Confederate Article: Federal Outposts, Scouts Tight Between Dalton and Chattanooga, Feb. 1864

Quick ref., Confederate article in Columbus Daily News, 22 Feb. 1864, page 2

Describes tight security by Federal outposts between Chattanooga and Dalton--a Rebel merchant could not get through to Chattanooga. The paper reported a suspected movement by Union troops. It was published the same day Gen. Thomas started his 'reconnaissance' toward Tunnel Hill.

For the next five days, there were skirmishes in the area, with Federals briefly taking Tunnel Hill before being repulsed by Confederates, who had a stronghold in the mountains.

This article shows that rebels expected a movement--the rebel merchant's attempt to get to Chattanooga occurred about a week before the publication and the surprise attack.

Columbus Daily News, 22 Feb. 1864, page 2, "From East Tennessee and the Front"

Newspaper Clipping

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn82015388/1864-02-22/ed-1/seq-2/print/image_539x817_from_1750,7561_to_2896,9298/

Full link--not sure if persistent:

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn82015388/1864-02-22/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=02%2F22%2F1864&nottext=&date2=03%2F15%2F1864&words=Dalton&searchType=advanced&sequence=0&index=0&city=&proxdistance=5&sort=date_asc&rows=12&ortext=&proxtext=&andtext=dalton&amp=&amp=&amp=&amp=&amp=&amp=&amp=&amp=&page=1

Timeline: Battle of Dalton/Tunnel Hill -- 22 Feb. 1864 through 27 Feb. 1864

Events of May 1864, Battle of Rocky Face Ridge (with Dalton and Tunnel Hill), Georgia: Confederate Report, Alexander P. Stewart

Battle of Rocky Face Ridge in The Atlanta Campaign

May 1864

Finding Aid for a Confederate Report in Official Records

Report no. 654 by Maj. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart, Confederate States Army, commanding division, of operations May 7-27.

Report Date: 5 June 1864 (from):

Headquarters Stewart's Division, Hood's Corps, Army of Tennessee,
In the Field, Paulding County, Ga.

Events, 7-27 May 1864

• Description of skirmishes around Mill Creek Gap, Tunnel Hill Ridge, etc.
• Position of Confederates entrenched on the ridges
• Mention of the entrenchments and breastworks (breast-heights)

(and more)

Official Records, Series 1, vol. 38 (in five parts), Part 3, page 816-818.

Report no. 654 by Maj. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart, C.S. Army
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154634/m1/833/

[Finding Aid, Link]

Citation for this page provided by Texas History (site):

United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 38, In Five Parts. Part 3, Reports., book, 1891; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154634/m1/833/: accessed August 14, 2019), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.

The battles are referenced different ways in different correspondence; below are some of the terms that might help when searching these battles:

Confederate References: Battle of Rocky Face Ridge, Mill Creek Gap, Crow Valley, Tunnel Hill, Varnell's Station

Union References: Demonstration on Dalton, Georgia ; Ringgold, Varnell's Station, Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost ; Rocky Face Ridge (or) Rocky Faced Ridge

Subsequent Movement: Union troops moved through Snake Creek Gap toward Resaca, Georgia, leading up to a battle there.

Skirmishes and Union Capture of Tunnel Hill Pass, Feb. 1864; Deplorable Condition of First Brigade Cavalry Horses; Lack of Forage

On February 24, 1864, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Inspector-General, R. O. Selfridge, writes to Lieutenant-Colonel J.S. Fullerton, Assistant Adjutant-General, from Headquarters of the Second Brigade, Cavalry Division, (U.S.) at Madisonville (Tennessee) some reports on activities near Loudon (Tennessee). In that correspondence, he also mentions the deplorable condition of Col. (Archibald P.) Campbell's First Brigade Cavalry, for want of forage for their horses. The men, also, had been without clothing and supplies, but he does mention that some arrived "last night." He complains of lax discipline, as well.

