CRi 13L6 f dm, Duke University Libraries Message of the Conf Pam #441 SENATK, Jan. >;. 18(^5.— Referred to Committee on Military Affairs. Fkij. 17, ISO-^ — Messafje and accompaM3'ing documents ordered to be printed, and injunctic^i of secrecy removed. MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. Richmond, Va., Jan. 4, 1865. To the Sc?iafe of (he ConfaJcnite S/afes : In response to your resolution of November 14th, 18fi4, I herewith transmit, for your information, a conmiunication from the Secretary of AVar, covering a copy of the official rej>ort of General J. E. Johnston, relative to operations of the Army of Tennessee. I invite your attention to the Secretary's remarks in reference to the delay which has occuri'<.'d in lespanding to your resolution, and concur with him in suggesting that it i.^ not advisable lo publish this communication at present, or at a future time, without the corres- pondence which was contemporaneous, and which explains the events. JEFFERSON DAVIS. COMMUNFJATION FROM SECRETARY OF WAR. Confederate States of America, War Department, Richmond, Va., Jan. 3, 1865. To fhe P resilient of iJie Cuvfedcrate States: Sir: ' I herewith submit a copy of the report of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, called for by a resolution of the Senate. Some delay has occurred in forwarding this cop)', because at first I doubted whether, from its tendency to induce controversy, it could be com- municated without prejudice to the public service. When afterwards I determined to send it, without objection on that score, I thought it might be expedient to accompany it with copies of the cotempora- neous corresj)ondence and documents, which tended to' elucidate it and give a fuller view of the circumstances connected with the cam- paign. This entailed further delay in having such correspondence and documents collected and copied. On examining them, I conclu- ded they would ))r()bal)ly only add to controversies, and be productive of more mischief than beneht, and have consequently contented ni}'- self with submitting, as I now do, the report alone, hoping that while it may afford information to Congress, its publication may be forborne, as, in my judgment, such publication would not be promo- tive of the public interest. Very respectfully. Your obedient servant, JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War, OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEN. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON. ViNEViLLE, Ga., October 20, 18G4. Gen. S. Coopeu, Adfl and Insp't Gcnoal: Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the Army of Tennessee, while it was under my com- mand. Want of the reports of the Lieutenant Generals, for which I have waited until now, prevents me from being circumstantial. In obedience; to the oi'dijrs of the Presidjnt, rjcived by telegraph at ('linton, Mississippi, December I 8th, 18G3, I assumed command of the Army of Tennessee at Dalton, on the 'ili\\ of that month. Letters from the President and Secretary of War, dated respec- tively 23d and 20th of Dv'cember, impressed upon me the importance of soon commencing active operations against the enemy. The relative forces, inclmling the moral effect of the affair of Missionary Ridge, condition of the artillery horses, and most of those of the cavalry, and want of field transportation, made it impracticable to eff'n^t tlie wishes of the Kxecurive. On the 31st of Di!cenjber the effective total of the infantry and artillery of the arniy, including two brigades belonging to the De- partment of jMissis-^ippi, was tliirtv-six thousand eiulit hundred and twenty-six ; tlie effective total of the cavalry, including Roddy'.3 command at Tiiscumbia, was five thousand six hundred and thirteen. Tin; federal force in- our front, exclusive of cavalry, and the ninth ami twenty-tliird cor[)s at Knoxville, was estimated at eighty thousand. The winter was mainly employed in improving the discipFuK; and equipment of tfie army, and bringing back a!)sentees to the ranks. At the end .of April more than five thousand had rtyoined their regiments. The horses of the cavalry and artillery had bi;en much reduced in condition by the [)revious campaign. As full'supplies of forage could not be furnished tliem at Dalton, it was necessary to send about half of each of these arms of service far to the rear, where the country could furnish food. On that account Brig. Gen. Roddy was ordered, with about three-fourths of his troops, from Tuscunibia to Dalton, and arrived at the end of February. On the 2d of April, however, he was sent back to his former position by the Secretary of War. On the loth and Uirh of January Baldwin's and Quarles' brigades returned