Worthy opponents: William T. Sherman. USA ; Joseph E. Johnston. CSA

William T. Sherman's burning of Atlanta helped reelect Abraham Lincoln. In contrast, if Confederate President Jefferson Davis had left Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, one of its most effective generals,in command of Atlanta's defenses, the city might have been preserved. Edward Longacre offers a new perspective on Sherman's and Johnston's military histories, including their clashes at Vicksburg, Kennesaw Mountain, and Bentonville, where they negotiated surrender terms. After the War they became friends, to such an extent that Johnston was a pallbearer at Sherman's 1891 funeral.