General John Bell Hood to James A. Seddon, October 15, 1864

NINE MILES SOUTH OF LA FAYETTE, GA.,        

October 15, 1864. (Via Selma 17th.)

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

        Secretary of War:

This army struck the communications of the enemy about a mile above Resaca on the 12th instant, completely destroying the railroad, including the block-houses, from that point to within a short distance of Tunnel Hill, about four miles of the Cleveland railroad, capturing Dalton and all intermediate garrisons, with their stores, arms, and equipments, and about 1,000 prisoners. The main body of Sherman's army seems to be moving toward Dalton.

J. B. HOOD,        

General.

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 39, Part 2 (Serial No. 79), p. 820; John Bell Hood, Advance and Retreat, p. 262

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: September 7, 1864

Clear and cool; rained in the night.

Gen. J. H. Morgan is dead,—surprised and killed in Tennessee,—and his staff captured.

Gen. Hood telegraphs that the enemy is still retreating—toward Atlanta, I suppose.

The cruiser Tallahassee having run into Wilmington, that port is now pretty effectually closed by an accumulation of blockaders.

It is said Gen. Forrest has blown up Tunnel Hill; if so, Sherman must be embarrassed in getting supplies of ordnance stores.

Sir Wm. Armstrong has sent from England one or two splendid guns (a present) to our government, with equipments, etc. And the manufacturers have presented us with a battery of Whitworth guns, six in number, but they have not arrived yet.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 278-9

Major Charles Fessenden Morse: May 6, 1864

Four Miles S. W. Ringgold, Ga.,

May 6, 1864.

An opportunity offers to write and send a letter, and I avail myself of it.

We left Tullahoma on the 28th of April, and, after a series of hard marches, arrived here last night, having come about a hundred miles. If I had time, I would write particulars of this trip, as it was, in some respects, a very interesting one.

We are now in position about five miles from Tunnel Hill. Our corps forming the right flank of the army. In front of and extending along our line is Taylor's Ridge, where we picket. Sherman is evidently concentrating a very large force here. The troops from Knoxville are at Ringgold, and McPherson is moving Logan's Corps somewhere off on our right.

We all have perfect confidence that, if we can get at these beggars over there, we can give them an awful thrashing; but the question is, will they wait for our attack? I believe, though, it is Sherman's plan to follow them up very rapidly, as transportation for everything except rations is reduced to the minimum.

SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 164