The Battle of Adairsville
May 17, 1864
After the Battle of Resaca, General Joseph Johnston’s Army of Tennesse began to call back along the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Johnston was looking for a place to attack Sherman on favorable terms for the Southern Army. Failing to find a good position south of Calhoun, Georiga, on May 17, 1864, Johnston began to fall back towards Adairsville, Georgia while his forces continued to fight a skillful rearguard action.
Sherman had divided his forces into three colums and was advanicing on a broad front. There was continual skirmishing as he advanced. Arrivig at Adairsville Johnston hoped to find a good position but had to fall back further. Johnston was looking to isolate a part of Sherman’s three columns and attack one or part of the columns.
There were two roads leading south from Adairsville. One to Kingston, Georgia and one to Cassville, Georgia. It was hoped that Sherman would split his army allowing Johnston to attack only a part of Sherman’s army. Sherman did as Johnston thought he would. He sent General McPherson’s and a large part of Thomas’ armies to Kingston and sent General Scofields army towards Cassville, Georgia.
Now that Scofield army was isolated Johnston moved to have the southern corps of General Polk and General Hood attack Scofield. Polk would attack Scofield head on and fix him in position while Hood would hit him in the flank. In order to take Scofield in the flank Hood would have to face West exposing his flank to Northern forces moving South. As Hood moved into position. He found Nothern soldiers on his flank. After a brief skirmish with the Northern soldiers Hood fell back towards Polk. Johnston believing an opportunity to strike a blow broke off the contact. Johnston ordered Polk and Hood to mover to a new line on a ridge east and south of Cassville where they were joined by the other corps of the Army of Tennesse under General Hardee.
Later that night the Confederate leaders held a council of war. There is no record of what happened at the council and later records by General Johnston and Hood do not match. According to Johnston, Polk and Hood stated that their lines could not be held and urged retreat. Johnston yielded to these demands, even though he thought the position to be defensible. According to Hood, whose recollection of the council as stated earlier differs markedly from Johnston’s, stated that he and Polk told Johnston that the line could not be held against an attack but that it was a good position from which to move against the enemy.
Johnston was unwilling to risk an offensive battle and decided to fall back across the Etowah. There is no way to know the real story but most of the record supports Hood’s version of the conference. As army commander Johnston is held responsible for the action and the responsibility for abandoning the Cassville position rests on the Southern commander