to the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, to which they belong«'(i. His Excellency .Joseph E. Brown added to the army two reginnMits of State troops; which were used to guard the rail road bridgrs between Dalton and Atlanta. On the 17th of February the President ordered me, by telegraph, to detach Lieut. Gen. Hardee, with the infantry of his corps, " except Stevenson's division," to aid Lieut Gen. Polk against Sherman in Mississippi. This ordei- was obeyed as pron)ptly as our means of transportation permitted. The force detached was probably exaggerated to Maj. Gen. Tho- nnas ; for on the 23d the federal army advanced to Ringgold ; on the 24th d'-ove iu our outi)osts, and on the 2oth skirmished at Mill creek g}i[>. and m Crow valley, east of Rocky Face mountain. We were successful at both places. At the latter, Clayton's brigade, after a sharp action of half an hour, defeated double its number. At night it was reported that a U. S. brigade was occupying Dug gap, from which it had driven our troops. Granbury's Texan brigade, return- ing from jNIississippi, had just arrived. It was ordered to march to the foot of the mountain immediately, and to retake the gap at sun- rise, next morning ; which was done. In the night of the 26th the enemy retired. On the 27th of February I suggested to the Executive, by letter, through Gen. Bragg, that all [(reparations for a forward movement should be made without further delay. In a letter dated 1th of March, Gen. Bragg desired me to have all thiugs ready at the earliest practicable moment, for the movement indicated. In replying on the 12th, I reminded him that "the regulations of the War Depart- ment do not leave such j>rej>ai'ations to Cdunnanders of troops, but to officios, who receive their orders from Richmond." On tluj ISth a letter was received from Gen. Bragg, sketching a plan of ott'ensive operations, atnl enumerating the troops to be used in them, under me. I was invited to express my views on the subject. In doing 80, both by telegraph and mail, I suggested modifications, and urged that the additional troops named should be sent inniiediately, to enable us, should the enemy advance, to beat him, and then move forward; or should he not advance, do so ourselves. Gen. Bragg replied by telegraph on the 21st, "Your dispatch of 10th does not in iieate acceptance of plan jtroposed Troojis can only be drawn from other points for advance. Upon your decision of that point, further action must deytend." I replied by tel»!graph on the 22d, "In my dispatch of 1 9th, I expressly accept taking offensive; only differ with yuw as to details. I assume that the enemy will be pre- pared for advance before we will, and will make it to our advantage: therefore, I propose, both for offensive and defensive, to assemble our troo[)s here immediately." This was not noticed. Therefore, on the ■#-y- 25th I again urged the necessity of reinforcing the Armv of Ten- nessee, because the enemy was coUectiiig a hirger force than that of the hist campaign, while onrs was less than it ha pro|)er means, andi:o learn his views. A few days after, Brig. Gen. Pendleton arrived from Richmond, to ex[)lain to me th(i Pi!;si- dent's wishes on tlie subject. I e.\[)!ained to him the modification of the plan communicated by Gen. Bragg, which seenied to me essen- tial; which required that the intended reinforcements should be sent to Dalton. 1 urged that this should be done without delay, because our present force was not sufficient even lor defence, and to enal>ie us to take the offensive, if the enemy did not. On the 1st of May I reported the enemy about to advance. On the 2d Brig. Gen. Mercer's command arrived — about fouiteon hun- dred effective infantry. • On the ■14th I .v.xpressetl myself satisfied that the enemy was about to attack with his united forces, and again urg(}d that a part of Lieut. Gen. Polk's troops shoiihl he pirt at my disposal. I was infoiined by Gen. l^ragg that orders to that efft'ct were given. Maj. Gen. Martin, whose division of cavali'y, cominii from East Tennessee, had been halted on the Etowah to recruit irs horses, w;>s ordered with it to observe the Oostanaiila, from Resaca to Rome; and Brig. Gen. Kelly was ordei'ed with his command from the neighbor- hood of Resaca, to report to Maj. Gen. Wheeler. The effective artillery and infantry of the Ami}'' of Tenui'ss<>e, after the arrival of Mercer's brigade, amounted to forty thousand and nine hundred; the etfective cavalry, to about four thousand. Maj. Gen. Sherman's army was conijjosed of that of Missionary Ridge (then eighty thousand), increased by several thousand recruits; five thousand tlien under Hovey; the twcnty-thirii coi'ps (Schoheld's), from