July 2nd, 1864:
Realizing that his left flank is threatened, General Johnston begins to fall back from his formidable position at Kennesaw Mountain. As General Schofield continues his movement south, he has now moved behind the Confederate left flank by about 5 miles and is about 10 miles from Kennesaw. His column also threatens the railroad supply line to Johnston, by being only 4 miles away. Schofield also controls the Sandtown Road leading to the Chattahoochee River only 6 miles east. McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee is also pushing around the Confederate left and moving toward the Chattahoochee River as well.
With this threat, Johnston has no choice but to fall back. He moves his army to a previously prepared line near the Smyrna Camp Ground. This line is only to be used to delay Sherman’s advance until the Confederate wagon train is safely across the Chattahoochee.
Category: General Johnston
150 Years Ago Today: July 1st, 1864
Since the Federal assault on the Kennesaw line on June 27th, General Schofield has continued to push south toward Nickajack Creek. He has pushed past the Confederat right and is being reinforced by General McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee. Schofield is soon far to the rear of Johnstons left flank. Johnston realizes he is vulnerable and will have to retreat from the Kennesaw Line. General Johnston begins to make plans for his retreat from the line and sets a time line to have his troops begin their movement on the next night.
150 Years Ago Today: June 27th, 1864, The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
June 27th, 1864
The battle of Kennesaw Mountain was really an extended operation last for several days before and after the 27th. Troops were under small arms and cannon fire daily, the 27th was day of the main Federal Assault at Cheatham’s Hill, also known as the Dead Angle, as well as the area of Pigeon Hill and the remainder of the Federal left. After days of a stalemate, General Sherman was frustrated and ordered a frontal assault on the Confederate Lines. The attack was to begin at 8:00am on the 27th, but was delayed for nearly an hour. Their goal was to break the Confederate line at what they thought was the weakest point. They chose Cheatham’s Hill due the salient in the line. General Sherman ordered General McPherson to use his Army of the Tennessee to attack the right of the Confederate line as a diversion to the main assault. McPherson’s diversionary attack was carried out against Big Kennesaw, Little Kennesaw, and Pigeon Hill. General Schofield, who was still positioned astride the Powder Springs Road near Kolb’s Farm, was ordered to keep extending the Federal right flank in an attempt to reach the end of the Confederate lines and turn their flank. General Thomas and his Army of the Cumberland were positioned in the center of the Federal lines.
The main Federal assault was carried out by elements of Palmer’s XIV Corps and Howard’s IV Corps. They were attacking the salient angle that was manned by Cheatham and Cleburne of Hardee’s Corps. The Confederates were outnumbered, but were behind a strong line of works. The Federal troops took a beating and at one point on the hill, there was a dead spot. The Southern soldiers could not fire upon this spot due to the position of their works and the angle of the hill. The Union troops in this spot began to dig in with their bayonets, tin cups and dinner plates. They were only about 25 to 30 yards from their objective. During the night, shovels and picks were brought up to facilitate easier digging and an attempt to tunnel into the hill and under the Confederate works was made. The plan was to pack it with powder and blow up the works, but the tunnel was abandoned after only making it about half way to the Confederate line.
Federal losses were just over 3,000 and the Confederate losses were about 1000. This was a tactical defeat for the Federal Army, but Schofield eventually made it to the end of the Confederate line and began moving to flank General Johnston. This forced Johnston to withdraw from his lines at Kennesaw Mountain and towards the Chattahoochee. There are many stories of Gallantry, Bravery, and Humanitarian acts during the battle. The stories and accounts from the diaries of the men who fought and died here make for excellent reading and paint an vivid picture of what happened here.
150 Years Ago Today: June 22, 1864 The Battle of Kolb’s Farm
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.
150 Years Ago Today: June 21, 1864
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.
Photography days 13, 14, and 15 are done.
Over the last three days I went to multiple locations along the Brushy Mountain, Mudd Creek, Lost Mountain Line. I was able to make images in places that were occupied on those days. The highlight was yesterday, when I went to look at lines of earthworks with Jeffery Wright. He showed me some of the earthworks and artillery batteries the he helped save from destruction due to development and to a new location that he is working to preserve. The area is under development, but the developer has agreed to save the works and has them fenced off. Those works are pretty unique as they are Federal Artillery Batteries. We also visited the Confederate batteries that the Federal batteries were aimed at. We were there yesterday the 18th, which was 150 years to the day, that they were used during the Battle of Latimer’s Farm. There was a thunderstorm moving by about a mile away while we were there. I closed my eyes for a moment to imagine the thunder as the roar of cannons. It is hard for me to describe the feeling I have while being on these battle grounds on the anniversary of the battle. It certainly has a special energy to it. We also went to couple of location that are on private property. We did get permission. One of these other locations was on Pine Mountain and Mr. Wright had not been there, but only had seen part of the trenches from the road. We knocked on the land owners door and got permission to go through their woods. We were both very surprised to find about 300 yards of very well preserved earthworks and what appeared to be a four gun artillery battery. That is a property that needs to be preserved. We also went to one of the largest and most strangely designed set of works I have seen. They are on Brushy Mountain and are in a place that needs to be preserved from development as well. Over all it was a very productive three days. I will start photographing Kennesaw Mountain tomorrow. There is so much there, I think it will take me about a week to photograph, plus a couple of days at the 150th celebration that is taking place the 26th through the 29th.
150 Years Ago Today: June 19th, 1864
June 19th, 1864
The Confederates are entrenched on the Kennesaw Mountain line and have multiple artillery pieces to the top of Little Kennesaw and Big Kennesaw. It took 100 soldiers to move each cannon up the mountain. Skirmishing continues all along the line, Federal and Confederate Artillery Batteries begin dueling back and forth. General Sherman has ordered General Schofield’s Army of The Ohio to move from Lost Mountain, via the Sandtown Road, thus swinging the Federal right over Mud Creek and toward the south western portion of Kennesaw Mountain. On the evening of the 19th, Schofield reaches Nose’s Creek, about half way between Mud Creek and Kennesaw Mountain.
150 Years Ago Today: June 18th, 1864
June 18th, 1864
Heavy fighting happened today around the Latimer Farm portion of the Brushy Mountain – Mud Creek Line. The Marietta Country Club now sits on the former site of the Latimer Farm. The Confederate lines around the Latimer Farm formed a Salient angle, often called Hardee’s Salient, it was vulnerable to enfilading fire. Confederate positions were under near constant bombardment from Federal artillery positions no more than 1200 yards away. Three Federal Divisions, under the command of General Thomas, attacked the three Confederate Brigades at the Salient. The Union troops pushed the Confederate skirmishers back to their main lines and Federal troops soon occupied a trench line in front of the Salient. Once this line was occupied by the Federal troops, General Johnston realized the chances of the being overrun were high. On the night of the 18th, he ordered the evacuation of the line and the Confederate line then moved back to the famous Kennesaw Mountain Line.
150 Years Ago Today: June 17th, 1864
June 17th, 1864,
Heavy skirmishing continued along the Lost Mountain, Mud Creek, Brushy Mountain Line. Heavy engagements happened in the area of Latimer’s Farm, now the Marietta Country Club. Calvary actions were also happening continuously on both flanks. General Johnston begins planning to move to his next defensive position at Kennesaw Mountain. General Sherman, who has become frustrated, begins to contemplate a direct assault on the Confederate lines as opposed to a flanking movement.
150 Years Ago Today: June 16th, 1864
After the fighting at Gilgal Church on the 15th and continued fighting on the 16th, the Union Army has figured out that lines in the area form a salient and begin to pour in enfilading fire on the Confederates. Other Union forces move against the thin line of southern soldiers west of Gilgal Church towards Lost Mountain. Schofield’s XXIII Corps is now in a position to turn Johnston’s left flank, Schofield may or may not realize that he is in such an advantageous position, but Johnston does and orders Hardee’s Corp to pull back at dark, to the far side of Mud Creek and establish a new line. During this retrograde movement, a Union artillery shell explodes near Brigadier General Lucius Polk. He is the nephew of Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk and only two days after the death of his Uncle, Lucius Polk is wounded and loses his leg.
War Was Here 