Battle of Resaca Facts

Date

• May 13–15, 1864

Location

• Gordon County, Georgia, near the town of Resaca
• Whitfield County, Georgia, near the town of Resaca

Campaign

• Atlanta Campaign

Principal Union Commanders

• Major General William T. Sherman (overall)
• Major General James B. McPherson
• Major General John M. Schofield
• Major General George H. Thomas

Principal Confederate Commanders

• General Joseph E. Johnston

Union Forces Engaged

• Army of the Tennessee
• Army of the Ohio
• Army of the Cumberland

Confederate Forces Engaged

• Army of Tennessee

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 99,000

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

• Roughly 60,000

Estimated Union Casualties

• 4,000 – 5,000 (killed, wounded, captured/missing)

Estimated Confederate Casualties

• 2,800 (killed, wounded, captured/missing)

Result

• Union victory

Significance

• Although the Union suffered higher casualties than the Confederacy, the Battle of Resaca was a Union victory because Johnston yielded ground to Sherman’s seemingly inexorable drive toward Atlanta.

Timeline of the Atlanta Campaign

These are the main battles and events of the Atlanta Campaign in order.

• May 7–13, 1864 — Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
• May 9, 1864 – Battle of Buzzard’s Roost
• May 13–15, 1864 — Battle of Resaca
• May 17, 1864 — Battle of Adairsville
• May 25–26, 1864 — Battle of New Hope Church
• May 26–June 1, 1864 — Battle of Dallas
• May 27, 1864 — Battle of Pickett’s Mill
• June 9–July 3, 1864 — Operations around Marietta
• June 14, 1864 — Battle of Pine Mountain
• June 15, 1864 — Battle of Gilgal Church
• June 22, 1864 — Battle of Kolb’s Farm
• June 27, 1864 — Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
• July 20, 1864 — Battle of Peachtree Creek
• July 22, 1864 — Battle of Atlanta
• July 28, 1864 — Battle of Ezra Church
• August 5–7, 1864 — Battle of Utoy Creek
• August 14–15, 1864 — Second Battle of Dalton
• August 20, 1864 — Battle of Lovejoy’s Station
• August 31–September 1, 1864 — Battle of Jonesborough