CHAPTER XLVIII.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE GRAND CAMPAIGN--GENERAL BUTLER'S POSITION -- SHERIDAN'S FIRST RAID.
The armies were now all ready to move for the accomplishment of a single object.

They were acting as a unit so far as such a thing was possible over such a vast field.

Lee, with the capital of the Confederacy, was the main end to which all were working.

Johnston, with Atlanta, was an important obstacle in the way of our accomplishing the result aimed at, and was therefore almost an independent objective.

It was of less importance only because the capture of Johnston and his army would not produce so immediate and decisive a result in closing the rebellion as would the possession of Richmond, Lee and his army.