hiana and driven back by overwhelming numbers till he again entered southwest Virginia on the twentieth of June。 Forrest raided northeastern Mississippi； badly defeated Sturgis at Brice's Cross Roads in June； but was himself defeated by A。J。 Smith at Tupelo in July。
Meanwhile Sherman had been tapping Johnston's fifty miles of entrenchments for three weeks of rainy June weather； hoping to find a suitable place into which he could drive a wedge of attack。 On the twenty…seventh he tried to carry the Kene saw lines by assault； but failed at every point； with a loss of twenty…five hundredthree times what Johnston lost。
By a well…combined series of maneuvers Sherman then forced Johnston to fall back or be hopelessly outflanked。 Johnston； with equal skill； crossed the Chattahoochee under cover of the strongly fortified bridgehead which he had built unknown to Sherman。 But Sherman； with his double numbers； could always hold Johnston with one…half in front while turning his flank with the other。 So even the Chattahoochee was safely crossed on the seventeenth of July and the final move against Atlanta was begun。 That same night Johnston's magnificent skill was thrown to the winds by Davis； who had ordered the bold and skillful but far too headlong John B。 Hood to take command and 〃fight。〃
Five days later Hood fought the battle of Atlanta。 Just as Sherman was closing in to entrench for a siege Hood attacked his extreme left flank with the utmost resolution； driving it in and completely enveloping it。 But Sherman was not to be caught。 Knowing that only a part of Hood's army could be sent to this attack while the rest held the lines of Atlanta； Sherman left McPherson's veteran Army of the Tennessee to do the actual fighting； supported； of course； by the movement of troops on their engaged right。 McPherson was killed。 Logan ably replaced him and won a hard…fought day。 Hood's loss was well over eight thousand； Sherman's considerably less than half。
On the twenty…eighth Hood attacked the extreme right； now commanded by General O。O。 Howard in succession to McPherson； whose Army of the Tennessee again did most distinguished service； especially Logan's Fifteenth Corps near Ezra Church。 The Confederates were again defeated with the heavier loss。 After this the siege continued all through the month of August。
While Hood was trying to keep Sherman off Atlanta Grant was trying to make a breach at Petersburg。 Grant gave Meade 〃minute orders on the 24th ＇of July＇ how I wanted the assault conducted；〃 and Meade elaborated the actual plan with admirable skill except in one particular that of the generals concerned。 Burnside was ordered to use his corps for the assault； and he chose Ledlie's division to lead。 The mine was on an enormous scale； designed to hold eight tons of powder； though it was only charged with four； and was approached by a gallery five hundred feet long。 On the twentyninth Grant brought every available man into proper support of Burnside； whose other three divisions were to form the immediate support of Ledlie's grand forlorn hope。
In the early morning of the thirtieth the mine blew up with an earthquaking shock； the enemy round it ran helterskelter to the rear； a crater like that of a volcano was formed； and a hundred and sixty pieces of artillery opened a furious fire on every square inch near it。 Ledlie's division rushed forward and occupied the crater。 But there the whole maneuver stopped short； for everything hinged on Ledlie's movements； and Ledlie was hiding； well out of danger； instead of 〃carrying on。〃 After a pause Confederate reinforcements came up and drove the leaderless division back。 〃The effort；〃 said Grant； 〃was a stupendous failure〃； and it cost him nearly four thousand men； mostly captured。
August was a sad month for the loyal North。 It was then； as we have seen； that Lincoln had to warn Grant about the way in which his orders were being falsified in Washington。 It was then that Sherman asked for reinforcements； so as to be up to strength before and after the taking of Atlanta。 And it was then that Halleck warned Grant to be ready to send some of his best men north if there should be serious resistance to the draft。 Nor was this all。 Thurlow Weed； the great election agent； told Lincoln that the Government would be defeated； which meant； of course； that the compromised and compromising Peace Party would probably be at the helm in time to wreck the Union。 With so many of the best men dead or at the front the whole tone of political society had been considerably loweredto the corresponding advantage of all those meaner elements that fish in troubled waters when the dregs are well stirred up。 There were sinister signs in the big cities； in the press； and in financial circles。 The Union dollar once sank to thirty…nine cents。 To make matters worse； there was a good deal of well…founded discontent among the selfsacrificing loyalists； both at the home and fighting fronts； because the Government apparently allowed disloyal and evasive citizens to live as parasites on the Union's body politic。 The blood tax and money tax alike fell far too heavily on the patriots； while many a parasite grew rich in unshamed safety。
