Hunter Hills in Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Battle of Ezra Church / The Preliminary Operations
July 28, 1864
Photographed By Mark Hilton, November 10, 2019
1. The Battle of Ezra Church / The Preliminary Operations Marker
Inscription.
The Battle of Ezra Church, also, The Preliminary Operations. July 28, 1864.
The Battle of Ezra Church
. The Battle of Ezra Church was the third of three desperate Confederate attacks on the forces of Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, which were closing in on Atlanta. The battle lines formed an irregular V extending southeast from the northwest corner of the Happy Haven Nursing Home grounds (Battle Hill Sanitarium), on the Union right, through those grounds and the Frank L. Stanton School grounds, and on across Mozley Drive, at Racine Street, to the intersection of Archer Street and Laurel Avenue. There it turned sharply northeast along old Chapel Road (obliterated save for a few yards north from this site), recrossed Mozley Drive, passed east of Ezra Church (which occupied this site), and crossed the ACL RR west of Chappell Road, The left of the battle line rested some 200 yards north of the railroad. heavy fighting occurred here along the old Chapel Road. and a the strong salient formed by the point of the V, at Archer and Laurel, the most determined Confederate attacks, were directed at the right of the Union position, "entrenched on Battle Hill, and all along the line extending from the nursing home grounds to the Frank L. Stanton School.
The Preliminary Operations
. Almost three months of fighting had preceded the Battle of Ezra Church. After 70 days of slow retreat from Dalton (88 miles north of Atlanta), forcing Sherman's men to fight for every mile, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate Army' of Tennessee (Hardee's, Hood's and Stewart's corps, and Wheeler's cavalry corps) had crossed the Chattahoochee River at Bolton late on July 9th and retired toward Atlanta.
The Preliminary Operations, Cont..
The city was encircled by 12 miles of fortifications which Sherman later deemed "unassailable". Johnston was confident that he could hold Atlanta “forever", but he did not intend to become besieged. He had watched for a time when Sherman's wings might be separated beyond mutual support. Now he sensed that the right wing – Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas Army of the Cumberland (4th, 14th and 20th corps) – would cross the river north of Atlanta and move south over Peachtree Creek while the left wing Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee (15th 16th and 17th corps) – would cross upriver and approach from the east. While they were separated, he planned to smash Thomas at Peachtree Creek, then mass his army against McPherson. To delay McPherson while he defeated Thomas, he posted Hood's Corps east of Atlanta. Hardee's and Stewart’s corps remained north of Atlanta to attack Thomas at Peachtree Creek: On the 17th, Johnston announced his plans; but that night he was replaced by Gen. John B. Hood, a far less able commander. As Johnston had foreseen Thomas moved to cross Peachtree Creek while McPherson crossed upriver (at Roswell), and approached from the east. On the 20th, Hood ordered Hardee and Stewart to attack Thomas. Although their men fought valiantly, without Johnston's leadership, matters became confused. When the Battle of Peachtree Creek ended, Hood had lost 4,796 officers and men, killed, wounded and missing. Thomas had lost but 1,779. On the 21st, McPherson was within artillery range of downtown Atlanta. Leaving Stewart to hold the city, Hood sent Hardee's Corps southeast of Atlanta where, about noon on the 22nd, it struck McPherson's left. Later, Hood's Corps attacked McPherson's right. Both attacks attained temporary successes, but when dark ended the Battle of Atlanta Hood's reported loss was 8,499, the Union loss 3,722. McPherson himself lay among the dead. Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard was assigned to succeed him. Immediately, the Army of the Tennessee was shifted from the left to the right of Sherman's lines to attempt to cut the railroads near East Point. Before, noon on the 28th, Dodge's 16th and Blair’s 17th corps were in positions along Chappell Road, facing Atlanta. Logan 15th Corps, which was to bear the brunt of the fighting, was about to become engaged in the Battle of Ezra Church.
The Battle of Ezra Church
The Battle of Ezra Church was the third of three desperate Confederate
attacks on the forces of Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, which were closing in
on Atlanta. The battle lines formed an irregular V extending southeast
from the northwest corner of the Happy Haven Nursing Home grounds (Battle Hill Sanitarium), on the Union right, through those grounds and the Frank L. Stanton School grounds, and on across Mozley Drive, at Racine Street, to the intersection of Archer Street and Laurel Avenue. There it turned sharply northeast along old Chapel Road (obliterated save for a few yards
north from this site), recrossed Mozley Drive, passed east of Ezra Church
(which occupied this site), and crossed the ACL RR west of Chappell Road,
The left of the battle line rested some 200 yards north of the railroad.
heavy fighting occurred here along the old Chapel Road. and a
the strong salient formed by the point of the V, at Archer and Laurel,
the most determined Confederate attacks, were directed at the right of
the Union position, "entrenched on Battle Hill, and all along the line
extending from the nursing home grounds to the Frank L. Stanton School.
The Preliminary Operations
Almost three months of fighting had preceded the Battle of Ezra Church.
After
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70 days of slow retreat from Dalton (88 miles north of Atlanta),
forcing Sherman's men to fight for every mile, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's
Confederate Army' of Tennessee (Hardee's, Hood's and Stewart's corps, and
Wheeler's cavalry corps) had crossed the Chattahoochee River at Bolton
late on July 9th and retired toward Atlanta.
The Preliminary Operations, Cont.
The city was encircled by 12 miles of fortifications which Sherman
later deemed "unassailable". Johnston was confident that he could hold
Atlanta “forever", but he did not intend to become besieged. He had watched
for a time when Sherman's wings might be separated beyond mutual support.
Now he sensed that the right wing – Maj. Gen. Geo. H. Thomas Army of the
Cumberland (4th, 14th and 20th corps) – would cross the river north of
Atlanta and move south over Peachtree Creek while the left wing
Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee (15th 16th and 17th corps)
– would cross upriver and approach from the east. While they were
separated, he planned to smash Thomas at Peachtree Creek, then mass his
army against McPherson. To delay McPherson while he defeated Thomas, he
posted Hood's Corps east of Atlanta. Hardee's and Stewart’s corps remained
north of Atlanta to attack Thomas at Peachtree Creek: On the 17th, Johnston
announced his plans; but
Photographed By Mark Hilton, November 10, 2019
2. The Preliminary Operations con't Marker
that night he was replaced by Gen. John B. Hood,
a far less able commander. As Johnston had foreseen Thomas moved to
cross Peachtree Creek while McPherson crossed upriver (at Roswell), and
approached from the east. On the 20th, Hood ordered Hardee and Stewart
to attack Thomas. Although their men fought valiantly, without Johnston's
leadership, matters became confused. When the Battle of Peachtree Creek
ended, Hood had lost 4,796 officers and men, killed, wounded and missing.
Thomas had lost but 1,779. On the 21st, McPherson was within artillery
range of downtown Atlanta. Leaving Stewart to hold the city, Hood sent
Hardee's Corps southeast of Atlanta where, about noon on the 22nd, it
struck McPherson's left. Later, Hood's Corps attacked McPherson's right.
Both attacks attained temporary successes, but when dark ended the
Battle of Atlanta Hood's reported loss was 8,499, the Union loss 3,722.
McPherson himself lay among the dead. Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard was assigned
to succeed him. Immediately, the Army of the Tennessee was shifted from
the left to the right of Sherman's lines to attempt to cut the railroads
near East Point. Before, noon on the 28th, Dodge's 16th and Blair’s 17th corps
were in positions along Chappell Road, facing Atlanta. Logan 15th Corps,
which was to bear the brunt of the fighting, was about to become engaged
in the Battle of Ezra Church.
Erected by
Photographed By Mark Hilton, November 10, 2019
3. The Battle of Ezra Church / The Preliminary Operations Markers are the first two on left.
Georgia Historical Commission, Georgia Civil War Centennial Commission.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Georgia Historical Society series list. A significant day of the year for for this entry is July 9.
Location. 33° 45.202′ N, 84° 26.213′ W. Marker is in Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County. It is in Hunter Hills. Marker is on M.L.K. Jr Drive SW east of Wellington Street SW, on the left when traveling east. Located in Mozley Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1565 MLK Jr Drive SW, Atlanta GA 30314, United States of America. Touch for directions.
4. Nearby map of The Battle of Ezra Church marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 368 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 29, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
