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Rocky Face Ridge
Operations around Dalton
Near Dalton,
Georgia
May 7-13, 1864
By May 7th Sherman's army group was in motion from
Chattanooga toward Atlanta. To keep Johnston distracted at
Dalton, Sherman sent Thomas to move against Tunnel Hill, a lesser
ridge west of Rocky Face, and Schofield to approach Dalton from
the north. By late afternoon the Confederate outposts had
fallen back to Rocky Face Ridge. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston had
entrenched his army on the long, high mountain of Rocky Face Ridge
and eastward across Crow Valley. As Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman
approached, he decided to demonstrate against the position with
two columns while he sent a third one through Snake Creek Gap, to
the right, to hit the Western & Atlantic Railroad at Resaca. The
two columns engaged the enemy at Buzzard Roost (Mill Creek Gap)
and at Dug Gap. In the meantime, the third column, under Maj. Gen.
James Birdseye McPherson, passed through Snake Creek Gap and on
the 9th advanced to the outskirts of Resaca where it found
Confederates entrenched. Fearing defeat, McPherson pulled his
column back to Snake Creek Gap. On the 10th, Sherman decided to
take most of his men and join McPherson to take Resaca. The next
morning, Sherman' s army withdrew from in front of Rocky Face
Ridge. Discovering Sherman's movement, Johnston retired south
towards Resaca on the 12th.
Result(s):
Union victory
Location:
Whitfield County
Campaign:
Atlanta Campaign (1864)
Date(s):
May 7-13, 1864
Principal
Commanders: Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman [US]; Gen.
Joseph E. Johnston [CS]
Forces
Engaged:
Military Division of the Mississippi [US]; Army of
Tennessee [CS]
Estimated
Casualties: 1,437 total (837 US; 600 CS)
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