Loring's Report: Resaca to New Hope Church

HEADQUARTERS LORING'S DIVISION,

In the Field, near New Hope Church, June 1, 1864.

In obedience to orders I have the honor to submit the following memoranda of this division from the time of its arrival at Resaca until the 31st ultimo: Scott's brigade arrived at Resaca on the 10th of May, followed by Adams', on the 11th, and Featherston's brigade on the 12th. Myself and staff arrived with Adams on the 11th. The advance of McPherson's corps was reported, on my arrival, to be halted four miles west of Resaca. On the morning of the 13th the enemy resumed his advance upon Resaca, driving our cavalry slowly before him. Receiving orders from you to throw forward a brigade to check his advance, Scott's brigade was moved forward and took position in line on Bald Knob, about a mile west of town. About 1 p. m. the brigade became warmly engaged, and held the enemy in check three hours, and could have maintained its position longer, but was ordered to retire into our line of intrenchments. It drew off in perfect order and took position on the right of Vaughan's brigade, Cantey's division. Adams' was drawn up on the right of Scott's, with Featherston's in rear as reserve. I ordered breast-works thrown up on both front and rear lines, which the men set about with great spirit and speedily accomplished. Bouanchaud's, Barry's, Cown's, and Charpertier's batteries were placed in position on a high range of hills on line of Cantey's division. The losses occurring in the division after forming behind the intrenchments resulted from heavy shelling of the enemy and his sharpshooters, there being no heavy engagement on the part of the line it occupied. The entire loss of the division at Resaca up to the time the place was evacuated, on the night of the 16th, was 184 killed, wounded, and missing.

On the morning of the 18th my division was ordered by the commanding general to bring up the rear with the assistance of Wheeler's cavalry. The enemy pushed the rear of the column closely, when Scott's brigade, with a section of the Pointe Coupee Battery, was ordered to report to Major-General Wheeler to assist in checking his advance. This brigade, with the section of artillery, was placed in position two miles and a half south of Calhoun, and after a slight skirmish drew off safely in good order and rejoined the division on the march. On arriving at Cassville the division was placed in position, skirmished with the enemy, and retired at night with the main body of the army.

On the evening of the 25th instant the division took position near and to the left of New Hope Church, the line running north and south across the Dallas road.

On the night of the 27th the division was moved two miles to the right to its present position, on the line previously occupied by Major-General Hindman, of Lieutenant-General Hoods' corps. Heavy skirmishing and at times furious bombardments by night and day from the enemy have saluted the division on its present line.

On the morning of the 31st ultimo a request was made by Lieutenant-General hood that this division would co-operate with him in feeling the position on the enemy to ascertain if he were in full force. In compliance with this request the line of skirmishers of Scott's and Featherston's brigades were thrown forward after General Hindman's skirmishes had advanced forty or fifty yards. When the right of Featherston's line had advanced 250 yards in a dense thicket of woods, they came suddenly on the breast-works of the enemy's sharpshooters, with a line of support in rear of them. Our skirmishers speedily dislodged them from this position, but were simultaneously opened upon by a galling fire from the enemy's main work, 150 yards in rear. The enemy being discovered to be in strong force behind a strong line of fortifications, our men were ordered to retire, which they did, and took up position a little in advance of their original line. In this engagement Featherston's brigade suffered severely for the number engaged. [33rd casualties] Scott's loss was slight. Featherston's loss, 24 killed, 98 wounded, and 4 missing; Scott's loss, 1 killed and 3 or 4 wounded. The entire loss of the division from the time it arrived at Resaca to the 31st ultimo is 341 killed, wounded, and missing.

Respectfully submitted.
W. W. LORING,
Major-General.

Source: Official Records: Vol. 38, Pt. III, Pg. 874-875.