Battle of New Hope Church

We will have some bloody work before we enter that place.

New Hope Church The region south of the Etowah was one of the wildest parts of North Georgia.

the area was sparsely settled hilly heavily wooded and in eighteen sixty four little known and poorly mapped sherman expected to push through this region with little delay on may twenty three he wrote the etowah is the rubicon of georgia we are now all in motion like a vast hive of bees and expect to swarm along the chattahoochee in a few days his optimism was ill-founded for the rough terrain and heavy rains favored johnston's smaller force and helped delay the federal advance for five weeks johnston posted his army around allatoona pass a gap in the high hill south of the etowah through which the railroad ran on its way southward to marietta he had again occupied a strong position, hoping that Sherman would attack it.

The Federal Commander, however, aware of the natural strength of the terrain, was determined to avoid a direct assault and cross the river to the west, where the country was more open.

Nevertheless, the Federals made progress toward their objective and on the 24th were closing in on Dallas.

confederate cavalry soon discovered sherman's movement and johnston took steps to meet it by evening of the twenty fourth the southerners held a line east of dallas which ran from southwest to northeast the key to the position was a crossroads at a methodist church named new hope hood's corps held this part of the line Polk and Hardy were to his left.

On May 25, some troops of Thomas' army ran up against Hood's line at New Hope Church.

In a late afternoon battle, fought under dark skies and rolling bursts of thunder, Thomas' men made a series of gallant assaults against the southern line.

We will have some bloody work before we enter that place.

New Hope Church The region south of the Etowah was one of the wildest parts of North Georgia.

The area was sparsely settled, hilly, heavily wooded, and in 1864, little known and poorly mapped.

Sherman expected to push through this region with little delay.

Hood's corps held this part of the line.

Polk and Hardee were to his left.

On May 25th, some troops of Thomas' army ran up against Hood's line at New Hope Church.

In a late afternoon battle, fought under dark skies and rolling bursts of thunder, Thomas' men made a series of gallant assaults against the southern line.