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A Long and Bloody Task: The Atlanta Campaign from Dalton through Kennesaw to the Chattahoochee, May 5–July 18, 1864
"Explores the first phase of General William Tecumseh Sherman's Atlanta Campaign in the summer of 1864 . . . Clear and concise" (The Civil War Monitor).
Poised on the edge of Georgia for the first time in the war, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, newly elevated to command the Union's western armies, eyed Atlanta covetously--the South's last great untouched prize. "Get into the interior of the enemy's country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can against their War resources," his superior, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, ordered.
But blocking the way was the Confederate Army of Tennessee, commanded by one of the Confederacy's most defensive-minded generals, Joseph E. Johnston. All Johnston had to do, as Sherman moved through hostile territory, was slow the Federal advance long enough to find the perfect opportunity to strike.
And so began the last great campaign in the Sherman's long and bloody task.
The acknowledged expert on all things related to the battle of Atlanta, historian Stephen Davis has lived in the area his entire life, and in A Long and Bloody Task, he tells the tale of the Atlanta campaign as only a native can. He brings his Southern sensibility to the Emerging Civil War Series, known for its engaging storytelling and accessible approach to history.
"An operational level narrative and tour of the first two and a half months of the Atlanta Campaign . . . A fine overview of military events in North Georgia." --Civil War Books and Authors
Poised on the edge of Georgia for the first time in the war, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, newly elevated to command the Union's western armies, eyed Atlanta covetously--the South's last great untouched prize. "Get into the interior of the enemy's country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can against their War resources," his superior, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, ordered.
But blocking the way was the Confederate Army of Tennessee, commanded by one of the Confederacy's most defensive-minded generals, Joseph E. Johnston. All Johnston had to do, as Sherman moved through hostile territory, was slow the Federal advance long enough to find the perfect opportunity to strike.
And so began the last great campaign in the Sherman's long and bloody task.
The acknowledged expert on all things related to the battle of Atlanta, historian Stephen Davis has lived in the area his entire life, and in A Long and Bloody Task, he tells the tale of the Atlanta campaign as only a native can. He brings his Southern sensibility to the Emerging Civil War Series, known for its engaging storytelling and accessible approach to history.
"An operational level narrative and tour of the first two and a half months of the Atlanta Campaign . . . A fine overview of military events in North Georgia." --Civil War Books and Authors
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2016
About the author
Stephen Davis
7 books2 followersStephen Davis is the author of more than a hundred articles in such scholarly and popular publications as Civil War Times Illustrated and the Georgia Historical Quarterly, and writes a regular column, “Critic’s Corner,” on Civil War bibliography, for Civil War News.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 4, 2023
Before tackling a more in-depth book on the Civil War, I pulled this off the shelf for a closer look at the portion of the Atlanta Campaign that took place around where I happen to live. I’ve been to several of the battlefields and know about them individually, so it was interesting to get some more detail about what exactly happened where, and how it all fit in with the larger campaign.
Much has been written about the Battle of Atlanta and the ensuing March to the Sea, but this book is something of a prequel, following General Sherman as he first moves into Georgia from Tennessee, and it ends just as he’s reaching Atlanta. The narrative is followed by several appendices consisting of short essays by several other authors, and it’s actually one of the appendices that best places this book in context. “The war in 1864 does not resonate with much of the Civil War community,” Robert W. Novak writes. It was a time of grinding, constant, siege-like warfare in Virginia, and unremarkable skirmishes through North Georgia as Sherman made methodical progress toward Atlanta. It all lacks the drama and flourish of earlier, more well-known, Civil War moments like, say, Fort Sumter, Shiloh or Pickett’s Charge.
And yet, “for local Georgians,” Novak goes on, “Kennesaw Mountain, Pigeon Hill, Kolb’s Farm, and Cheatham Hill all resonate as powerfully as the rolling fields at Gettysburg.” The names and places may not mean much to those who aren’t here driving past them every day and visiting them from time to time, or to those who are not Civil War buffs who’ve memorized every battle, no matter how small. But together, they represent our little piece of a larger history.
