The Railroad War

For weary Civil War soldiers, steam locomotives and railroad cars brought food, munitions, fresh troops, and letters from home. For both Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph Johnston, control of these new "iron horses" and their precious cargo was essential to winning the war. The Western & Atlantic Railroad, with a wood refueling station here, was a critical supply line for the Confederacy. This key rail route, still used by freight trains today, connected vital supply warehouses and rail lines in Atlanta to the outside world. Many of the Confederate Army's fortifications and tactics in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain aimed to protect the railroad from the Union Army.

Georgia · United States