At last Sherman is before Atlanta. The photograph shows one of the
keypoints in the Confederate defense, the fort at the head of Marietta
Street, toward which the Federal lines were advancing from the northwest.
The old Potter house in the background, once a quiet, handsome country
seat, is now surrounded by bristling fortifications, palisades, and double
lines of _chevaux-de-frise_. Atlanta was engaged in the final grapple with
the force that was to overcome her. Sherman has fought his way past
Kenesaw and across the Chattahoochee, through a country which he describes
as "one vast fort," saying that "Johnston must have at least fifty miles
of connected trenches with abatis and finished batteries." Anticipating
that Sherman might drive him back upon Atlanta, Johnston had constructed,
during the winter, heavily fortified positions all the way from Dalton.
During his two months in retreat the fortifications at Atlanta had been
strengthened to the utmost. What he might have done behind them was never
to be known.
[Illustration: THE CHATTAHOOCHEE BRIDGE]
"One of the strongest pieces of field fortification I ever saw"--this was
Sherman's characterization of the entrenchments that guarded the railroad
bridge over the Chattahoochee on July 5th. A glimpse of the bridge and the
freshly-turned earth in 1864 is given by the upper picture. At this river
Johnston made his final effort to hold back Sherman from a direct attack
upon Atlanta. If Sherman could get successfully across that river, the
Confederates would be compelled to fall back behind the defenses of the
city, which was the objective of the campaign. Sherman perceived at once
the futility of trying to carry by assault this strongly garrisoned
position. Instead, he made a feint at crossing the river lower down, and
simultaneously went to work in earnest eight miles north of the bridge.
The lower picture shows the canvas pontoon boats as perfected by Union
engineers in 1864. A number of these were stealthily set up and launched
by Sherman's Twenty-third Corps near the mouth of Soap Creek, behind a
ridge. Byrd's brigade took the defenders of the southern bank completely
by surprise. It was short work for the Federals to throw pontoon bridges
across and to occupy the coveted spot in force.
[Illustration: INFANTRY AND ARTILLERY CROSSING ON BOATS MADE OF PONTOONS