Knoxville, and i;wo divisions of the sixteenth, from North Alabama. Major Gen. Wheeler estimated the cavalry of that aimy at fifteen thousand. On the 5th of May this army was in line between Ringgold and Tunnel hill, and after skirmishing on that and tin; ibilowing day, on the 7th pressed back our advanced troops to Mill crcrk gap. On the same day Brig. Gen. Canty reached Resaca with his brigade, and v/as halted there. On the 8th, at 4 P. M., a division of Hooker's corps assaulted Dug gap, which was bravely held by two regiments of Reynolds' xVrkan- sas brigade, and Grigsby's brigade of Kentucky cavalry, fighting on foot, until the arrival of Lieut. Gen. Hardee with Granbury's brigade, when the enemy was put to flight. 5 On' the 9th five assaults were made on Lieut. Gen. Iloed's troops on Rockv Face mountain. All were rejjuised. In ilie tilternoon a report was received that Logan's and Dodge's cor[is were in Siiak" Creek gap. Tiiree divisions, under Lieut. Gen. Hood were therefoie sent to R«vsica. On tlu; JOth Lent. Gen. Hood repoited the etuMuy retiring. Skirmishirig to our advantage eontinued all day near l)al- ton. iAIaj. Gen. I^ate nM^mlsed a vigorous atrack af night. On the I Mil Iirig. Gen. Canty reported thai ihe enemy were again approa(diing Resaca. Lt. Gen. Polk arrived there in the evening, with Loring's division, and u'as insrrncted to dt-jrud the )>!afe with those troops and Canty's. The usual skirinisliiug eontinued near Dal ton. Roeky Fnco mountain and Snake Creek gap, at its south end com- pletely covered, for the enemy, the o])erati()n ot turning Dalton. Oe. the r2th the federal army, covered Jiiy the mountain, moved by Snake Creek gap, towards Resaca. Major Gen. Wheeler, with twenty-two hundi'ed of ours, attacked and defeated loore tlian.donhle that nuniber of federal cavalry, near Vainell's station. At night our artillery and infantry marched for Resaca. The cavaliy followed on the |:.th. On that day the eiicuiy approaching on tlu^ Snake (Jreek gaj) road, was checked by Loring's troop>, wiiich gave timt; for tlu^ tormation of Hardee's and Hood's corps, just arriving. As the enemy was foruH'd, the lefr, of Polk's corps was on the (")ostananla, ainl the lighr o( Hood's on the Connasauga. Tiiere was l.)risk skirmishing dui-ing tin; afrei'uoon on Polk's from and Hardee's Icit On tin; 14th the enemy iiia most \igorons on Hiiwhnan's division (Hood's left.) All were hmidsomidy repulsed. At () P. M. Hood advanced with Stevenson's and Stewart's divisions, supp(uted bv t-wo of Waikh> front. Major (ien. Walkei- re[)orted no movement ni ar Calhoun. Lt. Gen. Hood was directed to prepare to move forward, his right leading, supported by two brigades from Polk's and Hiixlee's corps. When he was about, lo move, infttrmat-ion canu; trom Major (Jen. AValker that the federal right was crossing the river. To meet this move- ment, Lieut. Gen. Ilood's atiiick was counteruianded. Stewart's division not receiving the order from Corps Head Quarters in rime, attacke«J unsuccessfully. Tin; army was ordered to cross ihe Oosra- naula that night, destruyiug iht? biidges behind it. On the' <)th the enemy cross«xl the 0<.»stanania. Lieut. (Jen. Hardee skirmished with them snccssfull}' near (Jallionn. The liict that a part of Polk's tioops were still in tin; r(;ar, and the great numerical superiority uf the i'ederal army, made it expe- d'i'iit to risk battle only when position or some blunder of the enemy, iii'tirht give us counterbalancing advantages. I therefore determined to tall hack slowly until circumstances should put the chances of b.iirle in our favor, keeping so near the U. S. army as to prevent its s; uding reinforcements to Grant; and hoping, by taking advantage of [)ositions and opportunities, to reduce the odds against us, by par- t'll engagements. I also expected it to be materially reduced before (h:- end of June, by the expiration of the terms of service of many of the regiments which had not re-enlisted. In this way we fell lt;i(k to Cassville, in two marches. At Adairsville, about midway, on tue 17th Polk's cavalry, under Brig. Gen. Jackson, met the enemy, and Hardee, after severe skirmisliing, (diecked them. At this point, on the ISth Polk's and Hood's corj)s took the direct road to Cassville; Hardee's, that by Kingston About half the tiederal army took each road. • French's division having joined Polk's corps on the ISth, on the morning of the 19th, when half the federal army was near Kingston, the two cor[)s at Cassville were ordered to advance against the troops that had followed them from Adaii"sville, Hood's leadiui; on the rieht. When this corps had advanced some two miles, one of his staff officers reported to Lieut. Gen. Hood that the enemy was