Overview
The Battle of Kolb’s Farm took place on June 22, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign. It was fought in Cobb County, around Marietta, Georgia, between Union forces commanded by General William T. Sherman and Confederate forces commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston.
The battle developed after Johnston withdrew the Army of Tennessee to a defensive position near Kennesaw Mountain by June 19, 1864. Sherman decided Johnston’s line was too strong for a frontal attack. Instead, he ordered General John M. Schofield, commanding the Army of the Ohio, and General Joseph Hooker, commanding one corps of the Army of the Cumberland, to extend the Union line west and attempt to turn Johnston’s left flank.
Johnston anticipated Sherman’s plan and sent General John B. Hood with one corps to reinforce the Confederate left. By June 22, Hood’s men were in position near Kolb’s Farm. After one of Hood’s divisions encountered two Union regiments, Hood launched an attack.
Hooker and Schofield had already prepared their men behind entrenchments. Swampy terrain, Union artillery and poor Confederate scouting weakened Hood’s assault. Union forces repulsed the attack and inflicted about 1,000 Confederate casualties, compared to roughly 300 Union losses. Although Union forces won the battle, they failed to turn the Confederate flank.
Essential Facts
- Date: June 22, 1864.
- Location: Cobb County, around Marietta, Georgia.
- Participants: United States of America (USA), Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: William T. Sherman, John M. Schofield, and Joseph Hooker.
- CSA Commanders: Joseph E. Johnston and John B. Hood.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Kolb’s Farm.
- Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864), Marietta Operations (1864).
- Era: Civil War, 1864, May–August, Civil War.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: Roughly 300 killed, wounded, captured, and missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Ohio, 18th Corps, Army of the Cumberland, and 20th Corps.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 15,000.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: About 1,000 killed, wounded, captured, and missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee and Hood’s Corps.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 14,000.
Significance
The Battle of Kolb’s Farm is important to American History because of the role it played in William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. Sherman used flanking movements to threaten Joseph E. Johnston’s supply lines along the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Johnston correctly expected Sherman to move against his left flank and sent John Bell Hood to reinforce it. However, Hood attacked without an accurate understanding of Union strength. Joseph Hooker and John Schofield entrenched their soldiers, and Union artillery helped repulse the assault. Although the Union won the battle, it did not turn the Confederate flank.
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 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 Moves 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.
Fighting Along the Western and Atlantic Railroad
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.
Sherman Tries to Turn Hood’s Flank
By June 19, 1864, Johnston had withdrawn the Army of Tennessee to a defensive position astride Kennesaw Mountain near Marietta, Georgia. Initially, Sherman decided that Johnston’s new line was too strong to risk a frontal attack. Instead, he ordered Major General John Schofield, commanding the Army of the Ohio, and Major General Joseph Hooker, commanding one corps of the Army of the Cumberland, to extend the Union line west and attempt to turn Johnston’s left flank.
Hood Attacks Near Kolb’s Farm
Anticipating Sherman’s plan, Johnston countered by sending Lieutenant General John B. Hood and one corps of his army to reinforce his left flank. By June 22, Hood’s soldiers were in position, and one of his divisions encountered two federal regiments near Kolb’s Farm. Underestimating the number of Union troops in the area, Hood launched an attack.
Federals Repulse the Confederates
Warned of Hood’s presence in the area, Hooker and Schofield prepared for the Confederate assault by entrenching their soldiers. Hampered by swampy terrain, Union artillery, and Hood’s poor reconnaissance, the Federals repulsed the Confederates, inflicting high casualties.
Aftermath of the Battle
Confederate casualties at the Battle of Kolb’s Farm more than tripled federal losses. The Confederacy suffered about 1,000 casualties (killed, wounded, captured/missing) compared to roughly 300 losses for the Union (killed, wounded, captured/missing). Although the Union forces won the Battle of Kolb’s Farm, they failed to achieve their original objective of turning the Confederate flank.
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
- John Bell Hood’s soldiers reached their position on the Confederate left flank.
- One of Hood’s divisions encountered two Union regiments near Kolb’s Farm.
- Hood launched an attack.
- Union forces repulsed the assault and won the battle.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Kolb’s Farm (1864) — The Battle of Kolb’s Farm was fought on June 22, 1864, in Cobb County, around Marietta, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign. General William T. Sherman tried to turn General Joseph E. Johnston’s left flank after Johnston took a defensive position near Kennesaw Mountain. Johnston sent General John B. Hood to strengthen the flank. Hood attacked after underestimating Union strength, but General John M. Schofield and Major Joseph Hooker entrenched their soldiers and repulsed the assault.
Alignment
The Battle of Kolb’s Farm is part of the following AP US History sections:
