Battle of New Hope Church

The Battle of New Hope Church (May 25–26, 1864) was a clash between the Union Army under Major General William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. Sherman broke loose from his railroad supply line in a large-scale sweep in an attempt to force Johnston's army to retreat from its strong position south of the Etowah River. Sherman hoped that he had outmaneuvered his opponent, but Johnston rapidly shifted his army to the southwest. When the Union XX Corps under Major General Joseph Hooker tried to force its way through the Confederate lines at New Hope Church, its soldiers were stopped with heavy losses.

Earlier in May, Sherman successfully maneuvered Johnston's army into retreating from three separate defensive positions. However, when Sherman's army crossed the Etowah River and attempted to move around Johnston's left flank, the Confederate general anticipated his opponent's intentions. Sherman believed that the way was clear, when in fact, Johnston quickly shifted his army into a blocking position. At New Hope Church, Hooker's corps aggressively pressed forward but its attack received a stinging repulse from one division of John Bell Hood's Confederate corps, which was well-entrenched. Thwarted, Sherman next tried to move around Johnston's right flank.