Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
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Location: Kennesaw, GA
Dates: June 27, 1864
Union Commander:  William T. Sherman, Major General
Confederate Commander:  Joseph E. Johnston, General

Battle Summary:
For over six weeks, Major General William "Tecumseh" Sherman has been maneuvering his army, trying to outflank Joseph Johnston's Army of the Tennessee, with his goal being Atlanta - the jewel of the south.  He has maintained his proximity to the railroads, to provision and feed his massive army, but had pulled south of the railroad, to fight at Dallas, GA and at New Hope Church.  Now, in late June, he finds his army hungry, and very near Atlanta.  He has one problem, an entrenched rebel Army of the Tennessee, at Kennesaw Mountain, near Marietta.

Sherman, known for his aggressiveness, decided to send a portion of his army to the right, to attack Johnston's left flank, a portion to the north to hit his right flank while the rest of his army hit the center.  Major General John Schofield would be in charge of the right flank and would lead the charge against John Bell Hood's rebels.  Major General James McPherson would feint toward the rebel right, held by Generals William Loring and Joe Wheeler and Major General George Thomas, would be in charge of the center, attacking Confederates under Generals Patrick Cleburne and Benjamin Cheatham.

At 8:00 AM, on the morning of June 27, after an opening cannonade from 200 Federal guns, McPherson's troops, under the command of Generals Francis Blair, Grenville Dodge and John Logan moved towards Pigeon Hill and Kennesaw Mountain.  They ran into well entrenched rebel troops and suffered direct, and enfilade fire.  Further south, Thomas' Corps, under divisional command by Generals John Newton, Charles Harker, Daniel McCook and Jefferson C. Davis, crossed a creek to the approach of what is now called - Cheatham Hill.  There they ran squarely into a blistering fire from troops under Cleburne and Cheatham.  Running a full hour late, Schofield's divisions, commanded by Joseph Hooker, Alpheus Williams and Milo Hascall, assaulted troops under the command of John Bell Hood, at Kolb's Farm.

No where along the Union line, with the exception of Cheatham Hill, were the Federals able to retain the ground they crossed.  The attack ended by 10:45 AM with the Federals retiring to their camps.  Federal troops did remain at Cheatham Hill, for five days, at a place call the "Dead Angle."  These troops were within 30 yards of the rebel works, and even attempted to dig under the works.  Today, the Illinois Monument, commemorates the struggle of her sons, at the "Dead Angle."  The tunnel entrance remains.

Campaign: Atlanta

Outcome: Confederate Victory

Troop Strengths
Union: 110,000
Confederate: 65,000

Casualties (estimated):
Union: 3,000 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)
Confederate: 1,000 (killed, wounded or missing/captured)

Battle Aftermath:
William T. Sherman learned a lesson, the hard way, about an entrenched army, on superior ground.  His army could not dislodge Joseph Johnston's much smaller Army of the Tennessee.  While 1863's Battle of Chickamauga, is considered the Army of the Tennessee's "High Water Mark," Kennesaw Mountain was a glorious victory - shaded negatively by the fact that Johnston had been retreating towards Atlanta for close to eight weeks.  In the end, the rebels were doomed.  Sherman continued his flanking moves, knowing he would eventually uncover Atlanta.  Johnston would be removed from command, with John Bell Hood acceding to command of the army.  This would be good for the Union cause due to his impetuosity and overly bold moves.  Sherman would take Atlanta in the latter part of July, and start his "march to the sea," in November, stating, "we can make Georgia howl" - which he did.     Close Window