On orders from General Sherman, General Schofield’s Army of the Ohio, was advancing down the Powder Springs Road in the direction of Marietta. Schofield was attempting to go around the left end of the Confederate flank. General Johnston recognized this threat and on the 21st he sent Hood from his right flank to the left in an attempt to neutralize the threat. In the late afternoon of the 22nd, Hood’s Corps met Schofied’s Army of the Ohio near the Kolb Farm. Hood initiated an attack without permission from his commander, General Johnston, and he did not bother to do any reconnaissance of the terrain or the force he was engaging. He unknowingly ordered an advance on a superior enemy force that was entrenched on the high ground. After suffering about 1000 casualties, Hood retreated and dug in. He was successful in stopping Schofield from turning the Confederate left flank, but was foolish in making his assault.
The Kolb Farm House. Owned by the Park Service, this restored period home is sometimes used as living quarters for park rangers. It was once a major landmark on the battlefield with its namesake. Looking west down the Powder Springs Road a period road still in use today. The Kolb House is across the intersection in the trees. The Federals and Confederates were positioned in lines that ran roughly North to South on both sides of the road. The Federals would have been attacking for the distance and moving toward the camera position. The Confederates would have been moving from the east (behind the camera) toward the Federals in the west.Much of the landscape has changed in the last 150 years, but during the Battle of Kolb’s Farm this area would have been part of the Federal line and saw a significant amount of action.A subdivision now sits where soldiers once stood. The Federal lines were on the hillside to the left of the frame.Cheatham Hill Road. The line of battle roughly follows this road and the Confederates attacked across the road from the right side of the frame towards the left.The McAdoo House, which sits behind the Kroger in a previous image, is one of the few remaining homes that survived the Battle of Kolb’s Farm and the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. It sits atop a low ridge the Federals established their line along during the Battle of Kolb’s Farm. The Cheney House is a period home that survived the Civil War and is now home to apartments for “Senior Living”. General Schofield made his headquarters here during the Battle of Kolb’s Farm and throughout the remaining operations around Kennesaw Mountain. He occupied the home June 22 – June 30 and was visited here by General Sherman on the 23rd and the 25th of June.
Last Friday was my 16th day of Photography for the War Was Here project. I started the morning at Pigeon Hill and hiked to the top of Little Kennesaw Mountain. Here I photographed Ft. McBride. Not only did I use my regular digital camera, but I actually shot some real film. I used my pinhole camera that takes 120 film and I shot in a 6 by 9 format. The images should be really cool. Got a lot of comments on the camera too and had to explain what it was and how it worked to some people that had never seen one. Yesterday, I went back out to Kennesaw Mountain and since it was the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Kolb’s Farm, I made images of that area. Not much of the battlefield is left. The Kolb house is still there and is the only period home on park service property. They use it as a residence for a park employee. From here I photographed the Cheatham Hill area, both from the Federal lines and from the Confederate lines. I then went to the 24 Gun Battery that was part of the Union line. Today I took the boys with me back to the mountain and we went to the top to make images and enjoy the view. After that we went to the visitor center to the museum to cool off and have a snack. From there we went to photograph some of the historic homes that were used by different Generals as headquarters and are still standing today. Some are well kept, others are unoccupied and are in need of preservation and repair. The one that Union General Schofield used, was in the middle of an apartment complex for senior citizens. They had a small community garden in front of it. Over all, the boys and I had a good time today and I was able to make some good images. Days 19 and 20 will come this Friday and Saturday while I am out at Kennesaw Mountain for the 150th event. It should be really interesting. There will be lots of living history presentations and of course artillery demonstrations. Hope to see some of you there. If you are coming out there, you should bring a lunch because they do not have any food vendors set up. They will only be selling drinks and packaged snacks.
June 22, 1864: The Battle of Kolb’s Farm On orders from General Sherman, General Schofield’s Army of the Ohio, was advancing down the Powder Springs Road in the direction of Marietta. Schofield was attempting to go around the left end of the Confederate flank. General Johnston recognized this threat and on the 21st he sent Hood from his right flank to the left in an attempt to neutralize the threat. In the late afternoon of the 22nd, Hood’s Corps met Schofied’s Army of the Ohio near the Kolb Farm. Hood initiated an attack without permission from his commander, General Johnston, and he did not bother to do any reconnaissance of the terrain or the force he was engaging. He unknowingly ordered an advance on a superior enemy force that was entrenched on the high ground. After suffering about 1000 casualties, Hood retreated and dug in. He was successful in stopping Schofield from turning the Confederate left flank, but was foolish in making his assault.
June 21, 1864 General Schofield continues to move closer to the Confederate left flank along the Kennesaw Mountain Line, in an effort to turn the flank and reach Marietta. General Johnston orders Hood’s Corps to move from the right flank to the left flank in order to stop the threat. This sets the stage for the Battle of Kolb’s Farm tomorrow.
War Was Here 