BA003996
Rocky Face Ridge, Ga.
Feb. 24-26, 1864
Event ID # BA003996
Federal Troops Engagad: Demonstration by Maj.-Gen.John M. Palmer.
About the middle of February Maj.-Gen. George H. Thomas, commanding the Department of the Cumberland, received information tliat Gen. J. E. Johnston had weakened his forces in the vicinity of Dalton to send reinforcements to Polk and Longstreet.
On Sunday, the 21st. in order to determine the truth of these reports, he directed Gen. Palmer to take his corps (the 14th) and Cruft's division of the 4th corps and make a demonstration towards Dalton, develop the enemy's strength and gain possession of the town if possible. Enyart's brigade of Cruft's division was left to cover the roads about Red Clay and Matthies' brigade of the 15th corps. Col. W. A. Dickerman commanding, was assigned to Cruft instead. His command then consisted of Dickerman's, Champion's and Grose's infantry brigades and detachments of the 4th Mich, and 4th Ohio cavalry, respectively commanded by Capts. W. W. Van Antwerp and P. H. Warner. Palmer's three divisions were commanded by Brig. Gens. R. W. Johnson, J. C. Davis and Absalom Baird. The 2nd brigade, 2nd cavalry division, under Col. Eli Long, and three regiments of unassigned cavalry were with the 14th corps and five light batteries accompanied the expedition. On the 22nd the enemy's cavalry pickets were driven from the roads about Varnell's station and 3 prisoners captured by Grose and Van Antwerp, and the next day Long attacked a Confederate camp less than 4 mil es from Dalton, capturing 12 prisoners. On the morning of the 24th Baird's division was south of Taylor's ridge, near Ringgold; Johnson and Davis were in advance toward Tunnel Hill; Long, supported by Grose's brigade, was at Varnell's station, and the remainder of Cruft's division was at Lee 's house, on the road leading from Red Clay to Tunnel Hill. The advance was made in three columns. After the right and left had moved out some distance the center column pushed forward, but was soon met by an accurate, long-range fire from a battery of Parrott guns and held in check until the right and left columns flanked the battery and forced it to retire. Davis then threw Morgan's brigade to a hill about half a mile north of the tunnel, from which the enemy's skirmishers were driven down the ridge towards Buzzard Roost. By the time this had been done Davis rode forward and ordered his skirmishers to occupy a range of hills in front. The Confederates were quickly driven from these hills, after which the skirmish line was pushed forward toward Buzzard Roost gap, where the Confederates was found strongly posted and the skirmishers were checked by a sharp fire of both musketry and artillery. Johnson's division now came to Davis' support, but the day was so far advanced that further operations were postponed until the next morning and the two commands went infto bivouac. About noon Grose left Lee's house, crossed over to the east side of Rocky Face ridge and then turned south towards Dalton. At 2:30 he came up with Long's cavalry at the junction of the Dalton road and the road leading to Buzzard Roost gap, and the two commands moved forward to feel the enemy.Near Glaize's house, about 3 miles from Dalton, Long encountered a strong force of Confederate infantry in position on the railroad below the gap and after a spirited skirmish, in which Grose's men joined, the Confederates was driven to the cover of his rifle-pits. This part of the reconnaissance developed the fact that the Confederates was pre pared to make a vigorous resistance to the occupancy of Dalton.
At 3 a. m. on the 25th Baird left Tunnel Hill, and at the same hour Cruft left Lee's house, both under instructions to join Grose and Long on the Dalton road and then move down the eastern side of Rocky Face ridge in an endeavor to force the Confederates out of his position in the gap by threatening his right and rear, while Davis and Johnson attacked him in front. Notwithstanding a heavy mist, which obscured the sight, Davis began skirmishing with the Confederates at an early hour, and the firing was kept up with considerable vigor all the forenoon. On the east side of the ridge Palmer arrived about 8 a. m. and took command. Baird's division was thrown to the right of the line of attack; Cruft formed his division with Grose on the right. Champion on the left and Dickerman in the center, the cavalry being thrown out to cover the left flank. During the formation of the line the artillery was brought into action to develop the enemy's position, and shortly after 11 o'clock Palmer ordered an advance.
The line moved forward for about a mile, when the Confederates was found strongly posted on a wooded ridge. This position was carried by Grose and Champion in a brisk fight, the Confederates falling back to another ridge. The artillery was then planted on the first ridge and opened on the enemy, who replied vigorously, but Cruft held his position there for the remainder of the day. About 3 p. m.
Champion made an assault on the Confederate right, but it was not wholly successful. The Confederates threatened all the afternoon, but did not make any attack, the fighting being confined to skirmishing and artillery firing on both sides.
When Davis heard the sound of Baird's and Cruft's artillery in the morning he directed Morgan and McCook, commanding his 1st and 3d brigades, to push forward a heavy line of skirmishers to keep the Confederates from massing against the Union troops east of the ridge. At 3 p. m., the time that Champion made his attack, he heard the increased firing, which led him to believe that only a strong skirmish line was in his front, while the main body had been concentrated against Baird and Cruft. To ascertain the real situation the skirmish lines were strengthened and advanced, while the batteries of Harris and Hotchkiss opened fire on the rifle-pits. For some time the Confederates did not deign to reply, but the steady and well directed fire of the batteries and the advance of the skirmish line finally brought a response that completely disclosed his position.
In this part of the action Morgan's brigade suffered by being exposed to an enfilading artillery fire and a direct fire of infantry in front. Johnson's division had been held in reserve during the day, but toward evening the brigades of King and Hambright relieved Davis' skirmishers, and the close of the day was marked by a well rnatched contest between the sharpshooters on both sides, which continued until after dark. By this time it had been eflfectually demonstrated that Johnston had not weakened his force and the order was given for the Union troops to retire to their former positions. Some slight skirmishing occurred on the 26th as Palmer withdrew, but it was not attended by any important results. The Federal loss during the entire reconnaissance was 43 killed, 267 wounded and 35 missing. Impartial returns give Confederate casualties amounting to 167 in killed and wounded, but as only two commands reported, the total loss was doubtless much heavier. (This action is also called Crow's Valley.)