According to Grant's strategy, it wasn't important at all.
As General-in-Chief, he was not interested in capturing territory, only in destroying the Confederate armies, wherever they might be.
Sherman's orders were to target Joe Johnston and the Army of Tennessee. But when they got out of Atlanta and headed for the mountains, Sherman did not succeed in capturing them.
So he decided to occupy Atlanta instead, realising that it would sound like big news in the North and help Lincoln's re-election chances.
It gave the Union army control of the Mississippi River
Shiloh Antietam Vicksburg Gettysburg 2nd Chattanooga Atlanta Petersburg
Atlanta had little importance for Grant, who had told Sherman simply to destroy the Army of Tennessee wherever it was. It was when Sherman failed to do this that the capture of Atlanta seemed like the next best thing, a morale-booster for the war-weary North, with the General Election getting near.
It was one of the dramatic Union victories that came just in time (Autumn '64) to save Northern morale, and encourage them to vote Lincoln back in. The capture of Atlanta had not been a big priority with Grant. Technically Sherman had failed in his mission to destroy the Army of Tennessee. But 'Atlanta Falls' made big headlines all the same. So did the other two victories - the liberation of the port of Mobile (David Farragut.), and the clearing of Confederates out of the Shenandoah Valley (Phil Sheridan).
It gave the Union army control of the Mississippi River (apex)
Union General had an army of 100,000 troops on May 7, 1864 as he prepared for his drive to capture Atlanta, Georgia.
It gave the Union army control of the Mississippi River
When did the soviet union capture berlom
Sherman was commander of the Union forces, which surrounded Atlanta, but did not manage to capture the Confederate army under John Hood, which escaped. It was after this that Sherman decided on punitive raids on Georgia farms, instead of trying to pursue Hood's army.
Shiloh Antietam Vicksburg Gettysburg 2nd Chattanooga Atlanta Petersburg
The Capture of Atlanta by Sherman's Union Army on November 2, 1864. It was the end of an offensive campaign which started on May 45, 1864.
The Capture of Atlanta by Sherman's Union Army on November 2, 1864. It was the end of an offensive campaign which started on May 45, 1864.
Because it enabled Union troops to liberate the Mississippi, so ending the war in the West. It enabled them to go to the aid of the Army of the Cumberland in Chattanooga.
Atlanta had little importance for Grant, who had told Sherman simply to destroy the Army of Tennessee wherever it was. It was when Sherman failed to do this that the capture of Atlanta seemed like the next best thing, a morale-booster for the war-weary North, with the General Election getting near.
To capture Richmond, the Confederate capital.
The main goal of the Union in the capture of Atlanta was to disable its railway network, cut off supplies going to Confederate general Johnston's army, and occupy a major Confederate city. By doing so and occupying Atlanta for over a month, Sherman dealt a psychological blow to the South. The fall of Atlanta, led the way for Sherman to battle on to the port city Savannah, Georgia.
The Union army under William T. Sherman.