BA003196
Rocky Face Ridge
May 7-13, 1864
Event ID # BA003196
Other Names: Combats at Buzzard Roost, Mill Creek, Dug Gap
Location: Whitfield County, GA
Campaign: Atlanta Campaign (1864)
Principal Commanders:Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman [US]; Gen. Joseph E. Johnston [CS]
Forces Engaged: Military Division of the Mississippi [US]; Army of Tennessee [CS]
Estimated Casualties: Unknown
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston had entrenched his army on the long, high mountain of Rocky Face Ridge and eastward across Crow Valley. As Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman approached, he decided to demonstrate against the position with two columns while he sent a third one through Snake Creek Gap, to the right, to hit the Western & Atlantic Railroad at Resaca. The two columns engaged the enemy at Buzzard Roost (Mill Creek Gap) and at Dug Gap. In the meantime, the third column, under Maj. Gen. James Birdseye McPherson, passed through Snake Creek Gap and on the 9th advanced to the outskirts of Resaca where it found Confederates entrenched. Fearing defeat, McPherson pulled his column back to Snake Creek Gap. On the 10th, Sherman decided to take most of his men and join McPherson 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 the 12th.
George Bishop, color bearer for the 154th New York was killed carrying the colors here at Rocky Face Ridge. Sergeants Stephen Welch and Charles W. McKay were awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing a wounded comrade while under fire. They were the only two members of the regiment to be awarded the Medal.
Sources:
www.hardtackregiment.com/Reunions.html
projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2893
www.homeofheroes.com/photos/1_civilwar/mckay_charles.html
Additional notes
(See Dalton. same date.) Rocky Face Ridge, Ga., May 8-1 1, 1864. Armies of the Cumber land, Tennessee and Ohio. Rocky Face ridge is an elevation running north and south about 2 miles west of Dalton. Northwest of
the town is a break in the ridge known as Buzzard Roost or Mill Creek gap, through which runs the Western & Atlantic railroad. Near the south end of the ridge is Dug gap, so called from the excavations made in the construction of the Lafayette and Dal ton road. South of Rocky Face, running in the same general direction, is Chattoo gata mountain, and between a western spur of this range and Horn mountain is a long, narrow valley known as Snake Creek gap, the southern end of which is almost west of Re saca. After the Federal occupation of Tunnel Hill Sherman decided it was impracticable to strike Dalton in front, as it was covered by Rocky Face, where John
748 The Union Army ston had a force strongly intrenched in Buzzard Roost gap and Hood's corps occupied the crest. Sherman therefore ordered Mc Pherson to move rapidly from his position at Lee & Gordon's mills via Ship's gap and Villanow through Snake Creek gap on Resaca, or some point on the railroad below Dalton. After breaking the rail road he was to take a strong defensive position at Snake Creek gap and be ready to strike the Confederates on the flank as he retreated. To cover this movement Geary was ordered to mak e a demonstration against Dug gap and Thomas was ordered to threaten the Confederates in front. Accordingly Howard and Palmer were directed to make a demonstration against the Confederates works in Mill Creek gap and at the same time endeavor to put a
force on the ridge.
Early on the morning of the 8th Newton sent Harker's brigade up the north end of Rocky Face, forcing back the Confederates about three-fourths of a mile during the day, and establishing a signal sta tion. Stanley's division of the 4th corps advanced in line of battle on the west side of the ridge to within 500 yards of it, but was seri ously annoyed by a flank fire from the Confederates's intrenchments on some hills at the entrance to Buzzard Roost gap. In the afternoon Davis' division of the 14th co rps joined with Stanley to attack these works, and under cover of a well-directed fire from Simonson's bat teries charged the hills, driving the Confederates back to his main line of intrenchments. In the meantime Wood had pushed a strong skirmish line , well supported, as far as possible up the western slope and kept up his demonstration there until noon of the 12th, but failed to drive the Confederates from his position on the crest. Geary reached the valley west of Dug gap and placed McGill's batt ery of 3-inch Rod man guns in a position to command the crest, left three regiments in support, and formed the rest of his command for the advance. The 119th N. Y. was deployed as skirmishers, Buschbeck's brigade occupied the right and Candy's the left, each in two lines of battle, and at 3 p. m. the lines moved forward. The ascent would have been difficult under the most favorable circumstances. Now Con federate skirmishers were thickly posted behind rocks and trees on the steep slope and kept up an incessant and destructive fire on the advancing Federals. Geary's lines pressed steadily forward until the foot of the palisades was reached, wher e a halt of a few minutes was made to give the men opportunity to regain their breath, and then charged up to the summit. Here they were met by a galling fire from a second line of works, which had hitherto been invisible, and to save themselves fell back out of range of the guns. Another assault was made, but with no better success. Geary then ordered McGill to move his battery to a cleared knoll near the base of the ridge and keep up a steady fire on the Confederates's position. Under cover of t his fire the 33rd N. J. was ordered to ascend the ridge about half a mile to the right and strike the Confederates on the flank. The attempt was gallantly made, but owing to the precipitous formation the regiment was forced to move obliquely to the lef t, where a few crevices were found that would admit two or three men abreast, and through these the advance managed to reach the summit. Their loud cheers were the signal for another assault, but so few could gain the crest at a time that they were ea sily overwhelmed and driven back. McPherson reached Snake Creek gap, where he surprised a bri gade of cavalry, then moved on to within a mile of Resaca, which place he found too strong to be carried by direct assault, and fell back to the gap. News of this reached Geary just after his l ast assault. It was then dusk and, as the object of the demonstration had been
Cyclopedia of Battles 749 gained, Geary withdrew to a safe position in the valley and in trenched. He reported his losses in this action as being 49 killed, 257 wounded and 51 missing. During the night of the 8th Newton sent one gun of Battery M, 1st 111. artillery, to the top of the ridge and pushed the remainder of his command to the crest to reinforce Marker. The summit was so narrow, however, that the men could never move more th an four abreast, often in single file, and the way was so obstructed by bowl ders, etc., that the advance was necessarily slow. At daybreak Harker opened fire with his piece of artillery and followed this by a charge, driving back the Confederates abou t a mile to his main line of in trenchments. In the meantime Schofield had arrived on the ground and on the 9th made a strong demonstration against Johnston's right as a diversion in favor of the operations at Snake Creek gap. Schofield's line was formed with Judah on the right. Cox on the left, and Hovey in reserve covering Cox. In this order the corps moved steadily forward, forced back the Confederates skirmish lines, captured several lines of barricades and finally drove
the Confederates into his main intrenchments. To assist this movement Newton sent Wagner's brigade to attack the Confederates's position on the eastern slope of the ridge. Wagner advanced until he found himself confronted by an impassable chasm, on t
he opposite side of which was a strong line of fortifications, from which a galling fire was poured into his lines, compelling him to fall back. In the afternoon McCook's cavalry division became hotly engaged on Schofield's left and Hovey was sent to his support, routing the Confederates and ending all danger from that quarter. Heavy skirmishing was kept up all day on the west side of the ridge, in which a number of men were wounded, but few were killed. On the loth Thomas sent Hooker's corps and Kilpatrick's cavalry to the support of McPherson at Snake Creek gap. Skirmishing was continued at all points during the day, but with less vigor than on the day previous. Sherman now decided to move his main body to the rear of Johnston. Leaving Howard 's corps and some cavalry to watch Dalton the remainder of the army took up its march on the nth via Snake Creek gap on Resaca (q.v.). The custom of the different commanders of Sherman's army of making returns of their casualties for a given time renders returns of losses at Rocky Face ridge unavailable.