On July 20, 1864, the Civil War struggle for Atlanta reached a pivotal
moment. As William T. Sherman's Union forces came ever nearer the city,
the defending Confederate Army of Tennessee replaced its commanding
general, removing Joseph E. Johnston and elevating John Bell Hood. This
decision stunned and demoralized Confederate troops just when Hood was
compelled to take the offensive against the approaching Federals.
Attacking northward from Atlanta's defenses, Hood's men struck George H.
Thomas's Army of the Cumberland just after it crossed Peach Tree Creek
on July 20. Initially taken by surprise, the Federals fought back with
spirit and nullified all the advantages the Confederates first enjoyed.
As a result, the Federals achieved a remarkable defensive victory.
Offering new and definitive interpretations of the battle's place within
the Atlanta campaign, Earl J. Hess describes how several Confederate
regiments and brigades made a pretense of advancing but then stopped
partway to the objective and took cover for the rest of the afternoon on
July 20. Hess shows that morale played an unusually important role in
determining the outcome at Peach Tree Creek--a soured mood among the
Confederates and overwhelming confidence among the Federals spelled
disaster for one side and victory for the other.