The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-19

| the OOstenaula over the two pontOon
! bridges three miles south of Itesaca.
Thomas repaired the bridge ut Resaca and
/ constructed floating bridge; over these
he crossed his army. Schofield and Hook
| err, marching east and south. crossed the
| Connesauga and Coosewatee at ford;
above their junction. On the afternoon of
| May 16 the forces of Thomas and Nc
| Pherson formed a junction at Calhoun,
| seven miles south of Resaca. They We're
| now hot upon the trail of Johnstor's re-
| treating army.
Gen. Sherman was very much disap-
pointed in the results Of this great open
| ing movement of his campaign. He had
confidently expected to iuiiict Il staggering
| blow upon Gen. Johnston's army. He re-
| lied upon Gen. Mcpherson to capture Re
| saca, or, il he failed in that, he would
seize the railroad between Resaca and
| Tilton and fortify his position so as to re-
sist any attack that Gen. Johnston might
make. Mcpherson. of course, was expect
ed to rely upon the active cooperation Of
| Thomas and Schofeld. Gen. Sherman be
lieved that Gen. Johnston could be forced
to abandon the railroad, which was his
sole dependence for the transportation of
| supplies, and retreat with his shattered
army east and south. This is what Gen.
Sherman says upon this snbject: Nc
Pherson had startled Johnston in his fan
cied security. but had not done the full
measure of his work. He had in hand
| Z3,OuO OF the best men Of the army, and
could have walked into Resaca (thcn held
only by small brigade), or he could have
placed his whole force astride the railroad
above Resaca, and there have easily with
stood the attack Of all Of Johnston's army,
with the knowledge that Thomas and
Schofield were on his heels Had he done
so, / am certain that Johnston would not
! hntn l..
but would have retreated eastward by
Spring Place, and we should have cap
tured half his army and all his artillery
and wagons at the very beginning of the
campaign.
! "Such an opportunity does not occur
twice in a single life, but Mt the critical
moment Mcpherson seems to have been
little timid. Still he was perfectly JUS
tilted by his orders, and fell back and as
sumed an unassailable defensive position
in Sugar Valley, on the Resaca side of
Snake Creek Gap"
1t seems quite clear now that Gen
Johnston Is also open TO criticism for fail
ing to fortify and securely hold Snake
Creek Gap.
| Resaca could be reached through this
gap over good country roads from Chatta-
/ nooga through Lafayette and Ships GAP.
and could also be reached from Ringgold
by marching down Dogwood Valley to
yillanow. thence through Snake Greek
Gap to Resaca.
| Snake Creek Gap is the only break in
the Chattoogata Mountain south Of Dali
ton. This gap is six miles long. The road
running through this gap and Ships Gap,
near Lafayette, was we'll known to all
citizens. 1t was through this gap that
Gen. Bragg communicated with the rail
road from Lafayette when he Withdrew
| from Chattanooga to that place before the
battle Of Chickamauga.
The mountains, gaps and roads of north
ern Georgia were laid down on every mill
tary map issued by the Engineer Depart
ment Of both armies. / have before me
now as l write the military map which
was furnished me early in the Atlanta
campaign. The route to the rear of Gen.
Johnston's army at Dalton is as plain as
day. l can state from personal obserya-
ton that one brigade Of infantry with two
batteries Of artillery could have been post
ed and fortified In that gap so as to have
resisted Gen. McPherson's army. But
Gen. Johnston adopted no measures for
the defense Of the gap; not a tree was
felled across the wagon road; no fortifica-
tons were constructed for either artillery
or infantry.
Gen. Mcpherson entered and passed
through the gap without firing a gun; it
was not until his advance came out into
the open that they were met by the Con
federate cavalry just arriving from Dali
ton.
While { en-. Sherman would no doubt
nave thanked Johnston's position at Rocky
facs = ne NAG failed In securing pas
sage through Snake Greek Gap, his din