Overview
The Battle of Resaca took place during General William T. Sherman’s campaign through Northern Georgia in 1864. After Union forces broke out from Chattanooga, Tennessee, in late November 1863, President Abraham Lincoln promoted General Ulysses S. Grant to Lieutenant General and placed him in command of all Union armies. Grant moved his headquarters to Washington and left Sherman in command of Union operations in the Western Theater.
Grant planned to attack the two main Confederate armies simultaneously. While Grant launched the Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee in Virginia on May 5, 1864, Sherman moved against General Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee in Northern Georgia. Sherman led three Union armies out of Tennessee: the Army of the Tennessee, the Army of the Ohio, and the Army of the Cumberland.
From May 7 to May 13, Sherman fought Johnston at the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge near Dalton, Georgia. Sherman outflanked the Confederate defenders and forced Johnston to withdraw near Resaca. Johnston established a four-mile defensive line between the Conasauga and Oostanaula rivers.
On May 13, Sherman attacked Johnston’s position. The next day, he ordered a direct attack across the Confederate front. Although Confederate forces repulsed these attacks, Sherman sent General Thomas Sweeny across the Oostanaula River to threaten Johnston’s rear. Johnston withdrew toward Adairsville, making Resaca a Union victory despite higher Union casualties.
Essential Facts
- Date: May 13–15, 1864.
- Location: Gordon County and Whitfield County, Georgia, near the town of Resaca.
- 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.
- Who Won: The United States won the Battle of Resaca.
- Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864).
- Era: Civil War, 1864, May–August, Civil War.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Tennessee, Army of the Ohio, and Army of the Cumberland.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 99,000 soldiers.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: An estimated 2,800 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 60,000 soldiers.
Significance
The Battle of Resaca is important to American History because it helped continue Sherman’s advance toward Atlanta during the Civil War. Although the Union Army suffered heavier casualties than the Confederate Army, Sherman forced Johnston to give up ground. Sherman’s direct attacks failed to break the Confederate line, but his decision to send General Thomas Sweeny across the Oostanaula River threatened Johnston’s rear. This movement forced Johnston to withdraw toward Adairsville.
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’s Army of Northern Virginia in the east, and Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee in the west. On May 5, 1864, Grant launched his Overland Campaign against Lee in Virginia.
Sherman Pursues Johnston in Northern 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.
Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
Between May 7 and 13, 1864, Sherman’s forces engaged the Army of Tennessee in the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge near Dalton, Georgia. Although the fighting was inconclusive, Sherman outflanked the Confederate defenders, forcing Johnston to pull back approximately thirteen miles near Resaca, Georgia. At Resaca, Johnston established a defensive line facing the west that was four miles long, stretching between the Conasauga and Oostanaula rivers.
May 13–15 — Clash at Resaca
On May 13, Sherman began testing the Confederate position. The next day, he ordered an ill-fated assault on the entire Confederate front. The Confederates easily repulsed the Union attacks, inflicting heavy casualties on the Federals. Despite heavy losses, Sherman resumed the assault the next day. However, he also sent Brigadier General Thomas Sweeny, commanding part of the Army of the Tennessee, south across the Oostanaula River, threatening Johnston’s rear. Once again, Johnston withdrew; this time moving his army twenty miles farther south, near Adairsville.
Aftermath of the Battle
The Battle of Resaca was costly for Sherman. Estimated Union casualties totaled 4,000–5,000 soldiers (killed, wounded, captured/missing) compared with 2,800 Confederate losses (killed, wounded, captured/missing).
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
- 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 — Sherman tested the Confederate position at Resaca.
- 1864, May 14 — Sherman ordered an unsuccessful assault against the front of the Confederate line.
- 1864, May 15
- Sherman continued the assault and sent Thomas Sweeny south across the Oostanaula River.
- Johnston withdrew his Army 20 miles farther south near Adairsville, ending the Battle of Resaca.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Resaca (1864) — The Battle of Resaca was fought from May 13 to May 15, 1864, during Union General William T. Sherman’s campaign against General Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee in Northern Georgia. Sherman engaged Johnston’s defensive line, ordered a costly attack across the Confederate front, continued the assault the next day, and sent General Thomas Sweeny across the Oostanaula River to threaten Johnston’s rear. Johnston withdrew toward Adairsville, making the battle a Union victory.
Alignment
The Battle of Resaca is part of the following AP US History sections:
