Photo: Thomson200, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
From May to September 1864, William T. Sherman’s armies fought their way about 100 miles south along the Western & Atlantic Railroad, from Dalton to Atlanta, against Joseph E. Johnston and then John Bell Hood. Atlanta fell on September 2, 1864, a victory that helped re-elect Abraham Lincoln. Much of the route follows I-75 today, so you can drive it from north to south and stop at battlefields, earthworks and museums along the way. These are the 17 best Atlanta Campaign sites to visit, in the order the armies reached them.
- DatesMay 7 to September 2, 1864
- RouteDalton to Atlanta along the railroad, roughly today’s I-75
- Don’t missKennesaw Mountain, Pickett’s Mill and the Cyclorama at the Atlanta History Center
- FeesKennesaw Mountain $5 per vehicle; Pickett’s Mill $6 adults; most markers free
- Dalton to Adairsville
- Allatoona to Dallas
- Kennesaw & Marietta
- Battles for Atlanta
- Plan Your Trip
- Common Questions
Dalton to Adairsville: The Opening Moves
Johnston’s Confederates spent the winter of 1863–64 dug in around Dalton. In May, Sherman pinned them in front and swung around their flank, the pattern of the whole campaign.
1. Tunnel Hill Heritage Center
The 1,477-foot railroad tunnel, opened in 1850, that the Andrews Raiders raced through in 1862 and Sherman’s armies gathered beside in May 1864. Guided tours walk you through it.
2. Rocky Face Ridge and Dalton
Johnston’s line on the high ridge west of Dalton held from May 7 to 13 until Sherman slipped through Snake Creek Gap. Dalton saw two more fights, in February and August 1864.
3. Resaca
The first major battle of the campaign, May 13 to 15, 1864. Gordon County’s battlefield park off I-75 has trails and interpretive signs, and the Resaca Confederate Cemetery is nearby.
4. Adairsville
Johnston made a brief stand here on May 17 before pulling back toward Cassville. The 1847 depot museum on the town square tells the story.
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Allatoona Pass to Dallas
Rather than attack Johnston in the deep railroad cut at Allatoona Pass, Sherman swung west through Paulding County, where three weeks of fighting in thick woods earned the area the nickname “the Hell Hole.”
5. New Hope Church
On May 25, 1864, in a thunderstorm, Hood’s corps stopped Union attacks at a crossroads church northeast of Dallas.
6. Pickett’s Mill Battlefield
One of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields in the country, where a Union attack failed on May 27. Trails follow the soldiers’ roads past original earthworks. Grounds daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., museum Friday to Sunday; $6 adults.
7. Dallas
On May 28, Confederates probing the Union line at Dallas were thrown back, and Sherman soon shifted east to the railroad again.
8. Allatoona Pass
On October 5, 1864, after Atlanta fell, Confederates attacked the Union garrison guarding this deep railroad cut. A trail runs through the cut and past forts on the hills above Lake Allatoona.
Kennesaw Mountain and Marietta
9. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Sherman’s costly frontal assault failed here on June 27, 1864. Hike to the summit, walk the earthworks at Cheatham Hill and Pigeon Hill, and see the visitor center museum. $5 per vehicle per day, cards only; about 32 minutes from downtown Atlanta. Read what to know before you go.
10. Kolb’s Farm
Five days earlier, on June 22, Hood attacked the Union right at the Kolb farm south of the mountain. The restored farmhouse is part of the national battlefield park.
11. Marietta
Johnston’s lines around Marietta held into early July. Downtown, the Kennesaw House, a Confederate hospital where the Andrews Raiders slept in 1862, now holds the Marietta Museum of History.
12. Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
In Kennesaw, home of the General, the locomotive stolen by the Andrews Raiders in the 1862 Great Locomotive Chase, plus a large Civil War collection.
The Battles for Atlanta
After Hood replaced Johnston in July, he attacked Sherman three times in eight days around the city. Most of these fields are now in-town neighborhoods, marked by monuments and historical markers.
13. Peachtree Creek
Hood’s first attack, on July 20, 1864, hit Union troops crossing the creek north of the city, near today’s Buckhead and Midtown.
14. Battle of Atlanta
On July 22, the bloodiest day of the campaign, Hood struck the Union left east of the city, and Union Gen. James B. McPherson was killed. See it painted in the Cyclorama.
15. Atlanta History Center and the Cyclorama
The 360-degree Cyclorama painting of the Battle of Atlanta, restored and moved here in 2019, plus one of the largest Civil War collections in the country.
16. Ezra Church and Utoy Creek
As Sherman reached for the railroads west of Atlanta, Hood attacked at Ezra Church on July 28, and Union troops were stopped at Utoy Creek on August 5 to 7.
17. Jonesboro
On August 31 and September 1, Union troops cut the last railroad into Atlanta at Jonesboro, and Hood evacuated the city. Union cavalry had raided the same line at Lovejoy’s Station days earlier.
Plan Your Trip
For every battle in the state, see our guide to all 27 Georgia Civil War battles. Continue the story with the March to the Sea sites, or go north to the Chickamauga and northwest Georgia sites. To string the sites together, follow the perfect 3-day Georgia Civil War sites itinerary, and browse our Civil War sites directory.
Common Questions
What was the Atlanta Campaign?
The Atlanta Campaign was Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s advance from Dalton to Atlanta from May to September 1864. It ended with the fall of Atlanta on September 2, 1864, and was followed in November by the March to the Sea.
If I only have time for one Atlanta Campaign site, which should I pick?
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. It is about 32 minutes from downtown Atlanta and has a museum, preserved earthworks, a summit trail and miles of hiking.
How much does Kennesaw Mountain cost?
Kennesaw Mountain charges $5 per vehicle per day, or $40 for an annual pass. The park does not accept cash; pay by card at the machines or buy a pass online.
Can you drive the Atlanta Campaign route in one day?
You can drive it from Tunnel Hill to Jonesboro in a day, but you will only have time for a few stops. Two or three days lets you walk Pickett’s Mill, Kennesaw Mountain and the Atlanta History Center properly.
Sources we checked
Facts on this page were checked against official sources and our own detailed pages. Drive times are from downtown Atlanta (Five Points) using OpenStreetMap routing and do not include traffic. Hours, fees and event dates change, so confirm before you go:
- National Park Service: Kennesaw Mountain fees and payment
- Georgia State Parks: Pickett’s Mill hours and admission
- National Park Service, American Battlefield Protection Program: battle dates and summaries
- Atlanta History Center: Cyclorama and Civil War collection
Spot something out of date? Email Contact@n-georgia.com and we’ll check it against the official source. Read how we research our guides.