The fight occurred on the 27th of May, 1864, while the armies of Generals
Sherman and Johnston confronted each other near Dallas, Georgia, during
the memorable "Atlanta campaign." For three weeks we had been pushing the
Confederates southward, partly by manoeuvring, partly by fighting, out of
Dalton, out of Resaca, through Adairsville, Kingston and Cassville. Each
army offered battle everywhere, but would accept it only on its own terms.
At Dallas Johnston made another stand and Sherman, facing the hostile
line, began his customary manoeuvring for an advantage. General Wood's
division of Howard's corps occupied a position opposite the Confederate
right. Johnston finding himself on the 26th overlapped by Schofield, still
farther to Wood's left, retired his right (Polk) across a creek, whither
we followed him into the woods with a deal of desultory bickering, and at
nightfall had established the new lines at nearly a right angle with the
old--Schofield reaching well around and threatening the Confederate rear.
The civilian reader must not suppose when he reads accounts of military
operations in which relative positions of the forces are defined, as in
the foregoing passages, that these were matters of general knowledge to
those engaged. Such statements are commonly made, even by those high in
command, in the light of later disclosures, such as the enemy's official
reports. It is seldom, indeed, that a subordinate officer knows anything
about the disposition of the enemy's forces--except that it is
unaimable--or precisely whom he is fighting.
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