Union General Sherman began his Georgia campaign in May of 1864. He was successful in launching a wide turning maneuver with about 25,000 troops. General Johnston's lines of communications were almost cut by the Union assault, however Johnston was able to retreat and protect those lines. This was at a cost, however, as Johnston had to abandon Dalton and Resaca Georgia.
Joseph E. Johnston was a General in the Confederate States Army .
Confederate General Joseph Eggleston Johnston.
Shiloh, Tennessee. Johnston was killed - Sidney Johnston, that is, no relation to Joseph E. Johnston.
General Pierre Beauregard and Joseph Johnston.
General William Sherman's march through South Carolina
Confederate General Joseph Johnston had been the Army's Quartermaster General before the US Civil War. When Johnston joined the Confederacy, he was replaced by Montgomery Meigs.Both men were West Point graduates.
Joseph E. Johnston. He was replaced by Robert E. Lee.
When Confederate General Joseph Johnston refused to obey the orders of the Confederate Secretary of War, James Seddon, President Davis had every reason to relieve Johnston of duty. Despite the past disagreements with Johnston, and what would turn out to be future disagreements, President Davis did not fire Johnston. Instead, recognizing his good points, Davis tried to help him. He did so by exploring with him the possibility of a campaign into Kentucky.
General Sherman began his campaign into Georgia with 100,000 troops. His Confederate opponent, General Joseph Johnston commanded only 50,000 troops.
When it became finalized that Confederate Joseph Johnston would try to save Vicksburg, he sent a message to General Pemberton informing him of his plans. Johnston planned on attacking the Union troops surrounding Vicksburg on July 7, 1863. Johnston sent the message on July 3, 1863. Pemberton received it after Vicksburg had surrendered.
In mid-July of 1864, Union General William Sherman was headquartered outside of Atlanta. There a Union spy informed him that Confederate General Joseph Johnston was being replaced with General John Bell Hood. Sherman knew little about Hood, except that he lost a leg at the Battle of Chickamauga.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis believed that General Johnston was not adequate to turn back the advance of Union troops in Georgia in 1864. He therefore replaced him with General John Bell Hood to lead the Army of Tennessee.