Under cover of the night, however, Hardee left of his own accord.

That night Hood blew up his military works, such as he thought would be valuable in our hands, and decamped.
The next morning at daylight General H.W.Slocum, who was commanding north of the city, moved in and took possession of Atlanta, and notified Sherman.

Sherman then moved deliberately back, taking three days to reach the city, and occupied a line extending from Decatur on the left to Atlanta in the centre, with his troops extending out of the city for some distance to the right.
The campaign had lasted about four months, and was one of the most memorable in history.

There was but little if anything in the whole campaign, now that it is over, to criticise at all, and nothing to criticise severely.

It was creditable alike to the general who commanded and the army which had executed it.