on the attackers, and forcing them to stretch their line of
communication to the breaking point among a hostile population.
Two of Sherman's best divisions were still floundering about with
the rest of the Red River Expedition. So he had to modify his
original plan, which would have taken him much sooner to Atlanta
and given him the support of a simultaneous attack on Mobile by a
cooperating joint expedition. But he was ready to the minute, all
the same.

Dalton, Johnston's first stronghold, was cleverly turned by
McPherson's right flank march; where upon Johnston fell back on
Resaca. Here, on the upon the fifteenth of May, the armies fought
hard for some hours. But Sherman again outflanked the fortified
enemy, who retired to Kingston. Then, after Sherman had made a
four days' halt to accumulate supplies, the advance was resumed,
against determined opposition and with a good deal of hard
fighting for a week in the neighborhood of New Hope Church. The
result of the usual outflanking movements was that Johnston had
to evacuate Allatoona on the fourth of June. Sherman at once
turned it into his advanced field base; while Johnston fell back
on another strong and wellprepared position at Kenesaw Mountain.

Grant, favored in a general way by Sherman and in a special way
by Sheridan, had meanwhile enjoyed a third advantage, this time
on his own immediate front, through the sickness of Lee, who
could not take personal command during the last ten days of May.
On the twenty-first half of Grant's army marched south while half
stood threatening Lee, in order to give their friends a start
toward Richmond. This move was so well staffed and screened that
perhaps Lee could not have seen his chance quite soon enough in