Interesting account. Hood was well aware that Sherman's army was in close pursuit as he marched to Gadsden. When Wheeler arrived with his cavalry, Hood deployed the them as his army's rearguard. There were several clashes between Wheeler and Sherman over the next few weeks while Sherman camped at Gaylesville.

Sherman had originally planned to advance on Montgomery from Atlanta and meet Gen. Canby's army, after it had taken Mobile and marched north. However, Canby had been occupied by events in the trans-Mississippi, and Mobile remained safe. Hood and Forrest had successfully cut Sherman's supply line to Nashville since Atlanta fell, and Sherman had detached several army corps to Atlanta and Chattanooga.

Sherman only intended to attack Hood if he moved on Chattanooga. Otherwise, the Federals would move east to Savannah. He remained at Gaylesville for a little over a week, when sure Hood wasn't moving on Chattanooga. It is interesting to think what might have occurred at Gadsden had Sherman continued to move west.