On to Tuscumbia

By October 15, 1864, rather than enticing Union Gen. William T. Sherman into battle while he held a strategic position at Dalton, Confederate Gen. John B. Hood pulled his army back about 9 miles south of LaFayette. From LaFayette, Hood changed his plans again, withdrawing on the 20th to Gadsden in northeastern Alabama. There Hood met for 2 days with Gen. 
P.G.T. Beauregard his commander, to discuss Hood's plans for a campaign into Tennessee. Apparently, it was with some reluctance that Beauregard agreed as he doubted Hood's ability to wage such a campaign.

On today's date in 1864, Hood moved his army from Gadsden to Alpine on the Georgia-Alabama border, then crossed the Sand Mountain into Alabama. It rained most of the way. The roads were muddy and full of water, in some places knee deep. From there the army moved toward Guntersville, Alabama, the nearest point of crossing the Tennessee River. From Guntersville he planned to capture the large Federal base at Nashville before the Federals could be reinforced. Beyond accomplishing that, Hood's grand hope was to march into Kentucky to threaten Louisville and Cincinnati. From that point he would march east to join Robert E. Lee's army in fighting Ulysses S. Grant.

Along the way to Guntersville, Hood changed his direction to the west, aiming for Tuscumbia, Alabama, about 90 miles northwest of Guntersville.¹ About midway in his march, he decided for a crossing at Decatur. On the 28th, men from Patrick Cleburne's (Great Grandfather Nathan Oakes's Division) and William Bate's Divisions skirmished against the Federal fortification there. The fighting confirmed for Hood that the force there was too strong, so he continued on to Tuscumbia, which he reached on October 31st. His army will remain there until November 13th.²

Source: Wikipedia

In the meantime, when Sherman, who had followed Hood as far as Gaylesville, Alabama, learned of Hood's movement, he sent 2 corps to reinforce Gen. George Thomas at Nashville.³ Apparently he personally had given up plans for pursuing Hood further, writing, "I cannot guess his movements as I could those of Johnston, who was a sensible man and only did sensible things." However, Sherman did correctly sense Hood's ultimate plan:

Divining the object of his movement against our communications, which had been thus far rapid and skillful, I detached by rail General Schofield and two of my six corps to Nashville, all the reinforcements that Thomas deemed necessary to enable him to defend Tennessee, and began my systematic preparations for resuming the offensive against Georgia.

The 2 armies then went their separate ways: Hood into Tennessee and Sherman back to Atlanta,  planning his infamous March to the Sea.

¹ At this point President Davis reminded Hood of his orders not to abandon operations in Georgia and that he expected Hood to defeat Sherman before entering Tennessee. Gen. P.T.G. Beauregard later reported that Hood's failure to cross the river at Guntersville as he had agreed resulted in the failure of his Tennessee Campaign. 

² While at Tuscumbia, Great Grandfather Nathan Oakes was the closest to home that he had been in over 3 years of war. From Tuscumbia to Kosouth, Mississippi, it is only 50 miles or so. There is no record that he ever was able to visit, at least not until after the army retreated from Nashville to Tupelo in December.

³ Schofield arrived at Pulaski, Tennessee, about 50 miles northeast of Hood's position, taking command of the Federal troops assembling there. Soon, in total, about 26,000 troops were present. Schofield was under Thomas's orders to delay Hood advance to gain time for Thomas to concentrate his troops in Nashville.

Sources: Patrick Cleburne: Confederate General, Howell & Elizabeth Purdue; Advance and Retreat, John B. Hood; The Army of Tennessee, Stanley F. Horn; Hood's Campaign for Tennessee, William R. Scaife; Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol. 4

The Third Battle of Dalton

In late September 1864, Confederate Gen. John B. Hood crossed his army over the Chattahoochee River to strike the Western & Atlantic Railroad at several places north of the river. The army also captured Federal garrisons at Big Shanty (Kennesaw) and Acworth. By October 5th, Union Gen. William T. Sherman's force of about 40,000 men were on the move from Atlanta towards Hood's army.

Rather than offer battle as he had originally planned, Hood abandoned the idea and decided, instead, to strike the railroad north of the Etowah River. If Sherman didn't follow, but instead returned to Atlanta, Hood would pursue. Hood marched his army toward the Alabama border at Cedartown, Georgia. By now it was apparent to President Davis that Hood's offensive was in trouble. He sent his representative, Gen. 
P.G.T. Beauregard, to meet with Hood and discuss his strategy for striking the railroad between Dalton and Resaca while looking for an opportunity to fight Sherman. However, Hood's real intention was to push beyond Gadsden into Tennessee.

After taking the railroad as agreed, Hood attacked the Federal garrison at Dalton* which surrendered on this date in 1864. His army then inflicted heavy damage to the railroad between Tunnel Hill and Resaca, taking 1,000 prisoners. Although to Hood his plan must have seemed successful, so far, the general of the Army of Tennessee had been acting more like the leader of a raiding party than a commander of an army with a mission to defeat Sherman.

