Overview
The Battle of Dallas took place during the Atlanta Campaign, after General William T. Sherman led three Union armies from Tennessee into Northern Georgia in pursuit of Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and the Army of Tennessee. This movement followed the Federal breakout from Chattanooga in late November 1863, when Union victories at the Battles of Lookout Mountain (November 24) and Missionary Ridge (November 25) forced Johnston to withdraw 30 miles south to Dalton, Georgia.
In 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant launched a broad strategy to defeat the two main Confederate armies. Grant moved against Robert E. Lee in Virginia, while Sherman advanced against Johnston in Georgia. Sherman’s forces included the Army of the Tennessee, the Army of the Ohio and the Army of the Cumberland.
During the Atlanta Campaign, both armies depended on the Western and Atlantic Railroad for supplies. Sherman repeatedly used flanking movements to threaten Johnston’s rear and force Confederate retreats.
After the Union defeat at the Battle of New Hope Church, Confederate and Union forces entrenched near Dallas, Georgia, on May 26. On May 28, General William J. Hardee attacked the Union lines but failed to break them. The battle became a stalemate until Sherman’s cavalry took Allatoona Pass on June 1. On June 5, Sherman abandoned Dallas and returned to the railroad, forcing Johnston to follow.
Essential Facts
- Date: May 26–June 5, 1864.
- Location: Dallas, Georgia.
- Participants: United States of America (USA), Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: William T. Sherman, James B. McPherson, John M. Schofield, and George H. Thomas.
- CSA Commanders: Joseph E. Johnston and William J. Hardee.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Dallas.
- Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864).
- Era: Civil War, 1864, May–August, Civil War.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: About 2,400 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- USA Forces Engaged: Army of the Tennessee, Army of the Ohio, and Army of the Cumberland.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: Roughly 3,000 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Significance
The Battle of Dallas is important to American History because it was part of William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, a major Union effort to defeat Joseph E. Johnston and the Army of Tennessee in northern Georgia. Sherman used movements against Johnston’s supply lines to force Confederate retreats. At Dallas, Confederate forces attacked the Union lines but failed to break them. The stalemate ended when Sherman’s cavalry took Allatoona Pass, which allowed Sherman to return his army to the railroad and continue the campaign toward Atlanta.
History
Federal Breakout from 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 the Battle of Lookout Mountain (November 24) and the Battle of Missionary Ridge (November 25) forced Johnston to withdraw thirty miles south near Dalton, Georgia.
Grant Promoted to Lieutenant General
After the Federal breakout from Chattanooga, President Abraham 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, leaving his trusted subordinate, Major General William T. Sherman, in command of federal operations in the western theater.
Grant’s Umbrella Strategy
Grant’s primary military strategy was a coordinated effort to attack and defeat the two main 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.
Sherman Pursues Johnston into Georgia
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.
Throughout the summer of 1864, the Confederate and Union armies engaged in a series of battles between Dalton and Atlanta in northern Georgia. Most of the fighting occurred at places on or near the Western and Atlantic Railroad, which connected Chattanooga and Atlanta. Both sides depended on the railway for supplies throughout the campaign. In a pattern that he often repeated, Sherman used flanking movements that threatened the railway to Johnston’s rear, forcing the Confederate commander to retreat south to protect his supply lines.
Troops Collide at Dallas, Georgia
Following the Union defeat at the Battle of New Hope Church, the Confederate and Federal forces near Dallas, Georgia, entrenched on May 26. On May 28, Confederate forces led by Lieutenant General William J. Hardee tested the Union lines, probing for weaknesses. The Federals repulsed Hardee’s advances, inflicting high casualties. Thereafter, the situation continued as a stalemate until Sherman’s cavalry took possession of Allatoona Pass on June 1.
Aftermath of the Battle
On June 5, Sherman abandoned his lines near Dallas and marched his army back to the railroad at Allatoona Pass, forcing Johnston to follow. In the wake of his departure, the Confederacy suffered roughly 3,000 (killed, wounded, captured/missing) at the Battle of Dallas. The Union lost about 2,400 soldiers (killed, wounded, captured/missing).
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 — Union forces won the Battle of Adairsville.
- 1864, May 20 — Johnston established new defensive lines at Allatoona Pass, about 30 miles north of Atlanta.
- 1864, May 25 — Confederate forces won the Battle of New Hope Church.
- 1864, May 26 — Confederate and Union forces entrenched near Dallas, Georgia.
- 1864, May 28 — William J. Hardee led a failed Confederate attack on Union lines near Dallas.
- 1864, June 1 — Sherman’s cavalry captured Allatoona Pass.
- 1864, June 5 — Sherman abandoned his lines near Dallas and marched back to the railroad at Allatoona Pass.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Dallas (1864) — The Battle of Dallas was fought near Dallas, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign. After the Union defeat at the Battle of New Hope Church, Confederate and Union forces entrenched on May 26. General William J. Hardee attacked Union lines on May 28 and searched for weak points. Union forces repulsed Hardee’s advances and caused heavy Confederate casualties. The battle settled into a stalemate until Sherman’s cavalry took Allatoona Pass on June 1. On June 5, Sherman abandoned Dallas and returned to the railroad, forcing Johnston to follow.
Alignment
The Battle of Dallas is part of the following AP US History sections:
