Hood believed that he had an opportunity to inflict a defeat on the Union forces in front of his corps and ordered an assault. However, Hooker's and Schofield's troops were deployed in good positions and they repulsed Hood's soldiers with serious losses.
After Hooker made his battle report, a dispute arose between him and Sherman. This was caused by an exaggerated claim made by Hooker and a probable misunderstanding on Sherman's part. Already there was mistrust between the two generals and the dispute only made relations worse.
Though the Union won a tactical victory at Kolb's Farm, Sherman's maneuver to turn the Confederate left flank appeared to be blocked. Frustrated in his attempts to outflank Johnston's army, Sherman ordered a frontal assault five days later. Grant ordered Sherman, "to move against Johnston's army, to break it up, and to get into the interior of the enemy's country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can against their war resources".
Sherman commanded elements of three armies. Sherman began his campaign with almost , men, including Thomas' 60, and guns, McPherson's 25, and 96 guns, and Schofield's 14, men and 28 guns.
Bate , Benjamin F. Cheatham , Patrick Cleburne , and William H. Hood's corps comprised the divisions of Major Generals Thomas C. Hindman , Carter L. Stevenson , and Alexander P. Polk's corps was made up of the divisions of Major Generals Edward C. As recently as the Battle of Cassville on May 19, the Confederate army had numbered 70,β74, troops. Since then, Johnston's army sustained about 3, casualties in the fighting near Dallas. The Atlanta campaign began on May 7, , when Sherman's forces began to advance.
