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In May 1864 the Atlanta Campaign began with the Battle of Dalton and Resaca. Generally speaking this action is classed as two minor battle but I believe it to be one big battle so I refer to it as such. Anyway...

Johnston, commanding the Army of Tennessee, had distributed his two Corps (Hardee and Hood) on a defensive line along Rocky Face Ridge west of Dalton, Georgia. Although the position offered very good defenisve positions it also offered anyone attempting to attack a defending force easy cover and the ability to move troops without that defending force being able to discover it.

In addition to his positions at Dalton, Johnston had managed to get Leonidas Polk's Army from Mississippi and Alabama to come up to Rome, Georgia to defend that town and be in a good position to come to reinforce him when needed.

As the fighting around Rocky Face Ridge continued Johnston became aware of the dissapearence of James MacPherson's Army of the Tennessee from his front but did not know where it was. In order to be prepared for the AotT's attack, whever it came, he had placed a force at Resaca under James Cantey (which he reinforced to about 4,000) to await further developments.

The AotT appeared from Snake Creek Gap and advanced to Resaca before meeting opposition in the form of Cantey's force and fell back but the appearence of Federals at Resaca made Johnston's position at Dalton almost untenable. Nevertheless Johnston remained at Rocky Face Ridge for another three days before withdrawing to Resaca.

One of the main reasons for the Federal's successful attempt to use Snake Creek Gap without the Confederate's knowledge was Joseph Wheeler not doing his job properly.

Even though Wheeler only had an effective force of 2,400 from what was supposed to be 10,000 cavalry he was not doing the job Johnston' wanted him to. Johnston wanted Wheeler to be his eyes and ears and tell him where the enemy was and in how much strength but Wheeler didn't want to do that, Wheeler wanted to find the enemy and engage and actualy did so at Varnell Station.

But Wheeler's refusal to do the mundane operations of a Cavalry unit had left Johnston blind to the Federal movement and totally unaware of MacPherson's position before he emerged from Snake Creek Gap, a position Johnston's didn't know that well because scouting had not been done in that area properly before the battle, again in a large part Wheeler's fault.

So if Snake Creek Gap is defended how long can Johnston hold his position around Dalton and Resaca and how would Sherman break through Johnston's defenses if he cannot use Snake Creek Gap?
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