approach- ing on the Canton road, in lear of the right of our original position. Ht* drew back his troops, and formed them across that road. When it was discovered that the officer was mistaken, the opportimity had passed, by the near ap[)roafii of the federal armv. Expecting to be attacked, I drew up the troo[)s in whut seemed to me an excellent position, a bold ridge, iminediatt;ly in tear of Cassville, with an open valley before ii. The fire of the enemy's artillery comnjenced soon after tht^ troops were formed, and continued until night. Soon after dark Lieut. Gens. Polk and Hood, together, expressed to me decidedly the o|)inion formed upon tlie observation of the afternoon, that the federal artillery would render their positions untenable the next day, and urged me to abandon the ground immediately and cross the Etowah Lieut. Gen. Hardee, whose position I thought weakest, was conlirflent that he could liold it. The other two officers, however, were so earnest and unwilling to depenlaced in observation, above and Jackson's below the rail road. On the 22d Maj. Gen. Wheeler was sent, with all his troops not required for observation, to the enemy's rear; and on the 2-tth beat a briga (rvisioiis .-f liis corps, being attacked, drove back the enemy, tasking a line of iiis breastworks, but were compelled to withdraw 1»3' thi' fire of tbrritied artilh'rv. On the 24th Hardee's skirmishers t()i-iiiH(] ;i liiii' of batth', :is did Stevenson's of Hood's corps on the :ior!i. On thf • 7rh, after a furious cannonade of several hour-, the (Tieiiiy made a gcuicral advance, but was every where repulsed with lieav}'- loss. Tiie iiss.-iults wei'i! most vigorous on Cheatham's and Clel)urne's divisiuns of Haidee's corps, and French's and Feathers- ton's, of Loriiig's. L'eut. Gen. Hardee reports that Cheatham's di- vision lost in kiilcil, vv(junded and missing, one hundred and ninety- five. The enemy opposed to it. by the statement of a staff officer, subsequently captured two thousand: the loss of Cleburne's division eleven ; that of the enemy on liis front, one thousand ; and ]\[aj. Gen. Lori ng re})orted two hundred and thirty-six of his corps killed, woundt^d and missing; and the loss of the enemy, by their own esti- mates, at between twenty-fiv(^ hundred and three thousand; which he th.inks very smiill. On the 1st of Jul\- Major General Sunth's division was ordered to support the cavaliy on our left. Their effective total was about fifteen hundred. On the 2d, the enemy's riglit being nearer to At- lanta by several miles than our left, the army fell back during the night to Smyrna chui-ch. On the 4th Major Genei'al Smith reported that he should be compelled to withdraw, on the morning of tlie 5th, to the line of entrenchuunits coveiing the rail road bridge and Tur- ner's ferry. The army was therefore ordered to retire at the same time to that lino, to secure our bridges. The cavalry crossed the Chattahoochee — Wheeler ohsei'ving it foi" soms' tw^tuity miles above, and Jackson as fai- bi'lovc. Tije enemy advanced, as usual, covered by entrenchments Skirmishing continued until the 9th. Our in- fantry and artillery were brought to the southeast side of the river tiiat night, because two fderai corps had crossed it above Powers' ferry on the Sth and entrenched. Lieut. Gen. Stewart took coni- niand of the corps on the 7th. The character of Peachtiee creek, and the numerous fords in the Chattahoocliee above its mouth, ])rev('nted my attempting to defend that part of the river. Tlie broad and muddy channel of the creek would have separated the twi» parts (jf the army. It and the river below its mouth were therefiu'e taken as our line. A position, on the high ground south of the creek, was selected for the army, fi"om which to attack the enemy \AJule crossing. The engineer officers, with a large force of negroes, were set lo work to strengthen the fortifications of Atlanta, and to n.ount on them seven heavy rifles, borrowed from Majoi' Geneial AFaury. The Chief Engineer was in- structed to devote his altention first to tln^ works between the Deca- tur and Marietta roads, to put them in such condition that they might be held by the State troops, so that the arniy might attack the enemy in flank when he approached the town— this, in the event that we should be unsuccessful in attacking the federal army in its passage of Peachtree cnek. After the armies were separated by the Chattahoochee, skirmishing became less severe. On tlie 14th a (Mvision of federal cavah'y crossed the river by Moore's bridge, near Newman, but was driven back by Armstrong's brigade, sent bv 15rig. Gen. Jackson to meet it. On the 15th Governor Brown informed me orally th.