The book’s narrative itself suffers a bit for the lack of drama, as each clash is described thoroughly but matter-of-factly as Sherman makes his way to Atlanta. Even though the story is just a small slice of the full campaign, it does at least follow a natural, logical arc, starting with Confederate General Johnston’s initial appointment to command the Army of Tennessee, to his retreats as Sherman’s forces advance, to his eventual dismissal right before the Battle of Atlanta.
The book also includes a lot of maps, photos and insets which, while helpful to illustrate the story, are so numerous and placed somewhat haphazardly - two or three or four to a page - that it can be hard to stay focused on the flow of the narrative that’s squeezed between all these images and captions. And the many appendices might have been better if they could have been incorporated into the narrative somehow rather than tacked on at the end as disconnected afterthoughts.
You probably need to be a local, or a real Civil War aficionado, to appreciate this book, since it’s awfully specific and I can’t see it appealing to a wider audience. But Davis knows his material, is passionate about the topic, and does the best with what he has to work with. In the end, once again, it’s Novak who says it best. Musing about the joggers, dog owners and trail-walkers who frequent Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park today, he laments that many of them “may not know the order of battle nor the troop movements or the casualty figures.” But it beats having the land turned into a housing development or a parking lot. All these years later, Novak concludes, even people who don’t appreciate the history right under their feet and before their eyes “are still experiencing the land for what it is: beautiful and home.”
Much has been written about the Battle of Atlanta and the ensuing March to the Sea, but this book is something of a prequel, following General Sherman as he first moves into Georgia from Tennessee, and it ends just as he’s reaching Atlanta. The narrative is followed by several appendices consisting of short essays by several other authors, and it’s actually one of the appendices that best places this book in context. “The war in 1864 does not resonate with much of the Civil War community,” Robert W. Novak writes. It was a time of grinding, constant, siege-like warfare in Virginia, and unremarkable skirmishes through North Georgia as Sherman made methodical progress toward Atlanta. It all lacks the drama and flourish of earlier, more well-known, Civil War moments like, say, Fort Sumter, Shiloh or Pickett’s Charge.
And yet, “for local Georgians,” Novak goes on, “Kennesaw Mountain, Pigeon Hill, Kolb’s Farm, and Cheatham Hill all resonate as powerfully as the rolling fields at Gettysburg.” The names and places may not mean much to those who aren’t here driving past them every day and visiting them from time to time, or to those who are not Civil War buffs who’ve memorized every battle, no matter how small. But together, they represent our little piece of a larger history.
The book’s narrative itself suffers a bit for the lack of drama, as each clash is described thoroughly but matter-of-factly as Sherman makes his way to Atlanta. Even though the story is just a small slice of the full campaign, it does at least follow a natural, logical arc, starting with Confederate General Johnston’s initial appointment to command the Army of Tennessee, to his retreats as Sherman’s forces advance, to his eventual dismissal right before the Battle of Atlanta.
The book also includes a lot of maps, photos and insets which, while helpful to illustrate the story, are so numerous and placed somewhat haphazardly - two or three or four to a page - that it can be hard to stay focused on the flow of the narrative that’s squeezed between all these images and captions. And the many appendices might have been better if they could have been incorporated into the narrative somehow rather than tacked on at the end as disconnected afterthoughts.
You probably need to be a local, or a real Civil War aficionado, to appreciate this book, since it’s awfully specific and I can’t see it appealing to a wider audience. But Davis knows his material, is passionate about the topic, and does the best with what he has to work with. In the end, once again, it’s Novak who says it best. Musing about the joggers, dog owners and trail-walkers who frequent Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park today, he laments that many of them “may not know the order of battle nor the troop movements or the casualty figures.” But it beats having the land turned into a housing development or a parking lot. All these years later, Novak concludes, even people who don’t appreciate the history right under their feet and before their eyes “are still experiencing the land for what it is: beautiful and home.”
December 7, 2020
This is readable account and not dry either, as Davis takes swipes at various commanders, particularly Johnston. The perspective is bit more Confederate than Federal. A few of the appendix pieces had me scratching my head as to why they were there.
DISCLAIMER: I am contributor to the Emerging Civil War series and their blog.
DISCLAIMER: I am contributor to the Emerging Civil War series and their blog.
