After their defeat at Missionary Ridge near Chattanooga in November 1863, the Confederate Army of Tennessee spent the winter of 1863-64 around Dalton fortifying its defense. As the weather warmed and roads dried, heavy fighting resumed. On Saturday, May 7, 1864, the Federal 14th Corps under Major General John M. Palmer marched from camps near Ringgold, pushed through Confederates at Tunnel Hill, and approached Mill Creek Gap near Dalton. The gap had been dammed and flooded by Confederate engineers, soldiers were well entrenched along Rocky Face Ridge, and two Confederate divisions under Major Generals Alexander P. Stewart and William B. Bate lined the ridge and gap. Commanding Union Major General William T. Sherman decided to probe these positions while sending Major General James B. McPherson's 24,000-man Army of the Tennessee around the Confederate southwest flank through Snake Creek Gap in hopes of cutting the railroad supply line at Resaca and trapping the Confederate army in Dalton. He ordered the 61,000-strong Army of the Cumberland under Major General George H. Thomas to test Confederate defenses at Mill Creek Gap and occupy their attention while McPherson's army flanked them. On May 8, Union Brigadier General James D. Morgan's brigade advanced into Mill Creek Gap but was halted by strong fire from Confederate Brigadier General Randall L. Gibson's brigade. Other Federal attacks against Rocky Face Ridge, and an attempt to dismantle the dam flooding the gap, also failed. By May 10, steady rain and battle smoke filled the valleys, and the next day Sherman began withdrawing much of his force to follow McPherson's army through Snake Creek Gap. Believing the Confederates were beginning to evacuate Dalton, Sherman renewed attacks at Mill Creek Gap on May 11, but the Confederates had not evacuated and the result was disastrous. Over five days the Confederates lost about 65 men and the Federals nearly 300. On Thursday, May 12, after discovering most of Sherman's armies marching through Snake Creek Gap, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston ordered the evacuation of Dalton. By the following dawn the opposing armies were positioned at Resaca, and Sherman had maneuvered Johnston out of Dalton although Johnston had eluded the potential Federal trap.

Photo: Public domain

Photo: Mark Hilton

Photo: Mark Hilton