Resaca 14 May 1864

Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston had fallen back to Resaca after a week of inconclusive skirmishing along Rocky Face Ridge, and was determined to make a stand. General Sherman’s Union army was effecting a crossing of the Oostanaula River downstream to threaten Johnston’s railroad supply lines, and ordered feinting attacks by John M. Schofield at Resaca to distract the Confederates. Johnston adopted a strong defensive position, the flanks protected by the Oostanaula River to the south, and the Connasauga to the north. Union forces had to attack across Camp Creek ‘with quicksand in places and steep muddy banks’. Starting in late morning the Union assault was confounded by the Creek: Judah’s brigade got stuck there, others were forced back after fording it. The only glimmer of success was beyond the creek on the Confederate right flank, but this was not capitalized upon. In the early afternoon, the attack was abandoned.