Post and garrison duty at Chattanooga, Tennessee, until November, 1864. Action at Dalton, Georgia, October 13, 1864. Battle of Nashville, December 15–16. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17–28. Post and garrison duty at Chattanooga in the District of East Tennessee, and in the Department of Georgia until April 1866. The regiment was captured at Dalton, Georgia in the largest surrender of African American soldiers during the war. Men in the 44th had previously gotten into a shouting match with Arkansas POWs en route to Atlanta for exchange for white U.S. POWs. Gen.
Patrick Cleburne now let these Arkansas troops lead the charge against the 44th. Hood demanded the garrison surrender and promised no quarter to either race if he had to attack. Rebel soldiers deliberately humiliated the black soldiers by stripping them of shoes, overcoats and hats, actions not taken with the white prisoners. The Rebels put the African-American soldiers to work at tearing up railroad tracks. A black sergeant refused, and his guards killed him. Rebels executed five men for not keeping up with the march. Some Rebels from Mississippi tried to rush and massacre the black prisoners but their commanders intervened. Eventually, the Rebels sent 250 members back to their former masters and impressed 350 as personal servants for officers or as engineer labor in Mississippi and at Mobile, Alabama. By December 1, 1865, only 125 of these men were still alive but in desperate circumstances. Meanwhile, Col. Johnson returned to Tennessee as soon as he was able and recruited again for the regiment, mustering approximately 300 men. Many members of the 44th managed to escape and make their way back to rejoin their regiment. By the Battles around Nashville in December, they were eager for revenge. ==Commanders==