The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-02-11
SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS.
Continued from first page.)

Hooker is in close support, so that you eau
hold all Of JOS. Johnston's army in check
should he abandon Dalton. He cannot afford
to abandon Dalton. for he has Fixed it up on
purpose to receive US. and he observes that We
are close at hand. waiting for him to quit. he
cannot afford detachment strong enough to
bght you, as his army will not admit of 1t.
Strengthen your position; fight anything
that comes. and threaten the safety OF the rail-
| road all the time. But to tell the truth,
would rather the enemy would stay in Dalton
two more days. when he may find in his rear a
larger party than he expects in an open field.
AT all events, We can then choose our own
ground. and he will be forced to move out Of
his works. ] do not intend 70 put q column
into Buzzard Roost Gap at present
See that you are in easy communication with
me and with all Headquarters. After today
the supplies will be at Ringgold. Yours,
w. T. SHERMAN, Major-Generalc commanding.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE
MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD. TUNNEL
HILL, GA, May II, 1564-Evening.
Gen. MCPHERSON, Sugar Valley.
GENERAL: The ind locations are that john
ston is evacuating Dalton. In that event,
Howard's Corps and the cavalry will pursue /;
all the rest will follow your route. will be
down early in the morning.
Try to strike him if possible about the forks
of the road
Hooker must be with you now. and on may
send Gen. Garrard by Summerville to threaten
Rome and that flank. will cause all the lines
to be felt at once
w. T. SHERMAN, Major. General commanding.
MCPHERSON HAD STARTLED JOHNSTON
in his fancied security, but had not done
the full measure of his work. He had
in hand $4,000 of the best men of the
army, and could have walked into Re-
SAGA, then held only by-a small brigade,
or.he could have placed his whole force
astride the railroad above Resaca, and
there have easily withstood the attack of
all of .Johnston's army, with the knowl-
edge that Thomas and Schofeld were on
his heels. Had he done so, am certain
that Johnston would not have ventured
to attack him in position, but would have
retreated eastward by Spring Place, and
we should have captured half his army
and all his artillery and wagons at the
very beginning of the campaign.
Such an opportunity does not occur
twice in single life; but at the critical
moment Mcpherson seems to have been
little cautious Still, he was perfectly
justified by his orders, and fell back and
assumed an unassailable defensive posi-
tion in Sugar Valley, on the Resaca side
of Snake Creek Gap. As soon as in
formed of this l determined to pass the
whole army through Snake Creek Gap,
and to move on Resaca with the main
army.
But during the 10th the enemy
showed no signs Of evacuating Dalton,
and | was waiting for the arrival of
Garrard's and Stoneman's cavalry,
known to be near at hand, 80 as to
secure the full advantages of victory,
of which felt certain. Hooker's Twen-
tieth Corps was at once moved down to
within easy supporting distance of
Mcpherson; and on the 18th, perceiving
signs of evacuation Of Dalton, I gave all
the orders for the general movement,
leaving the Fourth Corps Howard and
Stoneman's cavalry in observation in
front Of Buzzard Roost Gap, and direct
ing all the rest of the army to march
through Snake Creek Gap, straight on
Resaca. The roads were only such as
the country afforded, mere rough wagon
ways, and these converged to the single
narrow track through Snake Creek Gap;
but during the 18th and 18th the bulk
of Thomas's and Schofeld's armies were
got through, and deployed against
Resaca, Mcpherson on the right, Thomas
in the center, and Schofeld on the left.
Johnston, as l anticipated, had aban-
doned all his welLprepared defenses at
Dalton, and was found inside of Resaca
with the bulk of his army, holding his
divisions we'll in hand, acting purely on
the defensive, and fighting we'll at all
points of conflict. A complete line of
intrenchments was found covering the
place, and this was strongly manned at
all points. On the 14th we closed in,
enveloping the town on its north and
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