Battle


Battle of Atlanta

Part of the Atlanta Campaign




Battle Summary
Date 07/22/1864 - 07/22/1864
Location East of Atlanta, GA
Result Union Victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United States United States
(Union) 		Flag of Confederate States of America CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders
William T. Sherman
James B. McPherson 		John Bell Hood
William J. Hardee
Forces Engaged
Military Division of the Mississippi: Army of the Tennessee Army of Tennessee
Strength
34,863 40,438
Source: American Battlefield Trust – Battle of Atlanta
Casualties and losses
Killed
Wounded
Missing
Total 3,722 5,500
Source: American Battlefield Trust – Battle of Atlanta
Synopsis of the battle:
Following the Battle of Peachtree Creek, John B. Hood determined to attack Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee. Hood withdrew his main army at night from Atlanta' s outer line to the inner line, enticing Sherman to follow. In the meantime, he sent William J. Hardee with his corps on a fifteen mile march to hit the unprotected Union left and rear, east of the city. Before the Confederates could launch their attack, the commander of Hardee’s eastern most division, Gen. William H. T. Walker was killed causing confusion in the confederate ranks.

Wheeler's cavalry was to operate farther out on Sherman's supply line near Decatur, GA, and Gen. Frank Cheatham's corps were to attack the Union front. Hood, however, miscalculated the time necessary to make the march, and Hardee was unable to attack until afternoon. Although Hood had outmaneuvered Sherman for the time being, McPherson was concerned about his left flank and sent his reserves—Grenville Dodge's XVI Army Corps—to that location. Two of Hood's divisions ran into this reserve force and were repulsed. The Rebel attack stalled on the Union rear but began to roll up the left flank. Around the same time, a Confederate soldier shot and killed McPherson when he rode out to observe the fighting. Determined attacks continued, but the Union forces held. About 4:00 pm, Cheatham's corps broke through the Union front at the Hurt House, but Sherman massed twenty artillery pieces on a knoll near his headquarters to shell these Confederates and halt their drive. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan' s XV Army Corps then led a counterattack that restored the Union line. The Union troops held, and Hood suffered high casualties.




Status of the Battlefield:
The battlefield has not been preserved.



Surviving earthworks: Unknown


Aids for your visit to the battlefield:
Is there a battlefield app? Unknown
Map of the Battlefield showing the locations of the markers? Unknown
Park where the battlefield has been preserved:
Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park

Notes / Comments:
There are only two known monuments on the Battlefield. One to General Walker (CSA) and the other to General McPherson (USA). Both monuments mark the place where the two Generals were killed and consist of the barrel of a cannon placed vertically on a stone base.

Monuments Documented:
There are 46 monuments documented by CWBFM on the battlefield. (Map Monuments)




More Information • • •
  1. American Battlefield Trust: Battle of Atlanta ( Submitted on 07/14/2020 by ). change
  2. Wikipedia: Battle of Atlanta ( Submitted on 07/14/2020 by ). change
  3. CWSAG [PDF]: Battle of Atlanta [page 18] Date(s):July22, 1864 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman [US]; Gen. John Bell Hood [CS] Forces Engaged: Military Division of the Mississippi [US]; Army of Tennessee [CS] -- Result(s): Union victory CWSAC Reference #: GA017 Preservation Priority: PV.2 (Class B) ( Submitted on 07/14/2020 by ). change
Overview

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Credits:
This page originally submitted by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, GA, on July 14, 2020. This page has been viewed 331 time(s) since then. This page has been updated 3 time(s) since then. The page was last updated by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, GA, on February 25, 2021. BG Hooks was the editor who published this page on July 14, 2020.



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