Overview
The Battle of Ezra Church was fought on July 28, 1864, in Fulton County, near Atlanta, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign. Union forces under General Oliver O. Howard fought Confederate forces under General John B. Hood as General William T. Sherman’s armies tightened their pressure on Confederate forces in Atlanta. The battle followed Hood’s costly attacks at the Battle of Peachtree Creek on July 20 and the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, which caused more than 13,000 Confederate casualties but kept Sherman from entering the city from the north and east.
In late July, Sherman placed Atlanta under siege and moved the Army of the Tennessee to the west side of the city between July 25 and July 27. Howard, who took command of the army after General James B. McPherson’s death, aimed to cut the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, which carried supplies from East Point, Georgia, into Atlanta. Hood anticipated Howard’s move and sent two corps to intercept him.
On the afternoon of July 28, Confederates attacked Howard’s army at Ezra Church. Howard expected the attack and had placed one of his corps in the Confederate path. Union forces repulsed the attack, causing about 3,000 Confederate casualties while suffering fewer than 600. Although the Union won the battle, Hood prevented Howard from cutting a critical railroad into Atlanta.
Essential Facts
- Date: July 28, 1864.
- Location: Fulton County, near Atlanta, Georgia.
- Participants: United States of America (USA), Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: William T. Sherman and Oliver O. Howard.
- CSA Commanders: John B. Hood.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Ezra Church.
- Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864).
- Era: Civil War, 1864, May–August, Civil War.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: 600 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Tennessee (USA).
- Troop Strength: Roughly 13,266.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: 3,000 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee (CSA).
- Troop Strength: Roughly 18,450.
Significance
The Battle of Ezra Church is important to American History because of the role it played in the Union effort to capture Atlanta, Georgia. William T. Sherman wanted to stop supplies from entering the city by cutting the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. John Bell Hood responded with an aggressive attack, but Oliver O. Howard had prepared defensive positions and repulsed the Confederates. Although the Union won the battle, Hood prevented Howard from cutting a critical supply line into Atlanta and extended the Siege of 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
Upon arriving in Washington, Grant devised a “total war” policy aimed at the Confederate military, transportation systems, and anything else abetting the Confederate cause. 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. On May 5, 1864, Grant launched his Overland Campaign against Lee in Virginia.
Sherman Pursues Confederates in Georgia
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.
Hood Replaces Johnston
By mid-July, Sherman had driven Johnston’s army to the outskirts of Atlanta. Many Southerners, including President Jefferson Davis, had grown weary of Johnston’s strategy of retreat. On July 17, 1864, Davis relieved Johnston of his command, replacing him with General John Bell Hood. Known as an aggressive fighter, Hood was a veteran officer with a reputation for personal bravery who suffered severe wounds at the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) and the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20, 1863). General Hood wasted little time responding to Southerners’ calls for action.
Sherman Besieges Atlanta
Hood launched costly attacks against Sherman’s armies on July 20 (Battle of Peachtree Creek) and July 22 (Battle of Atlanta) that produced high Confederate casualties (over 13,000 men killed, wounded, and captured/missing). Despite his high losses, Hood prevented Sherman from penetrating Atlanta from the north and from the east. Foiled in his efforts to capture the city by force, Sherman besieged Atlanta in late July.
To prevent supplies from entering Atlanta, Sherman transferred the Army of the Tennessee (under the command of Major General Oliver O. Howard, following McPherson’s death at the Battle of Atlanta) to the west side of the city between July 25-27. Howard’s aim was to cut the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, which brought supplies from East Point, Georgia into Atlanta.
Confederates Attack at Ezra Church
Anticipating Howard’s intentions, Hood sent two corps to intercept the Federals. On the afternoon of July 28, the Confederate soldiers attacked Howard’s army at Ezra Church. Expecting just such a move from the ever-pugnacious Hood, Howard had entrenched one of his corps in the Confederate path and repulsed the attack.
Aftermath of the Battle
Once again, Hood’s aggressiveness proved costly in terms of casualties. The Confederates lost about 3,000 soldiers (killed, wounded, and captured/missing), compared to less than 600 for the Federals. Although the Battle of Ezra Church exacted a high price on the Confederates, Hood prevented Howard from achieving his goal of severing a critical supply line for Atlanta.
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.
- Johnston reinforced the Confederate right flank at Pickett’s Mill with soldiers led by Patrick R. Cleburne.
- 1864, May 27 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Pickett’s Mill.
- 1864, June 9 — Johnston withdrew the Army of Tennessee to a fortified position around Marietta, Georgia.
- 1864, June 14–15 — Union forces won the Battle of Pine Mountain.
- 1864, June 15–16 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Gilgal Church.
- 1864, June 19 — Johnston withdrew the Army of Tennessee to a defensive position near Kennesaw Mountain.
- 1864, June 22 — Union forces won the Battle of Kolb’s Farm.
- 1864, June 27 — Union forces won the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Johnston withdrew to the Chattahoochee River, ending the Marietta Operations.
- 1864, July 17 — Confederate President Jefferson Davis relieved Johnston of command and replaced him with John Bell Hood.
- 1864, July, 20 — Union forces won the Battle of Peachtree Creek.
- 1864, July, 22 — Union forces won the Battle of Atlanta and initiated a siege.
- 1864, July 25-27 — Sherman moved the Army of the Tennessee to the west side of Atlanta.
- 1864, July 28
- Confederate soldiers attacked Union forces at Ezra Church.
- Union forces repulsed the Confederate attack and won the Battle of Ezra Church.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Ezra Church (1864) — The Battle of Ezra Church was fought on July 28, 1864, in Fulton County, near Atlanta, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign. General Oliver O. Howard commanded Union forces against Confederate forces under General John B. Hood. The battle followed Hood’s costly attacks at Peachtree Creek and Atlanta. Howard moved west to cut the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, but Hood sent two corps to stop him. Union forces repulsed the Confederate attack and won the battle.
Alignment
The Battle of Ezra Church is part of the following AP US History sections:
