▁of ▁diver gence ▁occurs ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁when ▁General ▁J . ▁E . ▁B . ▁Stuart ▁surv ives ▁the ▁w ound ▁which ▁histor ically ▁killed ▁him ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Y ellow ▁Ta vern . ▁Then , ▁in ▁July , ▁a ▁second ▁point ▁of ▁diver gence ▁occurs ▁when ▁Confeder ate ▁President ▁Jefferson ▁Davis ▁does ▁not ▁replace ▁the ▁" pl od ding " ▁General ▁Joseph ▁E . ▁John ston , ▁in ▁command ▁at ▁Atlanta , ▁with ▁the ▁" dash ing " ▁General ▁John ▁Bell ▁H ood , ▁as ▁he ▁actually ▁did . ▁John ston , ▁rather ▁than ▁leave ▁the ▁fort ifications ▁of ▁Atlanta ▁and ▁get ▁his ▁army ▁destroyed ▁by ▁William ▁T . ▁Sh erman ' s ▁Union ▁forces , ▁as ▁H ood ▁did ▁in ▁our ▁time ▁line , ▁keeps ▁his ▁soldiers ▁inside , ▁fighting ▁a ▁long - dra wn ▁sie ge ▁war ▁of ▁attr ition ▁until ▁the ▁Northern ▁elections ▁of ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁los es ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁war - we ary ▁vot ers ▁and ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁and ▁Major ▁general ▁George ▁B . ▁McC le ll an ▁is ▁elected ▁president . ▁McC le ll an ▁orders ▁a ▁ce ase - fire , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁peace ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁is ▁recognized . ▁ ▁Plot ▁summary ▁Despite ▁the ▁South ' s ▁victory , ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁still ▁coming ▁to ▁terms ▁with ▁the ▁enorm ous ▁costs ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Edward ▁A . ▁Pol l