Overview
In late November 1863, Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant lifted the Confederate siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Union victories at Lookout Mountain on November 24 and Missionary Ridge on November 25 forced Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston to withdraw 30 miles south to near Dalton, Georgia. Afterward, President Lincoln promoted Grant and placed him in command of all Union Armies.
Grant moved his headquarters to Washington, D.C., and left General William T. Sherman in command of Union operations in the Western Theater. Grant’s strategy called for coordinated attacks against Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia in the East and Johnston’s Army of Tennessee in the West. Grant started the Overland Campaign on May 5, 1864, and Sherman led three Union Armies out of Tennessee two days later, starting his Atlanta Campaign.
From May 7 to May 15, 1864, Sherman fought Johnston at Rocky Face Ridge and Resaca. Although neither battle produced a clear victory, Sherman moved around Johnston’s defenses and forced him south toward Atlanta. Johnston then moved to Adairsville after finding the land near Calhoun unsuitable for a strong defensive line.
On May 17, Sherman and Johnston fought near Adairsville, Georgia. The battle included several skirmishes that delayed Sherman while Johnston moved south toward Cassville. Johnston then tried to mislead Sherman by sending one corps toward Kinston as a diversion, while most of his army moved toward Cassville. Sherman followed the movement, but John Bell Hood withdrew after finding Union soldiers near his rear. The Confederate trap failed, and Sherman avoided a costly defeat.
Essential Facts
- Date: May 17, 1864.
- Location: Near Adairsville, Georgia.
- Participants: United States of America (USA), Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: William T. Sherman.
- CSA Commanders: Joseph E. Johnston, Leonidas Polk, and John Bell Hood.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Adairsville.
- Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864).
- Era: Civil War, 1864, May–August, Civil War.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: Estimated 200 killed, wounded, captured, or missing
- Forces Engaged: The Army of the Ohio and one Corps of the Army of the Cumberland.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: Unknown.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Significance
The Battle of Adairsville is important to American History because it formed part of Sherman’s drive through northern Georgia during the Atlanta Campaign. Although the battle did not produce a major battlefield result, it helped shape the movements that followed. Johnston used the skirmishing at Adairsville to delay Sherman and move south toward Cassville. He then tried to divide Sherman’s forces by sending one Corps toward Kinston as a diversion. Sherman followed the movement, but Hood withdrew before the Confederates could spring their trap near Cassville. As a result, Sherman avoided a possible defeat and continued his campaign toward Atlanta.
History
Siege of Chattanooga
In late November 1863, Union forces commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant successfully lifted Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston’s siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Union victories at Lookout Mountain (November 24) and Missionary Ridge (November 25) forced Johnston to withdraw thirty miles south to near Dalton, Georgia.
Grant’s Umbrella Strategy
After the federal breakout from Chattanooga, President Lincoln promoted Grant to the special rank of lieutenant general and placed him in command of all Union armies. Grant moved his headquarters to Washington, DC, leaving his trusted subordinate, Major General William T. Sherman, in command of federal operations in the Western Theater.
Grant’s primary military strategy was a coordinated effort to attack and defeat the two major Confederate armies in the field, Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia in the East, and Joseph E. Johnston and the Army of Tennessee in the West. On May 5, 1864, Grant launched his Overland Campaign against Lee in Virginia. Two days later, Sherman led three armies, the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by Major General James B. McPherson; the Army of the Ohio, commanded by Major General John M. Schofield; and the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Major General George H. Thomas, out of Tennessee in pursuit of Johnston’s army in northern Georgia.
Sherman Advances in Georgia
Between May 7 and May 15, 1864, Sherman’s forces engaged the Army of Tennessee in the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge near Dalton, Georgia, and then at the Battle of Resaca, near Resaca, Georgia. Although the fighting was inconclusive, Sherman outflanked the Confederate defenders in each case, forcing Johnston to pull back to the south toward Atlanta.
Fighting at Adairsville
Finding the terrain unsuitable for establishing a strong defensive line near Calhoun, Georgia, Johnston continued south to Adairsville. As Sherman continued his pursuit of Johnston, the armies engaged again near Adairsville, Georgia, on May 17. The battle comprised a series of skirmishes throughout the day, which amounted to little more than a delaying action to allow Johnston to move farther south toward Cassville.
Outcome
The Battle of Adairsville was perhaps more significant for what did not happen than for what did. When Johnston withdrew from Adairsville, he sent one corps of his army to nearby Kinston to create a diversion, while the bulk of his army moved south toward Cassville. Johnston hoped that Sherman would believe that he was preparing for battle at Kinston and mass most Union soldiers there while sending a smaller contingent to follow the Confederates headed for Cassville.
Aftermath
Confederate forces commanded by Leonidas Polk and John Bell Hood would then ambush and destroy the Federals moving toward Cassville. Sherman took the bait and sent the Army of the Ohio, along with one corps of the Army of the Cumberland, in pursuit of the retreating Confederates. As Hood was moving his men into position, he discovered some Union soldiers near his rear.
Effect of the Battle on the Atlanta Campaign
Fearing being caught between two columns of Federal soldiers, Hood fell back and rejoined Polk, failing to spring the trap. Thus, Sherman eluded the possibility of a costly defeat.
Timeline
- 1863, November — Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant lifted the Confederate Siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- Union forces won the Battle of Lookout Mountain (November 24)
- Union forces won the Battle of Missionary Ridge (November 25).
- Confederate forces marched southward to Dalton, Georgia.
- 1864, February 22–27 — Confederate forces won the First Battle of Dalton.
- 1864, February 25 — Union and Confederate forces engaged in the inconclusive Battle of Crow Valley, near Dalton.
- 1864, February 29 — President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to the special rank of Lieutenant General and placed him in command of all Union armies.
- 1864, May 5 — Grant launched the Overland Campaign against Robert E. Lee in Virginia.
- 1864, May 7 — William T. Sherman led three Union armies out of Tennessee in pursuit of Joseph E. Johnston’s army in northern Georgia, starting the Atlanta Campaign.
- 1864, May 7–13 — Union forces won the Battle of Buzzard’s Roost and the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge.
- 1864, May 13–15 — Sherman’s forces engaged the Army of Tennessee at the Battle of Resaca near Resaca, Georgia, and won.
- 1864, May 17
- Sherman and Johnston’s armies fought near Adairsville, Georgia.
- Johnston used skirmishing near Adairsville as a delaying action while moving farther south toward Cassville.
- John Bell Hood withdrew after finding Union soldiers near his rear, and the Confederate ambush failed.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Adairsville (1864) — The Battle of Adairsville was fought near Adairsville, Georgia, on May 17, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign. Union General William T. Sherman pursued Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston after earlier fighting at Rocky Face Ridge and Resaca. Johnston used skirmishing at Adairsville as a delaying action while he moved south toward Cassville. He then tried to mislead Sherman with a diversion at Kinston, but John Bell Hood withdrew before launching a planned ambush.
Alignment
The Battle of Adairsville is part of the following AP US History sections:
