Second Battle of Dalton

Battle of Dalton Part of the American Civil War Date August 14, 1864 (1864-08-14)–August 15, 1864 (1864-08-15) Location Whitfield County, Georgia Result Union victory Belligerents United States (Union) CSA (Confederacy) Commanders and leaders James B. Steedman Joseph Wheeler Units involved District of Etowah Wheeler's Cavalry Corps Casualties and losses 40 killed 55 wounded[1] ?

Atlanta Campaign Rocky Face Ridge Resaca Adairsville New Hope Church Pickett's Mill Dallas Kolb's Farm Kennesaw Mountain Marietta Noonday Creek Pace's Ferry Peachtree Creek Atlanta Ezra Church Brown's Mill Utoy Creek 2nd Dalton Lovejoy's Station Jonesborough

The Second Battle of Dalton was fought August 14–15, 1864, between Union and Confederate forces in Whitefield County northern Georgia.

Confederate cavalry, commanded by Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler raided the northern part of Georgia to disrupt William T. Sherman's supply lines and destroy railroad track. On August 18 Wheeler demanded the surrender of the Union garrison at Dalton, Georgia commanded by Colonel Bernard Laiboldt. Laibodlt refused and successfully held out within the fortifications even though fighting continued until midnight.^[2]

On August 15 Wheeler called off the attack on Dalton. Union forces from the District of Etowah commanded by Maj. Gen. James B. Steedman arrived from Chattanooga and engaged Wheeler's cavalry as they began to retire. Fighting between Wheeler and Steedman continued for four hours before the Union forces, including a detachment of United States Colored Troops, drove off the Confederates.

The amount of damage inflicted by Wheeler's force during the battle was debatable.^[3] Nevertheless, Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas reported the track south of Dalton was quickly repaired and trains were running by August 17.^[4]

References

• National Park Service battle summary
• CWSAC Report Update and Resurvey: Individual Battlefield Profiles
• Laiboldt's Report as printed in the New York Times

Coordinates: 34°47′20″N 84°58′51″W / 34.7889°N 84.9807°W / 34.7889; -84.9807

Georgia in the American Civil War Pre-War History of slavery in Georgia 1861 Georgia Constitutional Convention (1861) Georgia Militia 1862 Great Locomotive Chase Siege of Fort Pulaski 1863 Battle of Fort McAllister (1863) Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Davis' Cross Roads Battle of Ringgold Gap 1864 Army of the Tennessee Army of Georgia Battle of Rocky Face Ridge Battle of Resaca First Battle of Dalton Battle of Adairsville Battle of New Hope Church Battle of Dallas Battle of Pickett's Mill Battle of Marietta Battle of Kolb's Farm Battle of Pace's Ferry Battle of Brown's Mill Battle of Peachtree Creek Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Battle of Atlanta Battle of Ezra Church Battle of Utoy Creek Second Battle of Dalton Battle of Lovejoy's Station Battle of Jonesborough Battle of Allatoona Battle of Griswoldville Battle of Buck Head Creek Battle of Fort McAllister (1864) Battle of Altamaha Bridge 1865 Battle of West Point Battle of Columbus