Battles & Campaigns · 1864
Battle of Jonesborough
Jonesboro, Georgia, USA
What happened
Sherman moved to cut the Macon and Western Railroad, the last open railway into Atlanta. On 31 August Hardee's troops attacked and were driven back. The next day Union corps broke through part of the Confederate line, and Hardee's men slipped away south that night.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Hood had to leave Atlanta, and Union troops entered the city on 2 September. The capture of Atlanta helped Abraham Lincoln win the 1864 election.
What came next
Sherman pursued Hardee briefly, then returned to Atlanta. He wrote: 'Atlanta is ours and fairly won.'
Did you know?
Before leaving Atlanta, the Confederates destroyed trains carrying ammunition, and the explosions were heard for miles.
Timeline
- 28 July 1864Battle of Ezra Church.
- 31 August 1864Hardee's attack is driven back.
- 1 September 1864Union troops break through; Hood leaves Atlanta.
- 2 September 1864Union troops enter Atlanta.