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Of the position,
General Sherman writes as follows:
The position was very strong, and I know that such a general as was my antagonist (Joseph Johnston), who had been there six months, had fortified it to the maximum.
Therefore, I had no intention to attack the position seriously in front, but depended on McPherson to capture and hold the railroad to its rear, which would force Johnston to detach largely against him, or rather, as I expected, to evacuate his position at Dalton altogether.
‘My orders to Generals Thomas and Schofield were merely to press strongly at all points in front, ready to rush in on the first appearance of “let go,” and, if possible, to catch our enemy in the confusion of retreat.’
And yet against this front, which he ‘had no intention of attacking seriously,’ he moved
Thomas with over sixty thousand, and
Schofield with over thirteen thousand, while
McPherson with twenty-four thousand was sent to
Johnston's rear through Snake Creek Gap, not with orders to remain on his line of communications, but to break his railroad and then retire to Snake Creek Gap, or return to the main army as he should deem best.
Which was the diversion?
Were
Thomas and
Schofield making it in
Buzzard Roost and upon impregnable
Rocky Face, with over seventy-four thousand men, while
McPherson was marching to the predetermined battle-field, in the rear of
Dalton, with twenty-four thousand?
The attack began on the 7th of May.
On that day
Thomas carried
Tunnel Hill.
Of all the operations on the front during the 8th and 9th, when
Thomas and
Schofield were assaulting precipices, the Memoirs have nothing except the single sentence: ‘All the movements of the 7th and 8th were made exactly as ordered.’
The history then proceeds:
I had constant communication with all parts of the army, and on the 9th, McPherson's head of column entered and passed through Snake Creek perfectly undefended, and accomplished a complete surprise to the enemy.
At its further debouche he met a cavalry brigade, easily driven, which retreated hastily north toward Dalton, and doubtless carried to Johnston the first serious intimation that a heavy force of infantry and artillery was to his
