The Chathooch River originates in Georgia and travels south to the Gulf of Mexico, where it is the boundary between Georgia and Alabama. This section of Atlanta flows northeast-southwest and is the upper reaches of the Chathooch River. Unlike the murky Tennessee River, the Chathooch River is a clear water, with picturesque scenery and abundant wildlife.

It is also said to be home to the most haode salmon in the United States.

Guan Zhuofan sighed that such a paradise is about to be burned all over the world and its face is devastated, and the fish in the river are destined to taste the bloody taste from human beings.

The Confederates built a number of fortifications along the river north of the Chathooch River, but Johnston had no intention of holding on to it, for the simple reason that no matter how long he could, he would not be able to hold it. If they were stuck to death by the Northern Army, or even collapse here, there was a wide river behind them, and everyone had to jump into the river to feed the fish, and the Battle of Atlanta would be over early.

The role of these fortifications was to ensure that the main force calmly withdrew south of the Chathooch River, and Johnston's Jihua was to make a gesture of retreating the whole army into Atlanta, and when the Northern army had crossed the river, he would quickly return and defeat the enemy in the middle of the crossing.

This is a very powerful move, not to mention that in the chaos of soldiers and horses, separated by a big river, it is difficult for the northern army to accurately judge the movement of the southern army, even if the northern army knows this jihua of the southern army, it still has to cross the river, and the suitable ferry is limited, and it is basically impossible for the large army to avoid the eyes of the southern army. Although it is very unlikely that the Southern Army will be able to prevent the Northern Army from crossing the river, it is inevitable that the Northern Army will pay heavy casualties.

However, Jihua could not keep up with the changes, just as the Northern Army began to cross the river and Johnston was ready to move. The order from Richmond arrived. At the same time. There was also the new commander-in-chief of the Confederate Western Theater and commander of the Atlanta City Defense.

Johnston was dismissed.

Hehe, Guan Zhuofan doesn't have to use his brains to play any tricks.

John who took over from Johnston? Bel? Hood, only thirty-three years old, was known for his bravery and showed great bravery in all the battles in which he participated.

He was actually an old acquaintance of the Xuan Army, and at the Battle of Chattanooga, he was Longstreet's lieutenant, in that bloody battle in the jungle. Hood desperately lost a leg, originally the military doctor thought that he would not survive, so he put the sawn off half of his leg on the stretcher, and told General Hood to bury it together when he died, and it was also a whole corpse.

Unexpectedly, Hood's vitality was extremely tenacious and he actually survived. He was so amused that he buried his broken leg and set up a grave, which read: "Only John here?" Bel? One of Hood's legs. If he himself does not want to. No one wants to find General Hood in the grave. ”

During the previous Battle of Gettysburg, Hood was wounded in the left arm. But he followed Longstreet to the Western Front with his arms hanged, and after the Battle of Chattanooga, his arms and legs were crippled.

Longstreet admired Hood so much that he tried his best to pay tribute to Robert? Lee and President Davis recommended him as his deputy, and Davis was so hot that he was promoted to the rank of Hood in a row, and was transferred to the position of commander-in-chief of the Western Theater of Operations, and was awarded the rank of general. However, there is a procedure approved by Congress on the matter of military ranks. It doesn't matter, when the Congress is finished, Hood also blocked the Northern Army, and at that time he was officially promoted to general, what a glory?

Didn't public opinion all accuse Johnston of being cowardly and war-timid? Let's change the brave and attack!

But Robert? Lee disapproved of Hood's new appointment, believing that Hood was indeed a lion, but at this time, the Southern Army needed a fox more. "Hood is a brave fighter, but I have reservations about whether he has the other qualities that a good fighter needs," Lee said. ”

Davis didn't listen to Lee, he and Lee had different views on the situation on the Western Front, and besides, he really couldn't find anything more notable.

The change of generals dealt a serious blow to the morale of the army, and Johnston was beloved by the soldiers, and Hood commanded the battle, leaving little impression other than sending the soldiers up to their deaths. Although, he himself often rushes forward with him.