-it he hoped to reinforce the army, before the end of the month, with near ten thou- sand State troops. On the 17th the main body of the federal army crossed the Chat- tahoochee, between Roswell and Powers' ferry. At If) o'clock P. M., while I was giving Lieut. Col. Prestman, Chief Engineer, in- structions in regard to his work of the next day. on the fortilications of Atlanta, a telegram was received from General Cooper, informing me, by direction of the Secretary of War, that as I had failed to arrest the advance of the enemy to the vicinity of Atlanta, and ex- pressed no confidence that I could defeat or repel him, I was relieved from the command of the Army and Department of Tennessee, which would be immediately turned over to Gen. Hood. This was done at once. On the morning of the 18th the enemy was reported to be advancing, and at Gen. Hood's request I continued to give orders until the afternoon, placing the troops in the position selected near Peachtree creek. In transferring the command to Gen. Hood, I explained my plans to him, first, to attack the finleral army while crossing Peachtree creek. If we were successful, great results might be hoped for, as the enemy would have both the creek and the river to interrupt his retreat. Second, if unsuccessful, to keep back the enemy by en- trenching, to give time for the assembling of the State troops pro- mised by Governor Brown ; to garrison Atlanta with those troops; and when the federal army approached the town, attack it, on its most exposed flank, with all the Confederate troops. These troops, who had been for seventy-four days in the immediate presence of the enenn^ laboring and fighting daily, ensuring toil, exposure and danger with equal cheerfulness, more confident and high spirited than when the federal army presented itself near Dal- ton, were then inferior to none who ever served the Confederac)\ Under the excellent administration of Brig. Gen. Macakll, Chief of Staff, the troops were well equipped, and abundantly supplied. The draught animals of the artillery and Quartermaster's Depart- ment were in better condition on the 18th of July than on the 5th of Ma}'. We lost no material in the retreat, except the four field pieces mentioned in the accompanying report of Gen. Hood. I commenced the campaign with Gen. Bragg's army of Missionary ' Ridge, with one brigade added (Mercer's, and two taken away), Baldwin's and Quarles'. That opposed to us was Grant's army of Missionary Ridge, then estimated at eighty thousand by our princi])al officers, increased, as I have stated, by two corps, a division and several thousand recruits, in all, at least thirty thousand men. The cavalry of that army was estimated by Maj. Gen. Wheeler at fifteen thousand. The reinforcements which joined our army amounted to fifteen 2 10 • thonsnnd infantry and artillery, and four thousand cava]r)\ Our scouts reported much greater numbers joining the U. S. army — ^gar- risons {lud bridge guards from Tennessee and Kentucky, relieved by ♦'one hundred days' men," and ihe seventeenth corps, with two thou- sand cavah'y. The loss of our infantry and artillery, from the 5th of May, had been about ten thousand in killed and wounded, and four thousand seven hundred from all other causes — mainly slight sickness pro- duced by heavy cold rains, which prevailed in the latter half of June. These and the slightly wounded were beginning to rejoin their regiments. For want of reports, I am unable to give the loss or the services of the cavalry, which was less under my eye than the rest of the army. The elilictive strength was increased by about two thousand during the campaign. The eflective force transferred to Gen. Hood was about forty-one thousand mfantry and artillery, and ten thousand cavalry. Ac-cording to the opinions of our most experienced officers, daily reports ot prisoners, and statements of northern papers, the enemy's loss in action could not have been less than five times as great as ours. In the cases in which we had the means of estiuiaring it, it ranged from seven to one, to ninety-one to one, compared vvirli ours, and averaged thirteen to one. The federal prisoners concurred in saying that their heaviest loss occurred in the daily attacks made in line of battle upon our skirmishers in their rifle pits. Wlietlier they succeeded in dislodging our skirmishers or not, their loss was heavy, and ours almost nothing. At Dalron the great numerical superiority of the enemy made the chances of battle much against us; and even if beaten, they had a safe refuge behind the fortifitni pass of Ringgold, and in the Jortrcss of Chat- tanooga. Our refuge in case of defeat was in Atlanta, one hundred miles off, with three I'ivcrs inteivening. Tijerefore, viciory. for