The anticipation of General Early was sanguine, yet by no means ill founded.  The veterans in Washington were a mere handful, and though the green troops might have held the strong defenses for a little while, yet the Southern veterans would have been pretty sure to make their way.  It was, in fact, a very close question of time.  Grant had been at first incredulous of the reports of Early’s movements; but when he could no longer doubt, he sent reinforcements with the utmost dispatch.  They arrived none too soon.  It was while General Early was making his final arrangements for an attack, which he meant should be irresistible, that General Wright, with two divisions from the army of the Potomac, landed at the river wharves and marched through the city to the threatened points.  With this the critical hours passed away.  It had really been a crisis of hours, and might have been one of minutes.  Now Early saw that the prize had slipped through his fingers actually as they closed upon it, and so bitter was his disappointment that—­since he was disappointed—­even a Northerner can almost afford him sympathy.  So, his chance being gone, he must go too, and that speedily; for it was he who was in danger now.  Moving rapidly, he saved himself, and returned up the Shenandoah Valley.  He had accomplished no real harm; but that the war had been going on for three years, and that Washington was still hardly a safe place for the President to live in, was another point against the war policy.

* * * * *

Sherman had moved out against Johnston, at Dalton, at the same time that Grant had moved out against Lee, and during the summer he made a record very similar to that of his chief.  He pressed the enemy without rest, fought constantly, suffered and inflicted terrible losses, won no signal victory, yet constantly got farther to the southward.  Fortunately, however, he was nearer to a specific success than Grant was, and at last he was able to administer the sorely needed tonic to the political situation.  Jefferson Davis, who hated Johnston, made the steady retreat of that general before Sherman an excuse for removing him and putting General Hood in his place.  The army was then at Atlanta.  Hood was a fighting man, and immediately he brought on a great battle, which happily proved to be also a great mistake; for the result was a brilliant and decisive victory for Sherman and involved the fall of Atlanta.  This was one of the important achievements of the war; and when, on September 3, Sherman telegraphed, “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won,” the news came to the President like wine to the weary.  He hastened to tender the “national thanks” to the general and his gallant soldiers, with words of gratitude which must have come straight and warm from his heart.  There was a chance now for the Union cause in November.