to about fifty-five thousand, was ready.  A severe storm of rain and sleet held the confronting armies in forced immobility for a week; but on the morning of December 15, 1864, General Thomas moved forward to an attack in which on that and the following day he inflicted so terrible a defeat upon his adversary, that the Confederate army not only retreated in rout and panic, but soon literally went to pieces in disorganization, and disappeared as a military entity from the western conflict.

Long before this, Sherman had started on his famous march to the sea.  His explanations to Grant were so convincing, that the general-in-chief, on November 2, telegraphed him:  “Go on as you propose.”  In anticipation of this permission, he had been preparing himself ever since Hood left him a clear path by starting westward on his campaign of invasion.  From Atlanta, he sent back his sick and wounded and surplus stores to Chattanooga, withdrew the garrisons, burned the bridges, broke up the railroad, and destroyed the mills, foundries, shops and public buildings in Atlanta.  With sixty thousand of his best soldiers, and sixty-five guns, he started on November 15 on his march of three hundred miles to the Atlantic.  They carried with them twenty days’ supplies of provisions, five days’ supply of forage, and two hundred rounds of ammunition, of which each man carried forty rounds.

With perfect confidence in their leader, with perfect trust in each others’ valor, endurance and good comradeship, in the fine weather of the Southern autumn, and singing the inspiring melody of “John Brown’s Body,” Sherman’s army began its “marching through Georgia” as gaily as if it were starting on a holiday.  And, indeed, it may almost be said such was their experience in comparison with the hardships of war which many of these veterans had seen in their varied campaigning.  They marched as nearly as might be in four parallel columns abreast, making an average of about fifteen miles a day.  Kilpatrick’s admirable cavalry kept their front and flanks free from the improvised militia and irregular troopers of the enemy.  Carefully organized foraging parties brought in their daily supply of miscellaneous provisions—­corn, meat, poultry, and sweet potatoes, of which the season had yielded an abundant harvest along their route.

The Confederate authorities issued excited proclamations and orders, calling on the people to “fly to arms,” and to “assail the invader in front, flank, and rear, by night and by day.”  But no rising occurred that in any way checked the constant progress of the march.  The Southern whites were, of course, silent and sullen, but the negroes received the Yankees with demonstrations of welcome and good will, and in spite of Sherman’s efforts, followed in such numbers as to embarrass his progress.  As he proceeded, he destroyed the railroads by filling up cuts, burning ties, heating the rails red hot and twisting them around trees and into irreparable spirals.  Threatening the principal cities to the right and left, he marched skilfully between and past them.