August 28, 2016
Another in the lengthening series on civil war battles by Savas Beatie. . . . The focus here is the aftermath of the battle of Chattanooga to General Joseph Johnston's cashiering at Atlanta after a 140 mile long series of clashes from south of Chattanooga to the gates of Atlanta.
William T. Sherman commanded three armies--Army of the Cumberland (George Thomas commanding), Army of the Tennessee (James McPherson commanding), and the Army of the Ohio (John Schofield commanding). Against this force (100,000 plus strong) was Johnston's Army of the Tennessee (reinforced by Polk's "army").
The book follows the dance between Sherman and Johnston, as the former used maneuver to force Johnston into a series of retreats. There was some serious fighting in the process (e.g., Kennesaw Mountain), but the campaign led to inexorable retreat by Johnston. Finally, new the city of Atlanta itself, President Jefferson David had seen enough retreat and replaced Johnston with General John Bell Hood. The rest of the Atlanta story would be told in yet another addition to the library.
Some nice features: the usual description of how to see the battlefields themselves (or what is left of them). Several appendices are noteworthy--such as the logistics of keeping Sherman's large forces properly supplied; whether Hood was particularly treacherous in trying to get Johnston replaced (by himself), and so on.
Another fine entry in this series. . . .
William T. Sherman commanded three armies--Army of the Cumberland (George Thomas commanding), Army of the Tennessee (James McPherson commanding), and the Army of the Ohio (John Schofield commanding). Against this force (100,000 plus strong) was Johnston's Army of the Tennessee (reinforced by Polk's "army").
The book follows the dance between Sherman and Johnston, as the former used maneuver to force Johnston into a series of retreats. There was some serious fighting in the process (e.g., Kennesaw Mountain), but the campaign led to inexorable retreat by Johnston. Finally, new the city of Atlanta itself, President Jefferson David had seen enough retreat and replaced Johnston with General John Bell Hood. The rest of the Atlanta story would be told in yet another addition to the library.
Some nice features: the usual description of how to see the battlefields themselves (or what is left of them). Several appendices are noteworthy--such as the logistics of keeping Sherman's large forces properly supplied; whether Hood was particularly treacherous in trying to get Johnston replaced (by himself), and so on.
Another fine entry in this series. . . .
July 12, 2020
The title pretty much describes exactly what the book is. An excellent short history of Sherman's campaign in North Georgia which was mainly characterized by a series of flanking actions by Sherman and retreats by Joe Johnston who was unable to entice Sherman to attack him directly at any of several defensive positions along the route to Atlanta. Sherman brought his forces into direct contact only once, at Pickett's Mill which resulted in a decisive victory for the Confederates. The terrain in North Georgia favored the defensive formations of the Confederates as they were able to form strong defensive lines in and around the mountainous areas but to no avail. Sherman simply continued to make his flanking movements all the way to Kennesaw mountain where the final battle was fought. At this point, Sherman decided a frontal assault would dislodge the Confederates and sent his troops against the Confederates on June 27, 1064. It resulted in the 3000 Federal casualties and victory for Joe Johnston. Still, in the end, Sherman, realizing he could not take Kennesaw by assault, returned to a flanking motion and forced Johnston into another retreat.
Ultimately, when Johnston led Jefferson Davis to believe that he had no firm plan to defend Atlanta, Davis relieved him of command and appointed John Bell Hood in his place.
A Long and Bloody Task: The Atlanta Campaign from Dalton Through Kennesaw to the Chattahoochee, May 5-July 18, 1864 is a short but well-written account of this campaign and is illustrated with many clear, easily followed maps. It also has pictures of all the major players and contemporary pictures of the battle sites which made it very interesting. If I have any criticism it would be that it was almost too short but I think it was meant to be.
Ultimately, when Johnston led Jefferson Davis to believe that he had no firm plan to defend Atlanta, Davis relieved him of command and appointed John Bell Hood in his place.
A Long and Bloody Task: The Atlanta Campaign from Dalton Through Kennesaw to the Chattahoochee, May 5-July 18, 1864 is a short but well-written account of this campaign and is illustrated with many clear, easily followed maps. It also has pictures of all the major players and contemporary pictures of the battle sites which made it very interesting. If I have any criticism it would be that it was almost too short but I think it was meant to be.
