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Battle of Griswoldville Historical Marker
- Battle of Griswoldville Historical
Marker
- Located at Griswoldville Monument on Baker Rd. off
Ga. 57 via Ridge Rd.
(Text)
- BATTLE OF GRISWOLDVILLE:
THE BIG PICTURE
On Nov. 15, 1864, [Union] Maj.
Gen. W.T. Sherman left Atlanta on his devastating "march
to the Sea." His force divided into two wings and feinted
toward Macon and Augusta while on their way to the capital at
Milledgeville. [Confed.] General William J. Hardee opposed Sherman
with cavalry under Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler and state troops
and militia. Hardee realized the move toward Macon was a feint
and ordered [Confed.] General Gustavus W. Smith with his Georgia
Militia, the Athens and Augusta Defense Battalions and two regiments
of the Georgia State Line to protect Augusta and its valuable
industries and arsenal. Most of these troops under [Confed.]
Brig. Gen. Pleasant J. Philips caught up with the right flank
of Sherman's right wing under the command of [Union] Brig. Gen.
Charles Walcutt. For some never adequately explained reason,
Philips order his Confederates to attack the veteran Union troops
who were lightly fortified along this ridge. The Confederates
passed through the still smoldering Griswoldville, set afire
by [Union] cavalry the day before, and saw the first real results
of the devastation being wrought upon their homeland. The Confederates,
mostly old men and boys, attacked with great courage and vigor,
but failed to change any part of Sherman's plan in the only pitched
infantry battle on the March to Sea.
143-12 GEORGIA DEPARTMENT
OF NATURAL RESOURCES 1998
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