"The First Brigade, Colonel Campbell, which has been on the Citico Creek, 6 miles above Motley's, marched yesterday to a point 5 miles south of this place, and is now there. This is the only part of the command that I have yet seen, and it is in sufficiently deplorable condition. The men are in good condition physically, but much in need of clothing, which I was glad to see arrive last night. But the horses are reduced to almost the last stage, and unless forage can be speedily procured, the entire command must be speedily dismounted. The horses, besides being starved, are sore-backed, sore-footed, and presently a sorry sight. Discipline is lax, and the whole command seems loose and unserviceable. It will want a terrible deal of pains to make it effective again. Of about 900 men for duty, 300 are dismounted."

O.R., Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Correspondence, Etc.), pages 457-458
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152633/m1/457/

Below that, on the same page, is Major-General Gordon Granger's endorsement of Selfridge's assessment. Granger writes from Headquarters of U.S. Forces at Loudon (Tennessee), on February 25, 1864, to General Commanding Department Headquarters:

"I cannot see the possibility of longer subsisting our cavalry upon the country, as nearly every nook and corner is exhausted of forage and subsistence. The only means of keeping it alive is by bringing supplies by the cars and boat. About seven cars per day are required to maintain the cavalry along the railroad between this and Charleston [Tennessee]. Unless this is attended to at once we will be minus cavalry within three weeks."

                                                         G. Granger
                                                         Major-General, Commanding

O.R., Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Correspondence, Etc.), page 458
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152633/m1/458/


Just one day before that, General Thomas had written to General Grant of skirmishes at Tunnel Hill, near Dalton, Georgia. The correspondence is dated Chattanooga, Feb. 24, 1864, 4 a.m., and says, "Reports from the front just received." Thomas goes on to say that his skirmishers drove the enemy for four miles "through Tunnel Hill on the double-quick." He says

"Colonel Long went within 3 1/2 miles of Dalton, and drove a regiment of infantry out of winter quarters. Our main force camped within 3 miles of Tunnel Hill last night, and will be on the road to Dalton to-morrow night."

At 10 a.m., General Grant responded to General Thomas

"Your dispatch received. Push the enemy as far as possible. If unable to carry Dalton, keep, at any rate, a heavy force threatening it, so as to hold all the enemy there. Sherman's safety may be dependent upon your efforts. Should you drive the enemy out of Dalton, follow him as far as possible. If you have sufficiently recovered your health, I would like to have you go out to the front in person, if only to see the situation of affairs and return."

                                                                  U.S. Grant,
                                                                  Major-General

At 9 p.m. on the 24th, General Thomas writes back that "we have just gained possession of Tunnel Hill pass; small loss." He then goes on to report on a dispatch from McCook concerning cavalry actions near Murphy, N.C. Further miscellaneous correspondence on page 459 and subsequent pages give a few more details about Dalton.

O.R., Vol. 32, Pt. 2 (Correspondence, Etc.), pages 458-459
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152633/m1/458/

Bandy Heritage Center for Northwest Georgia: Atlanta Campaign Driving Tour, Tunnel Hill to Resaca (link)

Link to the Bandy Heritage Center for Northwest Georgia's Atlanta Campaign Driving Tour: Tunnel Hill to Resaca in PDF format.

Atlanta Campaign Driving Tour: Tunnel Hill to Resaca
http://bit.ly/BandyHeritageCenter-NW-GA-AtlantaCampaign-Tunnel-Hill-to-Resaca

Original Long URL:

http://www.bandyheritagecenter.org/Content/Uploads/Bandy%20Heritage%20Center/files/Driving%20Tour%20Part%201_Tunnel%20Hill%20to%20Cassville.pdf

Link to Article about Civil War Actions Around Chattanooga

Chuck Hamilton's article in The Chattanoogan describes actions in and around Chattanooga during the Civil War, and lists the dates. It includes Dalton, Tunnel Hill, and Resaca, Georgia, Cleveland, Tennessee, and other locales.

Article

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/7/2/229448/Civil-War-Engagements-in-the.aspx