April 4, 2018
The Emerging Civil War series is intended to provide a concise but thorough introduction to various aspects of the War Between the States, approachable enough for the novice but detailed enough for the expert. Stephen Davis succeeds masterfully at this endeavor and his work is a testament to what this sort of scholarship ought to be: well-researched, well-argued, and well-written.
By focusing on a span of just two and a half months, Davis provides an in-depth analysis of the opening days of the Atlanta Campaign, covering all of the major engagements, armies, and leaders of this critical period of the war. He does not, however, allow himself to get bogged down in rattling off regiments or pedantic discourses on maneuvering: he gives the reader just what is needed to visualize how the battles played out in a way which can be easily understood. The result is a work which is certainly not exhaustive, but which serves admirably a number of purposes, whether someone merely wishes to brush up on this period of this campaign or lay the foundation for more extensive research. Of particular interest are the many appendixes, which cover everything from battlefield preservation efforts to suggestions for a really excellent driving tour of the campaign.
If one were to criticize Davis at all, it would likely be to accuse him of having treated the subject in too cursory a way, but an introductory approach was clearly what Davis intended to offer in this book. He provides several suggestions of books for those who wish to go into greater detail, and when properly employed his own volume actually covers a very large amount of information. I imagine that some will also criticize Davis for his criticism of General Joseph E. Johnston, but as Davis himself notes "Old Joe" enjoys such a sainted reputation from so many (Yours truly among them) that any critique of his tactics will likely be viewed as an insult. On the whole I feel that Davis is extremely fair in his treatment of both Johnston and Lt. General John Bell Hood.
Davis' work represents the next evolution in War Between the States scholarship if authors wish to push back against the proliferation of exclusively on-line resources, I would highly recommend his book to anyone with even a passing interest in the Atlanta Campaign of the War Between the States. It would be especially useful for anyone planning a car trip to tour the battlefields.
By focusing on a span of just two and a half months, Davis provides an in-depth analysis of the opening days of the Atlanta Campaign, covering all of the major engagements, armies, and leaders of this critical period of the war. He does not, however, allow himself to get bogged down in rattling off regiments or pedantic discourses on maneuvering: he gives the reader just what is needed to visualize how the battles played out in a way which can be easily understood. The result is a work which is certainly not exhaustive, but which serves admirably a number of purposes, whether someone merely wishes to brush up on this period of this campaign or lay the foundation for more extensive research. Of particular interest are the many appendixes, which cover everything from battlefield preservation efforts to suggestions for a really excellent driving tour of the campaign.
If one were to criticize Davis at all, it would likely be to accuse him of having treated the subject in too cursory a way, but an introductory approach was clearly what Davis intended to offer in this book. He provides several suggestions of books for those who wish to go into greater detail, and when properly employed his own volume actually covers a very large amount of information. I imagine that some will also criticize Davis for his criticism of General Joseph E. Johnston, but as Davis himself notes "Old Joe" enjoys such a sainted reputation from so many (Yours truly among them) that any critique of his tactics will likely be viewed as an insult. On the whole I feel that Davis is extremely fair in his treatment of both Johnston and Lt. General John Bell Hood.
Davis' work represents the next evolution in War Between the States scholarship if authors wish to push back against the proliferation of exclusively on-line resources, I would highly recommend his book to anyone with even a passing interest in the Atlanta Campaign of the War Between the States. It would be especially useful for anyone planning a car trip to tour the battlefields.
June 20, 2023
Stephen Davis proves he is as entertaining on the written page as he is doing CWRT lectures. The books in the Emerging Civil War series are a great starting point for those dabbling in the study of the war, but they are also useful to folks like myself who've been studying the war since before middle school, but who don't have the time to read lengthy in-depth academic studies regularly. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in the war, especially the Atlanta campaign. One final complement: Davis writes like only a Southerner can.
July 23, 2023
3.5 stars
A good summary of the campaign in Northern Georgia with some new research and plenty of pictures and maps. Many of the appendices can be removed and were redundant to what is in the book.
