Joseph T. Derry , A. M. , Author of School History of the United States; Story of the Confederate War, etc., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 6, Georgia
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[355] obeyed the orders and again caused an interruption of a week or two on the Western & Atlantic railroad. On the 18th, having caused the iron to be removed from the railroads running into Atlanta, for a distance of forty miles, and directing railroad stock to be restored to the West Point railroad, Hood began his movement to the left. Taking position from Palmetto to the Chattahoochee river, he waited there ten days for the accumulation of supplies. In this position he exposed Augusta and Macon, but he hoped to save them by his proposed flank march. On the 22d he advised General Bragg that if Sherman did not move south he would cross the Chattahoochee and form line of battle near Powder Springs, which would prevent Sherman from using the railroad in his rear, ‘and force him to drive me off or move south, when I shall fall upon his rear.’

During this month Sherman conceived the idea that Georgia might be politically isolated from the other States in the Confederacy. Knowing that Vice-President Stephens and Governor Brown, both influential leaders in Georgia, had opposed the President in some matters of policy, Sherman conceived the idea that there was such hostility to Mr. Davis in Georgia that he could induce these eminent men to entertain a proposition for peace, or even to advise the State to withdraw from the Confederacy so as to avoid further destruction of its material interests. Acting on this idea, Sherman sent ambassadors to Stephens and Brown, but while they were willing to promote an honorable peace, they declined to consider any dishonoring proposition for independent State action, and refused peremptorily to visit the Federal commander on the terms stated by him. They were fully determined to remain true to the Confederacy, though the prospect of its affairs was very gloomy.

President Davis, accompanied by Senator Hill, now came to Georgia, and made a speech at Macon in which he endeavored to communicate to his hearers his own indomitable