Battle of Rocky Face Ridge

Battle of Rocky Face Ridge Part of the American Civil War Plaque memorializing action at Rocky Face Ridge Date May 7, 1864 (1864-05-07)–May 13, 1864 (1864-05-13)[1] Location Whitfield County, Georgia 34°44′28″N 85°00′56″W / 34.74105°N 85.01568°W / 34.74105; -85.01568Coordinates: 34°44′28″N 85°00′56″W / 34.74105°N 85.01568°W / 34.74105; -85.01568 Result Union victory Belligerents United States Confederate States Commanders and leaders William T. Sherman Joseph E. Johnston Units involved Military Division of the Mississippi Army of Tennessee Casualties and losses 837[2] 600[2]

Atlanta Campaign Rocky Face Ridge Resaca Adairsville New Hope Church Pickett's Mill Dallas Kolb's Farm Kennesaw Mountain Marietta Noonday Creek Pace's Ferry Peachtree Creek Atlanta Ezra Church Brown's Mill Utoy Creek Second Dalton Lovejoy's Station Jonesborough

The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Confederates were forced to evacuate their strong position due to a Union flanking movement.

General Johnston had entrenched his army on the long, steep Rocky Face Ridge and eastward across Crow Valley. When Sherman approached, he demonstrated against this position with two columns while he sent a third one through Snake Creek Gap, to the south, to hit the Western & Atlantic Railroad at Resaca. The first two columns engaged the enemy at Buzzard Roost (Mill Creek Gap) and at Dug Gap while the third column, under Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson, passed through Snake Creek Gap and on the May 9 advanced to the outskirts of Resaca, where it found Confederates entrenched. Fearing the strength of the enemy, McPherson pulled his column back to Snake Creek Gap. On May 10, Sherman decided to join McPherson in an effort 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 May 12.^[1]

See also

• Rocky Face, Georgia
• Drums in the Deep South, a movie loosely based on this battle

Notes

References

• National Park Service battle description

Georgia in the American Civil War
Pre-War	History of slavery in Georgia
1861	Georgia Constitutional Convention of 1861 Georgia Militia
1862	Great Locomotive Chase Siege of Fort Pulaski
1863	Battle of Fort McAllister (1863) Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Davis' Cross Roads Battle of Ringgold Gap
1864	Army of the Tennessee Army of Georgia Battle of Rocky Face Ridge Battle of Resaca First Battle of Dalton Battle of Adairsville Battle of New Hope Church Battle of Dallas Battle of Pickett's Mill Battle of Marietta Battle of Kolb's Farm Battle of Pace's Ferry Battle of Brown's Mill Battle of Peachtree Creek Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Battle of Atlanta Battle of Ezra Church Battle of Utoy Creek Second Battle of Dalton Battle of Lovejoy's Station Battle of Jonesborough Battle of Allatoona Battle of Griswoldville Battle of Buck Head Creek Battle of Fort McAllister (1864) Battle of Altamaha Bridge
1865	Battle of West Point Battle of Columbus