I got a short note from McPherson that day (written at 2 p.m., when he was within a mile and a half of the railroad, above and near Resaca), and we all felt jubilant.

I renewed orders to Thomas and Schofield to be ready for the instant pursuit of what I expected to be a broken and disordered army, forced to retreat by roads to the east of Resaca, which were known to be very rough and impracticable.
That night I received further notice from McPherson that he had found Resaca too strong for a surprise; that in consequence he had fallen back three miles to the month of Snake Creek Gap, and was there fortified.

I wrote him the next day the following letters, copies of which are in my letter-book; but his to me were mere notes in pencil, not retained.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN THE FIELD, TUNNEL HILL, GEORGIA, May 11, 1864 Major-General McPHERSON, commanding army of the Tennessee, Sugar Valley, Georgia.
GENERAL: I received by courier (in the night) yours of 5 and 8.30 P.M.of yesterday.
You now have your twenty-three thousand men, and General Hooker is in close support, so that you can hold all of Jos.

Johnston's army in check should he abandon Dalton.

He cannot afford to abandon Dalton, for he has fixed it up on purpose to receive us, and he observes that we are close at hand, waiting for him to quit.