OPPOSING SHERMAN’S ADVANCE TO ATLANTA.
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^Movement of the Federal army to its right, and one report that GeneralMcPherson’s troops were moving from Snake Creek Gap toward Resaca.ciieral Polk, who had just reached that place with Loring’s division, was°harged with its defense.
General Wheeler was directed to move next morning with all the availableCavalry around the north end of Rocky-fa.ce, to learn if a general movementthe enemy was in progress. He was to be supported by Hindman’s divi-Sl ° n - In this reconnoissance General Stoneman’s division of cavalry was^countered and driven back. The information gained confirmed the reports0 the day before.
^hout 10 o’clock a. m. of the 13tli the Confederate army moved from Dal-
';' 11 a,]( l reached Resaca just as the Federal troops approaching from Snakeee k Gap were encountering Loring’s division a mile from the station. Theirapproach was delayed long enough by Loring’s opposition to give me time toeet the ground to be occupied by our troops. And while they were taking-p ls ground the Federal army was forming in front of them. The left ofc ’ s corps occupied the west face of the intrenchment of Resaca. Hardee’salso facing to the west, formed the center. Hood’s, its left divisioncuig p, the west and the two others to the north-west, was on the right,i yj crossing the railroad, reached the Connasauga. The enemy skirmishedl |skly with the left half of our line all the afternoon.
I 11 the 14th spirited fighting was maintained by the enemy on the whole° n L a very vigorous attack being made on Hindman’s division of Hood’sPs, which was handsomely repulsed. In the meantime General Wheelerjj. s Erected to ascertain the position and formation of the Federal left.3bt 1>e t )or t indicating that these were not unfavorable to an attack, Lieuten-f j- 'General Hood was directed to make one with Stewart’s and Stevenson’si'tet 8 ' 0118 , ^hrengthened by four brigades from the center and left. He was% 1 u ^ e, l to make a half change of front to the left to drive the enemy fromTh TiU * roac 4 the object of the operation being to prevent them from using it.^as was extremely well conducted and executed, and before dark (it
a be gnn at 6 p. m.) the enemy was driven from his ground. This eneour-to . 1116 h°P e tor a more important success; so General Hood was directedan r<Ul<nv the fight next morning. His troops were greatly elated by thisa °Uneement, made to them that
0 . mcu. uw evening.
? t, r| P' r ig from the right to the left after nightfall, I was informed that theleft of our line of skirmishers, forty or fifty men, had been driven]\r . their ground,—an elevation near the river,—and received a report fromLaw ~^ G1Je rai Martin that Federal troops were crossing the Oostenaula neareoilg 8 Lerry on a pontoon-bridge — two divisions having already crossed. In;i)u | ®h u ence of this, Walker’s division was sent to Lay’s Ferry immediately,Lre f 6 0l ^ cr t° General Hood was revoked ; also, Lieutenant-Colonel S. W.th e mai h chief engineer, was directed to lay a pontoon-bridge a mile above^Wdroad, and to have the necessary roadway made.
W^tij ar ^ Lghting commenced early on the 15th, and continued until night,VQl S ° mu ch vigor that many of the assailants pressed up to our intrench-