It is in Virginia and Georgia that the war now rages and where

Knute Nelson’s words, “It is in Virginia and Georgia that the war now rages and where it will continue; for at these points—Richmond and Atlanta—the enemy’s main strength is concentrated,” are the sober observation of a man speaking of the American Civil War, a conflict that tore a nation in two and determined the fate of liberty and union. His statement reflects both the geography and the strategy of that struggle: that the heart of the Confederacy beat in its capitals and rail centers, and that to break these was to break the will and supply of the South.

The origin of these words lies in Nelson’s time as a soldier and later as a statesman. Born in Norway and raised in America, he fought for the Union cause during the Civil War before rising to political prominence as governor of Minnesota and eventually as a U.S. senator. His insight into the war was shaped not by theory alone, but by lived experience on the battlefield. He understood that the war’s outcome hinged upon the capture and control of Richmond, the Confederate capital in Virginia, and Atlanta, the logistical lifeline of Georgia.

Indeed, history confirms his vision. The Union campaign under Ulysses S. Grant pressed relentlessly upon Richmond, engaging Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in a brutal war of attrition. At the same time, William Tecumseh Sherman marched upon Atlanta, knowing that its fall would cripple the South’s transportation and supply networks. These two pressure points were not merely cities; they were symbols and strongholds, the very embodiment of the Confederacy’s strength. Their loss marked the beginning of the end for the rebellion.

When Atlanta fell in September 1864, it sent shockwaves through the South and gave new hope to the North. It bolstered Abraham Lincoln’s reelection campaign, proving to a weary Union that victory was within reach. When Richmond collapsed in April 1865, the Confederate capital lay in ruins, and soon after, Lee surrendered at Appomattox. Nelson’s words had been prophetic: the war indeed raged most fiercely in Virginia and Georgia, and there it was decided.

The lesson for future generations is this: in every great struggle, there are focal points where destiny converges. To identify where the true strength of your challenge lies is the key to prevailing. Just as Richmond and Atlanta were the Confederacy’s anchors, so too in our own lives and labors are there centers of gravity—habits, fears, or challenges—that must be confronted if we are to find victory. To fight on the periphery is to waste energy; to strike at the heart is to change the course of history.

For the individual, this means asking: where is the true strength of the obstacle I face? Is it in fear, in doubt, in pride, or in complacency? Once discovered, like Sherman and Grant, we must press with courage and persistence until the stronghold falls. Only then will the war within us, or around us, begin to yield to peace.

Thus let Knute Nelson’s wisdom be carried forward: that in every conflict—whether between nations or within the soul—there are decisive points where the struggle must be met. Do not shrink from these places, for they are the keys to freedom. When you confront them with clarity and strength, you will find that even the fiercest wars may be brought to an end.