It is needless to say that this made the Yankee unpopular at the time in the best society of the South. General Gillmore attempted to capture Sumter, and did reduce it to a pulp, but when he went to gather it he was met by a garrison still concealed in the basement, and peppered with volleys of hot shingle-nails and other bric-a-brac, which forced him to retire with loss. He said afterward that Fort Sumter was not desirable anyhow. [Illustration: PRICE OF LIVING RUNNING UP TO EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY.] This closed the most memorable year of the war, with the price of living at the South running up to eight hundred and nine hundred dollars per day, and currency depreciating so rapidly that one's salary had to be advanced every morning in order to keep pace with the price of mule-steaks. CHAPTER XXVIII. LAST YEAR OF THE DISAGREEABLE WAR. General Grant was now in command of all the Union troops, and in 1864-5 the plan of operation was to prevent the junction of the Confederates,--General Grant seeking to interest the army in Virginia under General Lee, and General Sherman the army of General Joseph E. Johnston in Georgia. Sherman started at once, and came upon Johnston located on almost impregnable hills all the way to Atlanta. The battles of Dalton, Resaca, Dallas, Lost Mountain, and Kenesaw Mountain preceded Johnston's retreat to the intrenchments of Atlanta, July 10, Sherman having been on the move since early in May, 1864. Jefferson Davis, disgusted with Johnston, placed Hood in command, who made three heroic attacks upon the Union troops, but was repulsed. Sherman now gathered fifteen days' rations from the neighbors, and, throwing his forces across Hood's line of supplies, compelled him to evacuate the city. The historian says that Sherman was entirely supplied from Nashville _via_ railroad during this trip, but the author knows of his own personal knowledge that there were times when he got his fresh provisions along the road. [Illustration: GETTING FRESH PROVISIONS ALONG THE ROAD.] This expedition cost the Union army thirty thousand men and the Confederates thirty-five thousand. Besides, Georgia was the Confederacy, so far as arms, grain, etc., were concerned. Sherman attributed much of his success to the fact that he could repair and operate the railroad so rapidly. Among his men were Yankee machinists and engineers, who were as necessary as courageous fighters. "We are held here during many priceless hours," said the general, "because the enemy has spoiled this passenger engine. Who knows any thing about repairing an engine?" "I do," said a dusty tramp in blue. "I can repair this one in an hour." "What makes you think so?" "Well, I made it." This was one of the strong features of Sherman's army. Among the hundred thousand who composed it there were so many active brains and skilled hands that the toot of the engine caught the heels of the last echoing shout of the battle.