On May 19, 1864, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston tricked Union General William T. Sherman into dividing his forces at Adairsville and sending the XXIII Corps under John M. Schofield across the Gravelly Plateau to Cassville. Johnston placed Leonidas Polk's corps behind Two Run Creek northwest of Cassville to oppose Schofield as he began crossing the creek, then sent John B. Hood's corps northward along the Spring Place Road to ambush Schofield's left flank as he marched from Adairsville. Edward M. McCook's division of Union cavalry was sent to threaten the railroad south of Cassville and accidentally encountered the rear of Hood's column as it marched northward. Hood, believing he was attacked by a much larger force, changed front and faced east to oppose another possible attack, and was unable to ambush Schofield as Johnston had planned. When Hood's ambush failed, Johnston retired the army to a strong position on a ridge east of Cassville and prepared to give battle, but that evening Hood and Polk told him they considered the position untenable and urged withdrawal. Johnston later wrote that although the position was the best they had occupied, he yielded, and the army crossed the Etowah River on May 20, a step he regretted ever since.