A good summary of the campaign in Northern Georgia with some new research and plenty of pictures and maps. Many of the appendices can be removed and were redundant to what is in the book.
February 21, 2022
Davis has done a thorough job describing the salient points of Sherman’s campaign from Resaca to Peach Tree Creek. Loads of photos and sidebars add to the volume. Good book for the novice to get a quick overview of the 74 day campaign. Handy driving tour is included.
February 14, 2017
One of the highlights of the Civil War Sesquicentennial was the growth in the study of the Western Theater. When I first started learning about the war and reading as much as I could, I found that the studies of the Western Theater were lacking, but now they seem to be growing more every year. The Emerging Civil War Series has given us another work which brings focus to one of the pivotal moments in the Western Theater in A Long and Bloody Task. Focusing on time from the Atlanta Campaign, Stephen Davis takes the reader through moments which have been etched in history as the beginning of the end.
Stephen Davis has been studying the Civil War since the fourth grade. He holds a Masters Degree in American History from the University of North Carolina and earned his Ph.D. at Emory University. He is is the author of Atlanta Will Fall: Sherman, John Johnston and the Heavy Yankee Battalions and What the Yankees Did to Us: Sherman’s Bombardment and Wrecking of Atlanta. He served as a Book Review Editor for Blue and Gray magazine and has authored many articles. Steve is also a popular speaker at Civil War Round Tables and served as a historian and content partner for the Civil War Trust Atlanta Campaign Battle App.
Throughout the text, Davis gives us excellent narratives on the battles which took place at the onset of Sherman’s campaign. From Resaca to Kennesaw Mountain, each of the chapters greatly details the actions of both sides in this conflict. As is usual with The Emerging Civil War Series, each page is accompanied by photographs from the author, highly detailed maps, or historical pictures to aid the reader. Along with the information about the battles, we get some interesting information about the commanders who led these men. One of the people in the American Civil War whom I feel is always handled with little information is Joseph Johnston. In A Long and Bloody Task, I got a great deal of information about the man and the troubles he undertook in the Western Theater against Sherman. One of the appendices even focuses on the career of Joseph Johnston during this campaign and the complications around it. The driving tour at the back of the book is excellent as they always are with this series of works giving those who have never visited these sites a well travelled itinerary. Overall, for anyone not well versed in these battles, this book is full of rich information which gives a greater understanding of the Western Theater from May to July of 1864.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Western Theater who wishes to know more. I also highly recommend this book to Civil War beginners who have it in their sights to visit the many battlefields, especially the Western Theater. The information in this book is well researched and well written as the narrative flows greatly and in an understandable way for the reader. Stephen Davis has shown again that his grasp on the details of the Atlanta Campaign are truly masterful and should be applauded.
Matthew Bartlett
Stephen Davis has been studying the Civil War since the fourth grade. He holds a Masters Degree in American History from the University of North Carolina and earned his Ph.D. at Emory University. He is is the author of Atlanta Will Fall: Sherman, John Johnston and the Heavy Yankee Battalions and What the Yankees Did to Us: Sherman’s Bombardment and Wrecking of Atlanta. He served as a Book Review Editor for Blue and Gray magazine and has authored many articles. Steve is also a popular speaker at Civil War Round Tables and served as a historian and content partner for the Civil War Trust Atlanta Campaign Battle App.
Throughout the text, Davis gives us excellent narratives on the battles which took place at the onset of Sherman’s campaign. From Resaca to Kennesaw Mountain, each of the chapters greatly details the actions of both sides in this conflict. As is usual with The Emerging Civil War Series, each page is accompanied by photographs from the author, highly detailed maps, or historical pictures to aid the reader. Along with the information about the battles, we get some interesting information about the commanders who led these men. One of the people in the American Civil War whom I feel is always handled with little information is Joseph Johnston. In A Long and Bloody Task, I got a great deal of information about the man and the troubles he undertook in the Western Theater against Sherman. One of the appendices even focuses on the career of Joseph Johnston during this campaign and the complications around it. The driving tour at the back of the book is excellent as they always are with this series of works giving those who have never visited these sites a well travelled itinerary. Overall, for anyone not well versed in these battles, this book is full of rich information which gives a greater understanding of the Western Theater from May to July of 1864.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Western Theater who wishes to know more. I also highly recommend this book to Civil War beginners who have it in their sights to visit the many battlefields, especially the Western Theater. The information in this book is well researched and well written as the narrative flows greatly and in an understandable way for the reader. Stephen Davis has shown again that his grasp on the details of the Atlanta Campaign are truly masterful and should be applauded.
Matthew Bartlett
April 7, 2018
This book is a recent release in the Emerging Civil War Series by Savas Beatie, LLC. The book covers the opening portion of William T. Sherman’s campaign to take the city of Atlanta and deny the Confederacy its important logistics hub in the western theater of the war.
Dr. Davis provides an engaging look at the opening phase of the Atlanta Campaign. The book looks at the series of maneuvers and retreats that were the hallmark of this campaign. Even though the book is relatively short, it provides the reader with a solid understanding of the actions up to the crossing of the Chattahoochee River. He also takes an honest look at the command decisions made by Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston during the late spring and summer of 1864.
The book is generously illustrated with photographs of the battle sites and roadside markers. The book contains good maps of the battles along the campaign route.
One valuable feature of the book is a driving tour guide of the campaign. This is an essential resource for the reader who wishes to retrace the progress of the campaign up to the river crossing.
This book is a perfect fit for anyone who is looking to gain a good overview of the initial phase of the Atlanta Campaign in a concise package.
Dr. Davis provides an engaging look at the opening phase of the Atlanta Campaign. The book looks at the series of maneuvers and retreats that were the hallmark of this campaign. Even though the book is relatively short, it provides the reader with a solid understanding of the actions up to the crossing of the Chattahoochee River. He also takes an honest look at the command decisions made by Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston during the late spring and summer of 1864.
The book is generously illustrated with photographs of the battle sites and roadside markers. The book contains good maps of the battles along the campaign route.
One valuable feature of the book is a driving tour guide of the campaign. This is an essential resource for the reader who wishes to retrace the progress of the campaign up to the river crossing.
This book is a perfect fit for anyone who is looking to gain a good overview of the initial phase of the Atlanta Campaign in a concise package.
May 3, 2023
Extreme Southern-centrism
Concise narrative well documented with maps is spoiled by the extreme lengths gone to to depict brief stoppages in Sherman’s inexorable advance as rebel “victories.” Sherman comes in bewilderingly for harsh criticism for using numerical, logistical, and tactical superiority to outflank, outsmart, and in general swat the rebels all the way to Atlanta — rather than needlessly expending his soldier’s lives by giving Johnston the full frontal battle he wanted. Oh - and Cass County may have been named after (Governor and Senator from Michigan) Lewis Cass, but I find no evidence that he served on the supreme court of Georgia. As for the windy support for replacing Johnston with Hood, I would simply inquire: how did that work out?
Concise narrative well documented with maps is spoiled by the extreme lengths gone to to depict brief stoppages in Sherman’s inexorable advance as rebel “victories.” Sherman comes in bewilderingly for harsh criticism for using numerical, logistical, and tactical superiority to outflank, outsmart, and in general swat the rebels all the way to Atlanta — rather than needlessly expending his soldier’s lives by giving Johnston the full frontal battle he wanted. Oh - and Cass County may have been named after (Governor and Senator from Michigan) Lewis Cass, but I find no evidence that he served on the supreme court of Georgia. As for the windy support for replacing Johnston with Hood, I would simply inquire: how did that work out?
July 11, 2024
As part of the Emerging Civil War series, this book doesn't go into a lot of detail about the campaign, especially concerning individual battles. It probably works best for those who are just becoming interested in the Civil War.
However, the author still provides a good strategic overview of the campaign, while several appendixes take a closer look at various topics, such as how views of John Bell Hood have changed over the years. The book also includes a good driving tour of the campaign.
However, the author still provides a good strategic overview of the campaign, while several appendixes take a closer look at various topics, such as how views of John Bell Hood have changed over the years. The book also includes a good driving tour of the campaign.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews