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 McPherson
New Battle of Atlanta App by Emory University
Emory University has released a new smart phone app that will guide you through the Battle of Atlanta. It runs off of a website and there is nothing to down load. It will guide you via GPS to the locations and includes a brief description of the events that took place at each location. There are even parking tips. Here is the link to the site: Battle of Atlanta App
150 Years Ago Today: June 9th, 1864
June 9th, 1864
General Sherman is informed by Colonel Wright, head of the Railroad Construction and Repair Corps, that the bridge over the Etowah will be completed and operational by June 12. Upon hearing this, Sherman orders Generals McPherson, Thomas, and Schofield to begin moving forward the next morning and begin to find the Confederate positions.
150 Years Ago Today: June 6th, 1864
June 6th, 1864
General McPherson, with his Army of the Tennessee, established a line just south of Acworth at Proctors Creek. General Sherman joins him there. It has been one month since the start of the campaign. Massive amounts of men and material have been moved a great many miles over the last month. The Union Army now controls the railroad from Acworth on up to Chattanooga and beyond. As soon as the bridge over the Etowah is repaired, the flow of desperately needed supplies will resume.
150 Years Ago Today: June 4th, 1864
June 4th, 1864
The Confederate forces are moving toward their prepared lines that stretch from Lost Mountain to the railroad just south of Big Shanty. Once General Sherman learns of General Johnston’s retreat from the Dallas – New Hope line, he orders General McPherson to move from New Hope Church toward Acworth. In most places along the line, the Federal troops never hear or see the Southern soldiers leave. They wake up to a deserted battlefield after the Confederates leave under the cover of darkness.
150 Years Ago Today: Along the Dallas – New Hope line
May 30th, 1864:
General Sherman has decided he wants to shift his armies back east toward the railroad near Acworth. His plan is to begin leap frogging his units from Dallas and move to the east toward Acworth. Sherman has ordered McPherson to begin his movement several times, but Confederate attacks on his lines have prevented his withdrawal. On the night of the 29th, what was thought to be a large scale attack, kept both sides up all night in constant heavy skirmishing. The Union troops thought the Confederates were attacking and the Confederates thought the Union troops were attacking. On the morning of the 30th, Sherman inspected the lines with McPherson, and decided the men were in no condition to move after fighting all night. He then ordered their withdrawal to take place on the night of the 31st.
There was constant skirmishing all along the lines and both armies were trying to extend their lines toward the railroad. Sherman was trying to get back to a steady supply line and General Johnston was trying to stop him.
150 Years Ago Today: The Battle of Dallas, Georgia
May 28th, 1864:
After suffering heavy losses and gaining no ground since the Battle of New Hope Church on May 25th, General Sherman decided to begin withdrawing from the Dallas-New Hope line and make his way back to the railroad where the supply trains could reach him. Sherman had ordered General McPherson to begin moving his Army of the Tennessee, who were entrenched in Dallas, back to the east and toward the railroad near Acworth.
Confederate General Johnston was unsure of Sherman’s intentions and his troop movements. He ordered General Hardee to do a reconnaissance by force to try and ascertain the strength of McPherson’s position. General Hardee selected Bate’s Division supported by Jackson’s Cavalry to carry out the mission. General Bate’s was going to have just one brigade attack and if they found the Federal lines to be weak they would signal the remainder of the units to attack. The first brigade in made fairly good headway and then was repulsed by heavy fire. They found the Federals still heavily entrenched and still in place. Even though McPherson had given orders to begin moving out, his units in this section of the line had not started their movement. The signal to attack was not given. In the turmoil and uncertainty of combat, Lewis’ Kentucky Orphan Brigade thought they had missed the signal. He sent an officer down the line to see if the other unit had already attacked, when the officer arrived he found their portion of the line empty and assumed they had moved forward to attack. They had only moved out of their works a short distance in order to be more ready for the attack when the signal came. After hearing the report from the officer, Lewis orders the his Orphan Brigade to attack. Upon seeing this the Florida Brigade began their attack on the left of the line while Lewis was on the right of the line. They were supported by an artillery battery. Both brigades fought hard and made it close to the Federal lines. They were met with heavy fire from fully entrenched Union soldiers. When Bates realized the Federal troops were still in position and still there in full force, he called off the attack. The orders to retreat were late reaching the Orphan Brigade and for a period of time they were fighting their way forward unsupported.
The outcome of this battle is sort of the opposite of what happened at Pickett’s Mill. The Confederate losses were around 1600 and the Federal losses were around 400. Lewis’ Orphan Brigade suffered over 50 losses.
150 Years Ago Today: The Union Army Crosses the Etowah River
May 23, 1864: General Sherman had devised a plan to move away from his railroad supply lines and angle southwest in an effort to out flank General Johnston’s Confederate Army, who are held up in the fortified positions of Allatoona Pass. Since they were leaving their main supply line, Sherman striped down his army to the just the essential equipment and rations to last a few days. Extra supplies would have to be brought by wagon train from the railroad and would take a great deal of time. On the 23rd of May the Federal troops begin crossing the Etowah River in multiple locations. They used existing bridges that were not burned by retreating Confederates, shallow fords, and the pontoon bridges that their engineers constructed. After crossing the river, the Union troops began concentrating in the area of Euharlee and Stilesboro. From here they moved away as three separate columns. McPherson was ordered to be the right wing of the advance and was sent to take Dallas. He went in a sweeping arch movement far out to the west through Taylorsville, Aragon, and Van Wert (now Rockmart). Sherman’s left wing was made up General Thomas’s and General Schofield’s Armies. From Stilesboro they moved south from that point, but stayed fairly close to each other, in case one of them needed support upon making contact with the Confederates. They stopped in the area of Burnt Hickory for a day to allow McPherson to complete his movement toward Dallas.
Meanwhile, General Wheeler’s Confederate Cavalry were observing what movements the Union Army was making and sent word back to General Johnston. He immediately issued orders to begin moving elements of his army into blocking positions to prevent or delay the Federal Advance. General Hardee was sent to Dallas to stop McPherson and become the left of the Confederate line. Hood stayed at Allatoona Pass for another day and then moved to New Hope to block the advancing Federals. Polk was sent to Lost Mountain where he could move easily in any direction to offer support if it were needed.
150 Years Ago Today, Battle of Rome Crossroads
May 16th, 1864. In the early morning hours of the 16th, the Confederate Army slipped away across the the Oostanaula River and the supply wagons were moving south. The day before, the Union Army had established a bridgehead at Lay’s Ferry. On the morning of the 16th, the Army of the Tennessee, began it’s advance from Lay’s Ferry. Sweeny’s 2nd Division of Dodge’s XVI Corps was the leading element of the advance, the remainder of McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee followed Dodge’s Corps. They were headed toward Rome Crossroads, where the Rome-Calhoun Road and the Sugar Valley-Adairsville Road met. To meet this threat to the Confederate flank, General Johnston sent General Hardee’s Corps. Hardee’s Corp formed up in the woods south of the road and used Oothkalooga Creek to anchor the right of their line which extended westward parallel to the Rome-Calhoun Road. General Clebrune’s Division held the left of the line and General Walkers Division held the right of the line. Bate’s Division was held in reserve.
As the Federal troops approached the crossroads, Hardee’s line of battle sprinted out of the woods in a surprise attack, catching the Federal skirmishers off guard and pushing them across the road. Hardee used his artillery to target the Federal supply wagons that were following the advance. Hardee and his Southern Soldiers held fast to their position until the early hours of the morning of the 17th. This allowed enough time for the Confederate wagon trains to make it through Calhoun and move southward to Adairsville.
150 Years Ago Today, May 11th, 1864
May 11th, 1864, General Johnston receives word in the early morning that the Union Army is massing for an attack on Resaca via Snake Creek Gap. He telegraphs General Polk, who is Rome on his way form Louisiana to Dalton, and directs him to Resaca to assume command and reenforce the troops already there. He then sends General Hood from Dalton to Resaca and has General Cleburne prepare to move from Dug Gap to Resaca. He then directs General Cheatham to prepare to withdraw from Rocky Face Ridge and replace Clerburne at Dug Gap. Upon arrival at Resaca, General Hood finds that there is no attack imminent and there are no Federal troops within four miles of Resaca. He Telegraphs General Johnston and informs him of such. All the previous troop movements toward Resaca are put on hold.
Union observers, on the Northern part of Rocky Face Ridge, have seen part of Cheatham’s Corp start to move away from the lines at Buzzards Roost. Sherman is notified and he immediately orders the line at Buzzards Roost probed. There are enough Southern Soldiers still in the lines to repulse the attempted Reconnaissance by Force. The Union troops go to ground and must wait until nightfall to pull back. Sherman informs McPherson that he will be at Snake Creek Gap in the morning and that he is planning to have the majority of the Army follow his route to and through Snake Creek Gap. Sherman orders McPherson to strengthen his defenses in the gap. Sherman also orders Schofield’s troops to begin pulling back from Crow Creek Valley.
General Polk arrives in Resaca and with General Hood, they observe the deployment of troops and assess the situation. In the evening they go to Dalton by train to meet with General Johnston and make plans for the retreat from Dalton and the defense of Resaca. General Polk overnights with General Hood at Hood’s headquarters. General Polk, who is also the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, baptizes General Hood.
War Was Here 