Apparently, the presence of Patrick Cleburne's Division, in which Great Grandfather Nathan Oakes was serving, in front of the Dalton garrison had a direct influence on its commander's decision to surrender. In his report, the Federal commander stated, "the division of Cleburne, which was in the rear of the rebel general... was over anxious to fight."

Source: Wikipedia

By October 13th, Hood learned that Sherman had reached Resaca and was moving on Dalton. Hood knew the terrain well having fought here in May. It was a good strategic position from which to battle Sherman. However, on October 14th, Hood pulled back southwest to Villanow. On the 15th-16th, he pulled his army further back, about 9 miles south of LaFayette, below Pigeon Mountain. His men traipsed over the ground on which they had been victorious in the Battle of Chickamauga almost a year before. Great Grandfather Oakes bivouacked with Cleburne’s Division on the same campground it had occupied the night before that famous battle.


At LaFayette, Hood will alter his plans yet again. He will withdraw to northeastern Alabama, effectively giving up any pretense of defending Georgia. After tearing up Sherman's rail line as far as Tunnel Hill, he will move his army through Snake Creek and other gaps, over the earlier battleground at Rocky Face Ridge, then southwest to Gadsden, arriving there on on the 20th.

*The First Battle of Dalton (not to be confused with the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge near Dalton) was fought between February 22 and 27, 1864. The Second Battle of Dalton was a Confederate cavalry action led by Joseph Wheeler against the Federal garrison here on August 14 & 15, 1864, ending in Wheeler's defeat.

Sources: Autumn of Glory, Thomas Lawrence Connelly; Patrick Cleburne: Confederate General, Howell & Elizabeth Purdue; Stonewall of the West, Craig L. Symonds; Hood's Campaign for Tennessee, William R. Scaife; Official Records, Vol. 39, Pt. 1

Crossing the Coosa River

By October 6, 1864, in an attempt to cut Union Gen. William T. Sherman's supply line from Tennessee, Confederate Gen. John B. Hood led his army past New Hope Church toward Cedartown, near the Alabama border. A little north at Cave Spring, his army was joined by Gen. Joseph Wheeler's cavalry returning from a raid into Tennessee.

On today's date in 1864, the army reached Coosaville on the Coosa River. Over the next couple of days, Hood crossed his army over the river, passing Rocky Face Ridge while aiming for Resaca, Dalton, and Tunnel Hill, tearing up track as it went. Once again, the men trudged over ground on which they had fought only a few months before.

Source: Hood's Campaign for Tennessee, William R. Scaife

Change of plans

While Confederate Gen. John B. Hood's Army of Tennessee was encamped at Palmetto, the general developed a plan, with President Davis's blessing, for the destruction of Union Gen. William T. Sherman's supply line to Tennessee. On October 1, 1864, Hood crossed his army over the Chattahoochee River to strike the Western & Atlantic Railroad at several places north of the river. The Confederates captured Federal garrisons at Big Shanty (Kennesaw) and Acworth. Another force attacked the Federals at Allatoona Pass.¹

So far Hood's plan had been successful. October 5th, Sherman's force of about 40,000 men were on the move towards Hood's army, which hoped to give battle to the Yankee invaders.

However, on today's date in 1864, Hood had a change of heart and abandoned his original plan. He decided, instead, to strike the railroad north of the Etowah River. If Sherman didn't follow, but instead returned to Atlanta, Hood would pursue. Accordingly, Hood marched his army across the New Hope Church battle grounds toward the Alabama border at Cedartown, Georgia. At this point his supply line was stretched thin.

Almost immediately, Davis knew that Hood's offensive was in trouble. On the 9th, Gen. 
P.G.T. Beauregard,  the new commander of the Department of the West,² met with Hood near Cedartown at Cave Spring. Apparently Hood misled Beauregard about his true plans for his campaign. Hood discussed his strategy for striking the railroad between Dalton and Resaca. Beauregard left with the impression that Hood would continue his operations around Gadsden, Alabama, and that he would remain in contact with Sherman's army. He would look for an opportunity to fight Sherman if his foe was so inclined, or follow him back to Atlanta.

Hood's real intention, however, seems to have been to push beyond Gadsden into Middle Tennessee.

¹Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French led this attack at Allatoona. Demanding the surrender of the Federal troops there, French eventually was forced to withdraw when he learned that enemy reinforcements were on their way. The Federal commanding the besieged fort, Gen. John M. Corse sent a message, to which a reply came: "General Sherman says hold fast; we are coming." In 1870, Evangelist Peter P. Bliss wrote a hymn commemorating the battle entitled, "Hold the Fort, for I am Coming." The gospel song which invokes themes of Christian deliverance, has been sing in countless churches since, although few any longer know of its roots in this battle.
²Davis met with Beauregard in Augusta, Georgia, on October 2, as part of his visit to Hood's army at Palmetto. There Davis and gave Beauregard command of the newly created Department of the West, responsible for the five Southern states from Georgia to the Mississippi River, with the armies of Hood and Richard Taylor under his command. Beauregard would officially take command on October 17th. He later stated he didn't believe he had actual authority to order Hood at this point.

Source: Autumn of Glory, Thomas Lawrence Connelly; Hood's Campaign for Tennessee, William R. Scaife