Sam? In a letter home, Varkins lamented: "When the news came, it was like a thunderbolt in the clear sky, and everyone was stunned. From the time Army Group Tennessee was crushed, defeated, ragged, and hungry, the veteran general had been in charge of us, and he became more and more beloved by his men every day. Zaijian, old man! We soldiers love you because you make us love ourselves. ”

When Hu De took office, he accepted the predecessor's Jihua who "attacked the enemy in Bandu" in its entirety, because this was an "attack" and it was in line with his appetite.

However, the shock caused by the change of generals and the time required for the handover made the troops unable to move for a short time, and by the time the internal tossing of the Southern army was over, the Northern army had all crossed the Chateahooch River.

Hood still gave the order, according to the original Jihua, attack.

Although the artillery of the Northern Army had not yet had time to be erected, and the fortifications were only hastily constructed low breastworks, they were still not something that the Southern Army could break through. Under the blow of the dense fire of the Northern Army, the Southern Army repeated the scene of the frontal attack of the Northern Army on Kenneso Mountain, and within half a mile of the Northern Army's position, the corpses of the Southern Army were scattered all over the ground, and the blood slowly flowed under the feet of the Northern Army, until it flowed into the Chateahooch River, and the river turned red.

Later, the front-line soldiers refused to accept the order and ran back in groups. In this case, if he did not order a retreat, it would be too late for the Northern Army to launch a counterattack, and Hood had no choice but to order the whole army to retreat into the city of Atlanta.

In this battle, the casualties of the Confederate army exceeded the total casualties along the way from Dalton to the north bank of the Chateahuch River.

The Northern army finally reached the city of Atlanta and put on a siege posture.

Kwan Zhuofan and Sherman are both satisfied with Hood's opponent, but Atlanta itself is absolutely not to be overlooked.

Although the strength of the Northern Army far exceeded that of the Southern Army, it was impossible to completely "encircle" Atlanta with more than 100,000 soldiers and horses, and the so-called "siege" of the Northern Army was mainly to cut off Atlanta's railway line and cut off Atlanta's connection with the outside world.

But it is very difficult to do this. First, the Southern Army had already deployed defenses on various transportation arteries; Second, Atlanta's rail network is well-developed and complex, dense as a spider's web, and extends in all directions, which is not comparable to Chattanooga and anywhere along the way. Wanting to cut off all railway lines in Yacheng, Guan Zhuofan and Sherman both admitted: This is almost an impossible task.

At the same time, as the most important manufacturing base of the Confederacy, Atlanta itself had considerable capacity to support the war effort. Even if Atlanta was completely cut off from the rest of the Federation, it would not bring the Confederate army to its knees anytime soon.

The city of Atlanta is strong and well-defended, and it began to be fortified layer by layer within a considerable distance outside the city, and the fortifications and trenches are crisscrossed and crisscrossed.

In terms of troops, although the Southern Army was squandered by Hood as soon as he took office, it was still sufficient to defend a city.

In short, this is definitely not a bone that can be gnawed away in three or two bites, and you must be patient enough and be prepared to pay a sufficient price.

Guan Zhuofan's Left Army was stationed north of Atlanta, and Sherman's Right Army was stationed west of Atlanta, becoming a horn trend.

Sherman housed his headquarters in a church.

It was a strange arrangement, but even more excessive, Sherman kicked out all the clergy in the church.

When the Civil War broke out, the religious circles in the United States decided to make a big split, and even the same church, such as the Presbyterian Church or the Baptist Church, was divided into two completely opposite parts, the North and the South, each holding the same Bible, looking for the heinous sin of slavery and the sanctity of slavery, and both declaring that the other violated the doctrine of God.

The church that Sherman used as the headquarters was the Presbyterian boss Robert? Lewis? One of the most important towns in Dabny, the most vocal advocate of independence and slavery. Sherman shouted: God's house can only be inhabited by God's servants, you pagans, get out of here!

*(To be continued......)