Dalton, GA
Also known as BUZZARD ROOST GAP and Crow's Valley
February 23 - 26, 1864

Dalton, Ga., Feb. 23-26, 1864. Demonstration by Maj.-
Gen. John M. Palmer. About the middle of February Maj.-Gen.
George H. Thomas, commanding tile Department of the
Cumberland, received information that Gen. J. E. Johnston had
weakened his forces in the vicinity of Dalton to send
reinforcements to Polk and Longstreet. On Sunday, the 21st,
in order to determine the truth of these reports he directed
Gen. Palmer to take his corps (the 14th) and Cruft's division
of the 4th corps and make a demonstration towards Dalton,
develop the enemy's strength and gain possession of the town
if possible. Enyart's brigade of Cruft's division was left to
cover the roads about Red Clay and Matthies' brigade of the
15th corps, Col. W. A. Dickerman commanding, was assigned to
Cruft instead. His command then consisted of Dickerman's,
Champion's and Grose's infantry brigades and detachments of
the 4th Mich. and 4th Ohio cavalry, respectively commanded by
Capts. W. W. Van Antwerp and P. H. Warner. Palmer's three
divisions were commanded by Brig.Gens. R. W. Johnson, J. C.
Davis and Absalom Baird. The 2nd brigade, 2nd cavalry
division, under Col. Eli Long, and three regiments of
unassigned cavalry were with the 14th corps and five light
batteries accompanied the expedition. On the 22nd the enemy's
cavalry pickets were driven from the roads about Varnell's
station and 3 prisoners captured by Grose and Van Antwerp, and
the next day Long attacked a Confederate camp less than 4
miles from Dalton, capturing 12 prisoners.

On the morning of the 24th Baird's division was south of
Taylor's ridge, near Ringgold, Johnson and Davis were in
advance toward Tunnel Hill, Long, supported by Grose's
brigade, was at Varnell's station, and the remainder of
Cruft's division was at Lee's house, on the road leading from
Red Clay to Tunnel Hill. The advance was made in three
columns. After the right and left had moved out some distance
the center column pushed forward, but was soon met by an
accurate, long-range fire from a battery of Parrott guns and
held in check until the right and left columns flanked the
battery and forced it to retire. Davis then threw Morgan's
brigade to a hill about half a mile north of the tunnel, from
which the enemy's skirmishers were driven down the ridge
towards Buzzard Roost. By the time this had been done Davis
rode forward and ordered his skirmishers to occupy a range of
hills in front. The Confederates were quickly driven from
these hills, after which the skirmish line was pushed forward
toward Buzzard Roost gap, where the enemy was found strongly
posted and the skirmishers were checked by a sharp fire of
both musketry and artillery. Johnson's division now came to
Davis' support, but the day was so far advanced that further
operations were postponed until the next morning and the two
commands went into bivouac. About noon Grose left Lee's
house, crossed over to the east side of Rocky Face ridge and
then turned south towards Dalton. At 2:30 he came up with
Long's cavalry at the junction of the Dalton road and the road
leading to Buzzard Roost gap, and the two commands moved
forward to feel the enemy. Near Glaize's house, about 3 miles
from Dalton, Long encountered a strong force of Confederate
infantry in position on the railroad below the gap and after a
spirited skirmish, in which Grose's men joined, the enemy was
driven to the cover of his rifle-pits. This part of the
reconnaissance developed the fact that the enemy was prepared
to make a vigorous resistance to the occupancy of Dalton.

At 3 a.m. on the 25th Baird left Tunnel Hill, and at the
same hour Cruft left Lee's house, both under instructions to
join Grose and Long on the Dalton road and then move down the
eastern side of Rocky Face ridge in an endeavor to force the
enemy out of his position in the gap by threatening his right
and rear, while Davis and Johnson attacked him in front.
Notwithstanding a heavy mist, which obscured the sight, Davis
began skirmishing with the enemy at an early hour, and the
firing was kept up with considerable vigor all the forenoon.
On the east side of the ridge Palmer arrived about 8 a.m. and
took command. Baird's division was thrown to the right of the
line of attack; Cruft formed his division with Grose on the
right, Champion on the left and Dickerman in the center, the
cavalry being thrown out to cover the left flank. During the
formation of the line the artillery was brought into action to
develop the enemy's position, and shortly after 11 o'clock
Palmer ordered an advance. The line moved forward for about a
mile, when the enemy was found, strongly posted on a wooded
ridge. This position was carried by Grose and Champion in a
brisk fight, the Confederates falling back to another ridge.
The artillery was then planted on the first ridge and opened
on the enemy, who replied vigorously, but Cruft held his
position there for the remainder of the day. About 3 p.m.
Champion made an assault on the Confederate right, but it was
not wholly successful. The enemy threatened all the
afternoon, but did not make any attack, the fighting being
confined to skirmishing and artillery firing on both sides.

When Davis heard the sound of Baird's and Cruft's
artillery in the morning he directed Morgan and McCook,
commanding his 1st and 3rd brigades, to push forward a heavy
line of skirmishers to keep the Confederates from massing
against the Union troops east of the ridge. At 3 p.m., the
time that Champion made his attack he heard the increased
firing, which led him to believe that only a strong skirmish
line was in his front, while the main body had been
concentrated against Baird and Cruft. To ascertain the real
situation the skirmish lines were strengthened and advanced,
while the batteries of Harris and Hotchkiss opened fire on the
rifle-pits. For some time the enemy did not deign to reply,
but the steady and well directed fire of the batteries and the
advance of the skirmish line finally brought a response that
completely disclosed his position. In this part of the action
Morgan's brigade suffered by being exposed to an enfilading
artillery fire and a direct fire of infantry in front.
Johnson's division had been held in reserve during the day but
toward evening the brigades of King and Hambright relieved
Davis' skirmishers, and the close of the day was marked by a
well matched contest between the sharpshooters on both sides,
which continued until after dark. By this time it had been
effectually demonstrated that Johnston had not weakened his
force and the order was given for the Union troops to retire
to their former positions. Some slight skirmishing occurred
on the 26th as Palmer withdrew, but it was not attended by any
important results. The Federal loss during the entire
reconnaissance was 43 killed, 267 wounded and 35 missing.
Impartial returns give Confederate casualties amounting to 167
in killed and wounded, but as only two commands reported, the
total loss was doubtless much heavier. (This action is also
called Crow's Valley.)

Source: The Union Army, vol. 5