us could have been decisive, while defeat would have been utterly disas- trous. ]jetween Dalron and the Chattahoochee we could Imve given battle only by attacking the enemy entrenched, or so near enrrench- ments that the only resvilt of success lo us would have been iiis falling back mto them, while defeat would have been our I'uin. lu the course puisued, our troops, always fighting under cover, had very tiifhng losses com])ared with those rhey inflicted : so that the enemy's uuujerical superiority was reduced daily and rapidly, and we could reasonably have expected to cope with the fedeial aiiny on equal ground by the time tlie Chattahooclie(; was passtid. Defeat on this sidcM)!' ili«} riv^er would have been its destruction. We, if beaten, had a jtlace of refuge in Atlanta, too strong to be assaulted and too extensive to hit in- vested. I had hoped also that by the breaking of the rail r();iai)ers, in such a maniKn" as to ap[)('ar to have official authority, and utheis circulated orally in Ueoi'gia and Alabama, and imputed to Gen. Bragg. The principal are, th;it 1 persistently disregarded the instructions of the President; that I would not fight the enemy; that I refused to defend Atlanta ; that I refused to connnunicate with Gen. Jjraijjj in relation to the operations of the army; that I disregarded his entreaties to change my course and attack the enemy ; and gross exaggerations of the losses of the army. I had not the advantage of I'eceiving the President's instructions in relation to the manner of conducting the camjiaign But as the con- duct of my predecessor in retreating before odds less than those con- fronting me, had apparently been approved, and as Gen. Lee, in keep- ing on thf> defensive and retreating towaids Grant's objective point, under circumstances like mine, was adding to his great fame, both in the cstim>ition of the administration ;ind people, I supposed that n)y course would not be censured. I believed then, as I do now, that it was the only one at my conmuind which promised success. I think that the foregoing narrative shows thab the Arniy of Ten- nessee did fight, and with at least as much effect as it had ever done before. The proofs that I intended to hold Atlanta, are, the fact that under my order.s the work of strengthening its defences was going on vigo- rously, the commnnication on the subject made by me to Gen. Ilood, and the fact that my family was in the town. That the public work shops were remov«Ml, and no large supplies deposited in the town, as alleged by Gen. Bragg, were measures of couuuon prudence, and no more indicated the intention to abandon the place than the sending the wagons of an army to the rear on a day of battle, proves a fore- gone determination to abandon the field. 12 While General Bragg was at Atlanta, about the middle of July, we had MO other conversation concerning the army there, than such as I introduced. He asked me no questions regarding its operations, past or future;, made no comments upon them, nor suggestions, and had not the slightest reason to suppose that Atlanta would not be de- fended. He told me that the object of his journey was to confer with Li. Gen. Lee, and comnuinicate with Gen. E. K. Smith, in rela- tion to reinforcements for me. He talked much more of affairs in Virginia than in Georgia, asserting, what I believed, that Sherman's army outnuml>ered Grant's, and impressed me with the belief that his visits to me were unofficial. A copy of a brief report by Gen. Hood, accompanies this. Most respectfully, Your obedient servant, J. E. JOHNSTON, General. Official : L(. Col. ^ A. A. General. 13 keport of general hood. Head Quarters, Hood's Corps, In the field, 1864. Gen. J. E. Johnston, Macoti, Ga.: Agreeable to the directions of the General command- ing, 1 have the honor herewith to submit the operations of the troops under my command, since the 7th of May. C3n that day Maj. Gen. Stewart, with his division, took position at Mill creek gap in Rocky Face mountain, three miles northeast of Dalton, the enemy appearing in his imniediare front. In the aftei-noon Maj. Gen. Bate, with his division, reported to me, and was placed in position on the left of Stewart and west of rail road. On the Sth Maj. Gen. Cheatham, with his division, reported to me, ont; brigade of which was placed in position on the right of Stewart and along the crest of Rocky Face. On the right, the division of Maj. Gen. Stevenson was in posi- tion and extending across Crow valley. Gen. Hindman occupying the right of my line. Some skirmishing took place along the line on the Sth, and on the 9th the enemy made five ditferent attempts to gain the mountain, but were, each time, driven back and foiled in all their