Battle of Rocky Face Ridge

Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
Part of the American Civil War
Plaque memorializing action at Rocky Face Ridge
Date May 7, 1864 (1864-05-07)–May 13, 1864 (1864-05-13) Location Whitfield County, Georgia 34°44′28″N 85°00′56″W Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
William T. Sherman	Joseph E. Johnston
Units involved
Military Division of the Mississippi	Army of Tennessee
Casualties and losses
837	600

The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Confederates were forced to evacuate their strong position due to a Union flanking movement.

General Johnston had entrenched his army on the long, steep Rocky Face Ridge and eastward across Crow Valley. When Sherman approached, he demonstrated against this position with two columns while he sent a third one through Snake Creek Gap, to the south, to hit the Western & Atlantic Railroad at Resaca. The first two columns engaged the enemy at Buzzard Roost (Mill Creek Gap) and at Dug Gap while the third column, under Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson, passed through Snake Creek Gap and on the May 9 advanced to the outskirts of Resaca, where it found Confederates entrenched. Fearing the strength of the enemy, McPherson pulled his column back to Snake Creek Gap. On May 10, Sherman decided to join McPherson in an effort to take Resaca. The next morning, Sherman's army withdrew from in front of Rocky Face Ridge. Discovering Sherman's movement, Johnston retired south towards Resaca on May 12.

See also

• Rocky Face, Georgia
• Drums in the Deep South, a movie loosely based on this battle

References

• National Park Service battle description