The Atlanta (Georgia) Campaign: May 1 - September 8, 1864., Part I: General Report.
Maj. George B. Davis, Mr. Leslie J. Perry, Mr. Joseph W. Kirkley, Ed.

[141] was to commence on the 12th. Instructions were given to corps commanders to provide their commands with ten days rations and a good supply of ammunition, sending all surplus wagons back to Ringgold.

At 9 a. m. on the 13th General Howard's command occupied Dalton, it having been evacuated by the enemy on the evening of the 12th, concentrating his troops in Dalton. General Howard pursued the enemy along the railroad in the direction of Resaca, capturing a considerable number of prisoners.

The concentration of the balance of the army in Snake Creek Gap having been completed by the night of the 12th, at 8 a. m. on the 13th Hooker's corps, preceded by Kilpatrick's cavalry, moved out on the Resaca road in support of McPherson's troops, threatening Resaca. Palmer's corps moved out of Snake Creek Gap two miles northeast of Hooker, and then took a course parallel with the Resaca road, with orders to proceed as far as the railroad. On reaching the neighborhood of the railroad his skirmishers encountered those of the enemy strongly posted on the hills immediately west of the railroad, and continued a fierce skirmish with them until night-fall. Butterfield's division, of Hooker's corps, moved up in support of Palmer's right.

About noon of the 14th Schofield's and Palmer's corps attacked the enemy's position on the hills bordering the railroad, meeting with very heavy resistance. General Schofield's left being threatened, and he having called on me for support, I directed Newton's division, of Howard's corps, which had just arrived from Dalton, to move to Schofield's assistance, and subsequently the whole of Howard's corps took post on the left of Schofield. During the afternoon Hooker's corps, which had been acting as support to General Mc-Pherson, was shifted to the left of Howard's command, and Williams' division reached the position assigned him just in time to meet and repel a fierce attack of the enemy who was endeavoring to turn Howard's left flank. McCook's division of cavalry took post on the left of Hooker to guard against any further attempt of the enemy in that direction. The fighting in Schofield's and Howard's front was very severe, but we drove the enemy from the hills he had occupied and forced him into his intrenchments beyond. From prisoners captured we learned that Johnston's entire army was confronting us.

At daylight on the morning of the 15th our line stood nearly as follows: Palmer's corps on the right, connecting with the left of McPherson's line, then Schofield, Howard, and Hooker, with Mc- Cook's cavalry on our extreme left.

Orders were issued during the night of the 14th for the whole line to advance at daylight on the 15th, provision being made for the retirement of Schofield's troops from the position they then occupied, and directions having been given them to take post on the left, where they properly belonged, as soon as crowded out from the center of my line by the advance of Palmer and Howard. About 11 a. m. General Butterfield's division, of Hooker's corps, supported by Williams' and Geary's, of the same command, attacked and carried a series of hills strongly occupied by the enemy on the eastern road leading from Tilton to Resaca. The rebels were driven for nearly a mile and a half, our forces capturing 4 guns and a number of prisoners.