General McPherson succeeded in making a lodgment close upon the rebel works, while General Thomas pushed along Camp Creek Valley, and threw General Hooker’s corps across the head of the creek to the main Dalton road, close on Resaca; and General Schofield came up on his left. A severe battle commenced about noon of the 15th, which continued during the whole afternoon and evening.
The fighting on both sides was very severe: and when night put an end to the conflict, the rebels took advantage of the darkness to make their escape; and in the morning the town was entered and taken possession of by the National troops.
The whole Union army then started in pursuit of the retreating rebels, but found no token of their whereabouts until, the evening of the 17th, near a place called Adairsville, a brigade of the enemy was overtaken. The advance, consisting of General Newton’s division, engaged the rebel rear-guard, and a sharp encounter ensued. Night again put a stop to the conflict; and upon the following morning the enemy was gone, and was not afterwards overtaken till the National army had advanced four miles below Kingston, where he was again discovered on open ground, well adapted for a heavy battle. The proper dispositions for a fight were promptly made; but as the Union troops were getting in readiness, and preparing to hem in the rebels, they once more took advantage of the mantle of darkness, and escaped in the night-time across the Etowah river, burning the road and bridges which they passed over, but leaving the National troops in undisputed possession of the whole valuable country about the Etowah river. General Sherman now gave his army a brief rest of a few days, as well for the purpose of recruiting their strength as to allow time for bringing forward supplies for the next stage of the campaign.
CAPTURE OF ROME, GA.
May 19, 1864.
In the mean time a detachment of the Fourteenth corps (General Palmer) under command of General Jeff. C. Davis had been ordered on the 17th of May, along the west bank of the Oostanaula, toward Rome, a place fifteen miles west of Kingston. General Davis reached Rome upon the following day, and met with a determined resistance from the enemy. A sharp fight ensued, which resulted in the rebels being completely routed; General Davis took several forts, eight or ten guns of heavy calibre, a great many valuable mills and foundries then doing duty in the service of the Confederate government; and large quantities of stores. On the 19th, General Davis with his troops took possession of the city of Rome.
On the 23d of May, the march was resumed. Feeling assured that the enemy had the power, and would therefore use it, to hold the Union army in check at a place called the Allatoona Pass, General Sherman determined to turn it by a circuit to the right, instead of attempting it in front, and on that day ordered the whole army, with the exception of the garrisons at Rome and Kingston, forward upon Dallas.
Upon the march a letter from the rebel General Johnston was captured, showing that he had discovered General Sherman’s movement, and was concentrating at Dallas to meet him.
General Geary’s division, of Hooker’s corps, encountered the enemy’s line of battle, after crossing Pumpkin Vine creek, and advancing about three miles along the Dallas road; the result was a severe fight of several hours. The remaining troops of General Hooker’s corps were advancing along different roads, but they were quickly brought in to the assistance of Geary, and by order of General Sherman the entire corps made a bold push to obtain a point called New Hope Church, which lay at the intersection of three roads leading from Ackworth, Marietta, and Dallas. A very heavy battle was fought at this point, which resulted in defeat to the rebels, who were beaten back, but saved themselves from being driven from the road by throwing up hastily constructed fortifications. A severe storm, which set in about the close of the day, also proved of great assistance to them, inasmuch as it prevented General Hooker from making any further demonstration against them. In the morning the enemy was discovered strongly intrenched in front of the road which led from Dallas to Marietta. Consequently, preparations against them were made in large force. General McPherson was stationed at Dallas; General Thomas was deployed against New Hope Church; and General Schofield was directed to hold the left. The cavalry under General Garrard operated with McPherson, that under General Stoneman with Schofield, and General McCook’s division brought up the rear.