Battle of New Hope Church

The Battle of New Hope Church was fought May 25–26, 1864, between the Union force of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was a result of an attempt by Sherman to outmaneuver Johnston.

This article is about the Battle of New Hope Church, Georgia. For the Battle of New Hope Church, Virginia, see Mine Run Campaign.
Battle of New Hope Church
Part of the American Civil War

New Hope Battlefield Park, a memorial located at the site of the battle
DateMay 25–26, 1864
Location
Paulding County, Georgia
Result Confederate Victory
Belligerents
United States Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
William T. Sherman
Joseph Hooker		 Joseph E. Johnston
Units involved
Military Division of the Mississippi Army of Tennessee
Casualties and losses
1,665 450

Battle
Map of New Hope Church Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.

After Johnston retreated to Allatoona Pass on May 19–20, Sherman decided that he would most likely pay dearly for attacking Johnston there, so he determined to move around Johnston's left flank and steal a march toward Dallas. Johnston anticipated Sherman's move and shifted his army into Sherman's path, centering a new line at New Hope Church. Sherman mistakenly surmised that Johnston had a token force and ordered Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker's XX Corps to attack. Advancing with his three divisions in parallel routes, Hooker pushed the Confederate skirmishers back for three miles, before coming to Johnston's main line.

Difficult terrain prevented Hooker from coordinating his corps' attacks effectively, causing his men to suffer severe casualties, especially from canister and shrapnel. On May 26, both sides entrenched, and skirmishing continued throughout the day. At the end of the battle, Confederate Captain Samuel T. Foster reported that 703 Union soldiers had been killed, as well as 350 taken prisoner. The next day, the Union troops concentrated their efforts in the area towards the northern end of the Confederate line, resulting in the Battle of Pickett's Mill.

Battlefield

Much of the New Hope Church battlefield is today privately owned and is located at the intersection of Bobo Road and Hwy 381 (Dallas Acworth Hwy) in Dallas. The Civil War Trust, a division of the American Battlefield Trust, and its partners have acquired and preserved five acres of the battlefield.[1]

John Wadsworth Vodrey, son of noted American potter Jabez Vodrey, was killed in the battle while serving with the 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.

  • Battle of New Hope Church
  • Breastwork.
  • Confederate entrenchments.

References
  1. American Battlefield Trust "Saved Land" webpage. Accessed May 21, 2018.
  • National Park Service battle description
  • Hope Church Community
  • Kennedy, Frances H., ed., The Civil War Battlefield Guide, 2nd ed., Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998, ISBN 0-395-74012-6.

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