Category: Civil War Battlefields

Catching Up: Photography Days 38, 39, 40, and 41 are complete

I have been very busy of late and have not been able to update the website as quickly as I would like so I am combining multiple post here.

Day 38:  I photographed the Battle of Atlanta reenactment and had a fantastic time.  It was really one of the best reenactments that I have seen this year.  The field was covered with infantry and cavalry.  There were about 40 cannons firing as well.  I am looking forward to next years event.

Day 39:  I went to the Living History event at Allatoona Pass on Saturday morning to make some candid shots of the reenactors during the day then went home for a little while, before returning to make images of the cannons firing at night during the candle light tour.  Really great shots.

Day 40:  I returned to the Living History event at Allatoona Pass and took my boys with me.  They love to see the cannon fire.  I was able to capture more candid images as well as a great shot of the Cherokee Battery firing. 

Day 41:  I again returned to Allatoona Pass on Monday to do an extensive photographic study of the earthworks and the old railroad bed. 

150 Years Ago Today: Late September

Late September 1864:
     Sherman has fortified Atlanta extensively and has started to build up supplies and rest his troops.  The Confederates are not sitting idle, and Hood has ordered all the Federal prisoners kept at Andersonville to be moved to different prisons out of the reach of Sherman’s forces.  Hood then shifts his Army from Love Joy’s Station to Palmetto, which lies along the railroad to West Point and further into Alabama.  Hood is resting his troops, building up supplies and making plans for a move to the north to attack Sherman’s supply line.
     Confederate President Davis arrives in Palmetto on September 25th.  The next morning he begins a review of the troops and is greeted with silence, not cheers for their President.  A few soldiers yell out to the President asking for General Johnston to be place back in command, but these remarks fall upon deaf ears.  Bringing Johnston back would be like admitting the he made a mistake in removing him.
     On the 27th, Davis meets will Hood and all his Corps Commanders and some of the Divisional Commanders.  A great deal is discussed including a plan to strike Sherman’s supply and communications lines north of Atlanta, there by cutting him off and forcing him to retreat back to Tennessee, all the while being engaged by Hood.  Hood then thinks he can move on the Federals in Tennessee and turn the tide of the war in the western theater and possibly as a whole.  Hood also complains to Davis about General Hardee and blames the loss at Jonesboro on him.  He ask Davis to remove him.  Davis agrees and Hardee readily accepts the offer to command the coastal defenses of Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.  Hardee is relieved to out from under Hood’s command.  On the 28th, Hood receives word from Davis that he may move forward with his plans to on North.
     On September 29th and 30th, the Confederate Army of Tennessee begins their next march and cross the Chattahoochee River near Palmetto and Campbellton about 40,000 troops.  By late in the evening of October 1st, Hoods army has moved about 8 miles from the river crossing in the direction of Marietta.  Sherman, who had anticipated this move to the north by Hood a week earlier, had already sent troops to Rome and to Chattanooga to help protect those areas from the threat of Hood and from the threat of General Nathan Bedford Forrest cavalry that has started operating in the northern part of Alabama and into Tennessee.

Day 37 of Photography is done! The Tunnel Hill Reenactment

This past Sunday I took my children with me to the Tunnel Hill Reenactment and we had a great time.  Sunday was a great day to go since it was not too crowded.  The reenactors put on a great performance for use.  What can I say, I love cannons!

