It took three long months, during which there were numerous skirmishes but only one major battle, that of Kennesaw Mountain. On June 27, 1864, Sherman made the mistake of a frontal assault on the Confederate position at Kennesaw Mountain; his men ran into rifle fire that was nearly as murderous as what Grant’s men experienced at Cold Harbor. Sherman suffered over 2,000 casualties, but he called it cheap at the price, and in the inexorable and remorseless logic of war, his comment made sense. The Confederates kept retreating, and the way to Atlanta became a little clearer all the time.