Overview
The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge took place from May 7–13, 1864, during the early stage of Major General William T. Sherman’s advance toward Atlanta, Georgia. The battle followed the Federal breakout from Chattanooga in late November 1863, when Union victories at the Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge forced General Joseph E. Johnston to withdraw and move roughly 30 miles south to Dalton, Georgia.
After President Abraham Lincoln promoted Major General Ulysses S. Grant to Lieutenant General, Grant took command of all Union armies and left Sherman in charge of Union operations in the Western Theater. Grant pursued General Robert E. Lee in Virginia, while Sherman led three Union armies into northern Georgia against Johnston’s Army of Tennessee (CSA).
On May 7, 1864, Sherman’s forces approached Johnston’s strong defensive position near Dalton. Johnston’s army held rugged mountain ground around Rocky Face Ridge. Major General George H. Thomas and the Army of the Cumberland tested the Confederate lines for two days but failed to break them.
Sherman then sent Major General James B. McPherson and the Army of the Tennessee west to find a way around the Confederate defenses. On May 9, McPherson found an unprotected opening at Snake Creek Gap. Sherman used the gap to threaten the Western and Atlantic Railroad behind Johnston’s lines. Johnston withdrew 12 miles to Resaca during the night of May 12–13, making the battle a Union victory.
Essential Facts
- Date: May 7–13, 1864.
- Location: Whitfield County, Georgia, near the town of Dalton.
- 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 Rocky Face Ridge.
- Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864).
- Era: Civil War, 1864, May–August, Civil War.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: Unknown, although Sherman probably suffered higher casualties than Johnston.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Tennessee, Army of the Ohio, and Army of the Cumberland.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: Unknown.
- Forces Engaged: Army of Tennessee.
- Troop Strength: Unknown.
Significance
The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge is important to American History because it marked an early Union victory in Sherman’s drive toward Atlanta, Georgia. Sherman avoided repeated direct attacks against Johnston’s strong mountain defenses and instead used movement through Snake Creek Gap to threaten the Confederate rear. This maneuver placed Johnston’s supply line along the Western and Atlantic Railroad in danger and forced him to withdraw to Resaca. The outcome helped Sherman maintain pressure on the Army of Tennessee and continue the Union advance through northern Georgia.
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, along with Sherman, 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.
Grant Pursues Lee and Sherman Pursues Johnston
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.
May 7–13, 1864 — Clash at Rocky Face Ridge
On May 7, 1864, Sherman’s forces approached the Army of Tennessee, entrenched near Dalton in rugged, mountainous terrain on and around Rocky Face Ridge. For two days, General George Thomas’s Army of the Cumberland tested the Confederate defenses with limited gains.
Sherman Gets Around Johnston
Foreseeing little prospect for success through frontal assaults, Sherman sent General James McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee west, in search of a way around the Confederate defenders. On May 9, McPherson discovered an unprotected gap in the mountains at Snake Creek. Leaving Thomas to demonstrate before the main Confederate line, Sherman moved the rest of his army south through Snake Creek Gap, threatening to disable the Western and Atlantic Railroad behind Johnston’s lines.
Johnston Withdraws
In danger of being outflanked and having his supply line severed, Johnston withdrew twelve miles to Resaca, Georgia, on the night of May 12–13.
Aftermath of the Battle
Although Sherman probably suffered higher casualties than Johnston (total casualties are unknown), the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was a Union victory because Johnston yielded ground to Sherman’s seemingly inexorable drive toward Atlanta, Georgia.
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 7–8 — George Thomas’s Army of the Cumberland tested the Confederate defenses near Rocky Face Ridge.
- 1864, May 9 — Union forces led by James B. McPherson found an unprotected mountain opening at Snake Creek Gap.
- 1864, May 12–13 — Johnston withdrew 12 miles to Resaca, Georgia.
- 1864, May 13 — The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge ended after Johnston gave up ground to Sherman.
AP US History
Definition
Battle of Rocky Face Ridge (1864) — The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought from May 7–13, 1864, near Dalton, Georgia, during the Union advance toward Atlanta. Union General William T. Sherman confronted Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee in rugged mountain terrain. General George H. Thomas engaged the Confederate defenses, while General James B. McPherson found Snake Creek Gap. This allowed Sherman to threaten the Western and Atlantic Railroad, forcing Johnston to withdraw to Resaca. The battle is considered a Union victory because Johnston gave up ground.
Alignment
The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge is part of the following AP US History sections:
