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Photo Gallery: The Stoneman Raid
Marker text:
In July, 1864, Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman's army closed in on
Atlanta. Finding its fortifications "too strong to assault and too extensive
to invest," he sought to force its fall by sending Maj. Gen. Geo. Stoneman,
with three brigades (2112 men and 2 guns) of the Army of the Ohio cavalry,
supported by Garrard's division, Army of the Cumberland cavalry, to cut the
Central of Georgia R.R. by which the defenders were supplied. On the 27th,
Stoneman sent Garrard to Flat Rock (12 miles SE) to protect is rear, then
left Decatur, crossed the Ocmulgee (Yellow) River near Covington, and turned
down the left bank toward Monticello and Macon.
Near Macon on the 30th, he detached part of the 14th Illinois Cavalry which
wrecked railway facilities at Griswoldville, Gordon, McIntyre and Toomsboro
(east of Macon), and burned trains, trestles and the long railway bridge
over the Oconee River.
At Macon (95 miles SE), he was turned back by Georgia Militia, strongly
intrenched. Unable to advance, he shelled Macon briefly, then attempted to
retreat. Early next morning, Sunday the 31st, he was brough tot bay at
Sunshine Church (19 miles NE of Macon) by Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson, Jr.,
who, with only 1300 cavalry, had marched to intercept him. Deluded into
believing that he was being surrounded, Stoneman covered the escape
northward of Adams' and Capron's brigades, then he surrendered, with about
600 men and his artillery and train, to what Iverson had managed to convince
him was a substantially superior force.
044-83 Georgia Historical Commission 1957
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