The Road Past Kennesaw: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864

This volume delves into the 1864 Union push toward Atlanta, tracing the clash that began in May and climaxed with the daring flanking maneuver at Kennesaw Mountain. It shows how the campaign turned the war into a race for rail lines and telegraph connections, with both armies digging trenches, using repeating rifles, and even camouflaging themselves as “moving bushes.” The narrative highlights how commanders like Sherman and Johnston wrestled with evolving tactics that reshaped the battlefield.

Equally compelling are the personal voices that emerge from unpublished letters and diaries. Readers hear the hopes, fears, and daily hardships of ordinary soldiers—such as a Mississippi lieutenant writing home about homesickness, whiskey, and the looming threat of death. By weaving these intimate accounts with the larger strategic picture, the book offers a vivid portrait of a pivotal moment in the Civil War, bringing the mud‑soaked, scorching Georgia summer to life.