02/20/09

Photo Gallery: "Georgia's Militia at Griffin"

For pictures of the cemetery and memorial park site on which this marker stands, see the "Confederate Cemetery" sign for this county.

Sign text:

On Nov. 15, 1864, Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith, CSA, was at Lovejoy's Station (13 miles N) with 2800 infantry of the First Division, Georgia Militia, 3 batteries, and about 250 local reserve cavalry, to support Iverson's division of Wheeler's cavalry which was watching for a movement by Gen. Sherman's army toward Macon and Savannah. That morning, Gen. Sherman began his March to the Sea. Elements of his Right Wing marched from White Hall (West End) near Atlanta toward Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station.

Although prepared to fight a delaying action in works built at Lovejoy's Station by the Army of Tennessee following its evacuation of Atlanta, in the late afternoon Gen. Smith learned that the Union column had turned SE, 4 miles N of Jonesboro, toward Stockbridge and McDonough. At dark, he withdrew his force to the fortifications at Griffin to protect the hospital center here.

Late the next day (16th), having learned that the Union forces had moved through McDonough (17 miles NE) toward Jackson and Macon, he withdrew his command to Forsyth (30 miles SE) to protect that defenseless town and to keep his troops in a position to delay the enemy's advance toward Macon.

126-13 Georgia Historical Commission 1957