Mobile was won in August。 But the people's eyes were mostly fixed upon the land。 So a much greater effect was produced by Sherman's laconic dispatch of the second of September announcing the fall of Atlanta。 The Confederates； despairing of holding it to any good purpose； had blown up everything they could not move and then retreated。 This thrilling news heartened the whole loyal North； and； as Lincoln at once sent word to Sherman； 〃entitled those who had participated to the applause and thanks of the nation。〃 Grant fired a salute of shotted guns from every battery bearing on the enemy； who were correspondingly depressed。 For every one could now see that if the Union put forth its full strength the shrunken forces of the South could not prevent the Northern vice from crushing them to death。
September also saw the turning of the tide on the still more conspicuous scene of action in Virginia。 Grant had sent Sheridan to the Valley； and had just completed a tour of personal inspection there； when Sheridan； finding Early's Confederates divided； swooped down on the exposed main body at Opequan Creek and won a brilliant victory which raised the hopes of the loyal North a good deal higher still。
Exactly a month later； on the nineteenth of October； Early made a desperate attempt to turn the tables on the Federals in the Valley by attacking them suddenly； on their exposed left flank； while Sheridan was absent at Washington。 （We must remember that Grant had to concert action personally with his sub…commanders； as his orders were so often 〃queered〃 when seen at Washington by autocratic Stanton and bureaucratic Halleck。） The troops attacked broke up and were driven in on their supports in wild confusion。 Then the supports gave way； and a Confederate victory seemed to be assured。
But Sheridan was on his way。 He had left the scene of his previous victory at Opequan Creek； near Winchester； and was now riding to the rescue of his army at Cedar Creek； twenty miles south。 〃Sheridan's Ride；〃 so widely known in song and story； was enough to shake the nerves of any but a very fit commander。 The flotsam and jetsam of defeat swirled round him as he rode。 Yet； with unerring eye； he picked out the few that could influence the rest and set them at work to rally； reform； and return。 Inspired by his example many a straggler who had run for miles presently 〃found himself〃 again and got back in time to redeem his reputation。
Arriving on the field Sheridan discovered those two splendid leaders； Custer and Getty； holding off the victorious Confederates from what otherwise seemed an easy prey。 His presence encouraged the formed defense； restored confidence among the rest near by； and stiffened resistance so much that hasty entrenchments were successfully made and still more successfully held。 The first rush having been stopped； Sheridan turned the lull that ensued into a triumphal progress by riding bareheaded along his whole line； so that all his men might feel themselves once more under his personal command。 Cheer upon cheer greeted him as his gallant charger carried him past； and when the astonished enemy were themselves attacked they broke in irretrievable defeat。
This crowning victory of the long…drawn Valley campaigns； coming with cumulative force after those of Mobile； Atlanta； and Opequan Creek； did more to turn the critical election than all the speeches in the North。 The fittest at the home front judged by deeds； not words； agreeing therein with Rutherford B。 Hayes （a future President； now one of Sheridan's generals） who said： 〃Any officer fit for duty who at this crisis would abandon his post to electioneer for a seat in Congress； ought to be scalped。〃
The devastation of everything in the Valley that might be useful to Lee's army completed the Union victory in arms； while Lincoln's own triumph in November completed it in politics and raised his party to the highest plane of statesmanship in war。
From this time till the early spring the battle of the giants in Virginia calmed down to the minor moves and clashes that mark a period of winter quarters； while the scene of more stirring action shifts once more to Georgia and Tennessee。
CHAPTER XI。 SHERMAN DESTROYS THE BASE： 1864
Sherman made Atlanta his field headquarters for September and October； changing it entirely from a Southern city to a Northern camp。 The whole population was removed； every one being given the choice of going north or south。 In his own words； Sherman 〃had seen Memphis； Vicksburg； Natchez； and New Orleans； all captured from the enemy； and each at once garrisoned by a full division； if not more； so that success was actually crippling our armies in the field by detachments to guard and protect the interests of a hostile population。〃 In reporting to Washington he said： 〃If the people raise a howl against my barbarity and cruelty； I will answer that war is war； and not popularity seeking。 If they want peace； they and their relatives must stop the war。〃 He also excluded the swarms of demoralizing camp…followers that had clogged him elsewh