the Overland.

As a rail hub and industrial center, the city of Atlanta was vital to Confederate supply lines and its loss would cripple the South’s ability to sustain its war effort. In addition to boosting Union morale, Sherman’s capture of Atlanta secured President Lincoln’s reelection.

This is the first of five comprehensive installments on the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. The second volume will be From the Etowah River to Kennesaw Mountain, May 20–June 27, 1864.

The Atlanta Campaign: Volume 2: From the Etowah River to Kennesaw Mountain, May 21 to June 27, 1864 (David A. Powell, Savas Beatie, El Dorado Hill, CA, 608 pp., photos and maps, Oct. 2, 2025 $39.95 HC)

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