Adairsville, Georgia

Adairsville, Georgia 

Adairsville, Ga., May 16-18, 1864. 4th Corps, Army of the Cumberland. Gen. Walker's division of Hardee's (Confederate) corps, consisting of the brigades of Gist, Mercer, Jackson and Stevens, had been at Calhoun for several days.

On the morning of the 16th, the 4th corps, Army of the Cumberland, Maj.-Gen. O. O. Howard commanding, crossed the Oostanaula river over a bridge that had been burned, but which members of the organization had repaired, and after driving in the Confederate skirmishers, encamped near Calhoun.

In the afternoon Hardee's skirmish line was strengthened and an advance, with a view to developing the Federal strength, was made by Walker and Cleburne. About 1 a. m., May 17, Hardee's corps retired slowly, holding the Federals in check with cavalry and reached Adairsville 7 miles from Calhoun, about noon. Newton's division was in the Federal advance.

Until late in the afternoon there was heavy skirmishing with the cavalry of Cheatham and Wheeler who intrenched themselves in several strong positions along the road, from each of which they were dislodged. That day Johnston's army at Adairsville was reinforced by French's division of Polk's corps and William H. Jackson's division. On the morning of the 18th, the Federals at Adairsville found that Johnston had gone. Hardee's corps had marched to Kingston, Polk's and Hood's to Cassville.

Johnston had intended to turn back and meet the column following him from Adairsville. On the 19th, Polk started back on the Adairsville road and Hood on a road parallel with it. Learning that Federals were approaching in the rear and right of the position that he had just vacated, Hood fell back and took position beyond the Canton road. The Confederates, according to Gen. Thomas' report had ''fallen back in echelon of divisions steadily and in superb order into Cassville.''

Source: The Union Army, vol. 5