I’m Masud Olufani for the Atlanta history center.

In the first week of June 1864, the Union army’s food and ammunition are running short....

Sherman’s attempt to get around the Confederate army has placed him too far from his railroad supply line.

Bad roads and rough terrain hamper wagons moving supplies.

So Sherman shifts his army east, back to the rail line. The Confederates follow and construct trench lines northwest of Marietta.

Most soldiers in the campaign are farm boys. They average twenty-four years old.

In Sherman's armt, they come mostly from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Only a few are "Yankee's" from New England.

These Westerner's are Veterans of hard-fought battles- and they have won nearly all of them. 

They expect to win Georiga. 

In Johnston’s army, most are from Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

They have all tasted defeat - most recently at Chattanooga, six months ago.

A quarter of Johnston’s men have surrendered before. Exchanged for Union prisoners, they are now back at war.

As Sherman’s advance stalls twenty-five miles from Atlanta, their confidence in Johnston is restored.

In Atlanta, the mayor calls for a day of prayer – for “strength to resist the vandal invader.”

I’m Masud Olufani and this is week seven.