attempts. After this nothing of very great importance occurred up to the time the army marched for Resaca. On arriving there I took position on the right of the army — Plindman's division on my left, Stevenson in the centre, and Stewart on the right. On the 14th the enemy made repeated assaults on Hindnian's left, but not in very heavy hues. Walthall's brigade occupying the left of Hindman, suffered severely from an enfilade fire of the enemy's artillery, him- self and men dis[)laying conspicuous valor throughout, under very adverse circumstances. Brig. Gen. Tucker, commanding brigade in reserve, was severely wounded. About the middle of the day on the 1.5th the enemy made assaults upon Stevenson's front and the right of Hindman in several lines of l)attle, each successive line being re- pulsed with loss. At 4 o'clock P. M. Gen. Stewart moved forward from the right with his division, di'iving the enemy before him, but was subsequently forced to resume his original position before largely superior numbers. During the attack on Gen. Stevenson, a four gun battery in position thirty paces in front of his line, the gunners being driven away from it and the battery left in dispute, the army with- drew that night, and the guns, without caissons or limber boxes, were abandoned to the enemy, the loss of life it would have cost to withdraw these being considered worth more than the guns. After this, the march was continued to the south side of the Etowah, via Adairsville iiiid Cassvilh* — some slight skirmishing at the latter place. On tin' morning of the 24th the march was resumed in the direction of Dallas, and on the morning of the 25th, with my entire command, I arrived at New Hope church, four miles east of Dallas. About midday the enemy were reported advancing, when my line was 14 formed. Hindman on the left, Stewart in the centre, and Stevenson on the right. At 5 o'clock P. M. a very determined attack was made upon Stewart, extending along a very small poKion of J>rown's bri- gade of Stevenson's division. The engagement continued actively until night closed in, the enemy being repeatedly and hatidsomely repulsed at all points. Thus Hooker's entire corps was driven back by three brigades of Stewart's division. Prisoners taken were of ' that corps. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the artillery, under the immediate direction of Col. Beckham, which did great execution in the enemy's ranks, and added much to their discom- fiture. On the morning of the :26th the enemy were found to be ex- tending their left. Hindman's division was withdrawn from my left and placed in position on the right, the enemy continuing to extend his left. Maj. Gen. Cleburne, with his division, was ordered to re- port to me, and was massed on Hindman's right. On the morning of the 27th the enemy were known to be extending rapidly to their left, attempting to turn my riuht as they extended. Cleburne was deployed to meet them, and at half [)ast. five P. M. a very stubborn attack was made on h!s divisi' n, extendi/ig to the right, whei'e Maj. Gen. Wheeler, with his cavalry dismounted, was engag- ing them. The assault was continued with great determination upon both Cleburne and Wheeler until after night, but --very attempt to break their lines was gallantly repulsed. About ten o'clock at night, Brig. Gen. Granbury, with his brigade of Texans, made a dash- ing charge on the enemy, driving them from the tiehl, their killed and wounded being left in our hands. During this engagmnent two or three hundred prisoners were captured, all belonging to Howard's corps. After the engagements around New Hope chui'ch, nothing of very great importan(;e transpired whilst occupying that line The army changed position to Lost mountain, my corps in the centre. Afterwards I moved to the right near Kennesaw mountain; subse- quently changed position to the extreme lefc of the army; however nothing of importance occuried on my -line whilst in tliis position, save tliat on the 22d of June the divisions oT Stevenson and Hind- man attacked the enemy, driving him from two lines of works, and capturing some prisoners belonging to Schofield and Hooker. From here the army changed position to vicinity of Nickajack creek, my corps on the left. We subsequently withdrew from this position, and took up a line on the immediate north bank of the Chattahoochee river. After remaining here for several days, the arm}' crossed the river, and went into bivouac. For further particulars, I refer you to reports of Generals of divi- sions. I enclose Maj. Gen. Cleburne's report, and will forward others as soon as received. Official . Respectfully, (Signed) J. B. HOOD, Ll Gen. Lieut. Col. Sf A. A- Gene-id. penin&life« pH8.5