The images are on my website here:  Reenactment Images

150 Years Ago Today: Sept. 1st, 1864 The Battle of Jonesboro, Day 2

Sept. 1st, 1864:
     With S.D. Lee’s Corps having been sent back to Atlanta, Hardee was left to defend Jonesboro and the railroad with only his single Corps. to defend against the entire Federal Army of the Tennessee.  Grossly outnumbered, Hardee deployed is Corps across the line that he had previously occupied with two Corps.  Carter’s Division formed the Confederate left, Brown’s Division was placed in the center and Cleburne’s Division placed on the right and formed a salient angle with a refuse at the Warren house to the railroad.  The brigade at the very extreme end of the right flank was commanded by States R. Gist.  He ordered his men to go out ahead of the line and cut, bend over, and entangle as many trees as possible to try and even the odds with as much “abatis” as possible.  This would later prove to be a very wise decision that prevented the Federal IV Corps under Stanley’s command from being able to reach the Confederate flank and turn it.
     The attack by the Federals began at 4:00pm.  Logan’s XV Corps attacked the Confederates from the west and Davis’s XIV Corps attacked the Salient in the Confederate line from the north west.  Stanley’s IV Corps attempted to attack from the north by moving south along the railroad, but was unable to penetrate the abatis of Gist Brigade.  Davis’s XIV Corps assaulted and overran the Salient in the Confederate line.  This portion of the line was held by Govan’s Arkansas Brigade and Lewis’ Kentucky Orphan Brigade.  They were overrun so rapidly that General Govan himself was captured along with 600 men and 8 cannons.  Cleburne ordered Magevney’s Brigade to fill the gap and reform the line.  They were able to do so and held off the remainder of the Federal assault. 
     After darkness fell, Hardee ordered a retreat of all his forces.  They fell back six miles south to Love Joy’s Station where they entrenched.  He sent dispatch to Hood detailing that Jonesboro had fallen and that the railroad was in Sherman’s hands. 
     Having lost his supply lines, Hood has no choice but to evacuate Atlanta and attempt to reunite the remainder of his army at Love Joy’s Station.  He orders A.P. Stewart’s Corps and the Georgia Militia in the defenses of Atlanta to evacuate the city.  S.D. Lee’s Corps, which has marched all night toward Atlanta, after having fought a battle the previous day, is turned around only a mile or so from the city and has to march southward toward Love Joy’s Station.  With the railroad cut, Hood orders the Cavalry to act as a rearguard and when the Army is out of the city, they are to set fire to and blow up the munitions train at the rolling mill.  The rolling mill was at the present day location of Decatur and Boulevard.  The explosions last for hours and can be heard all they way to Jonesboro. 

150 Years Ago Today: August 30th, 1864

August 30th, 1864:
     Having left the area of Red Oak and Fairburn, the Federal army advances on Jonesboro and the Western & Atlantic Railroad.  Howard’s Corps is the first one to cross the Flint River.  Howard’s troops come under fire as they approach the Flint River.  The Confederates are trying to delay them and as the retreat across the river toward Jonesboro, they set fire to the bridge.  The men of Logan’s XV Corps dash across the burning bridge, some providing cover fire and others putting out the flames and saving a usable portion of the bridge.  They purse the Confederates to the edge of the city and then fall back to high ground between the river and Jonesboro.  They dig in on the eastern side of the river in an area that is now Hynds Springs Road near the intersection of 138. 

150 Years Ago Today: August 29th, 1864

August 29th, 1864:
     The Federal Army, having reached the West Point railroad at Red Oak and Fairburn on the previous day, spend the 29th destroying 12.5 miles of track.  They burn the ties and lay the track across them to heat them and then bend them around trees.  They fill the railroad cuts with trees, rocks, dirt, and in some cases they rig up artillery shells in the debris to explode if material is moved.  There is also a great deal of looting and pillaging of the local populace.  Livestock and of food stuffs are taken along with anything the looters deem useful.  Some things are destroyed just for fun.  On the night of the 29th, Sherman issues marching orders for the next day.  In the morning they will begin moving toward Jonesboro.

150 Years Ago Today: August 27th, 1864

August 27th, 1864:
     The first of Sherman’s troops reach Camp Creek on the morning of the 27th.  The Federal IV Corps is moving toward Camp Creek from the area around Utoy Creek.  Hood, is increasingly concerned about the possibility of Sherman attempting a flanking movement to attack the railroad at Rough and Read (now called Mountain View, which is directly east of the Atlanta airport between I-75 and I-285) or possibly at Jonesboro.  Hood has received word from some Cavalry scouts that the Federals are massing at Camp Creek.  Hood has dispatched French on a reconnaissance to the north and west of Atlanta and he has found the Federal XX corp entrenched in the are of the railroad bridge across the Chattahoochee River.  Stewart’s and Lee’s Corps move into the empty Federal trenches and begin to reap the rewards of all the items an army leaves behind.  They find everything from food to blankets.  Hood send’s Sthal’s Brigade to reinforce Hardee at East Point and instructs Jackson to have Armstrong’s Brigade of Cavalry to block and delay the Federals if they attempt to cross Camp Creek and move on Rough and Ready.

Photography Day 36 is done!

     I spent last Sunday photographing locations for the project.  Most of them were not critical in a tactical sense and were location that needed to be included.  I made a full day of it and shot at locations in Stone Mountain, Lithonia, Decatur, East Atlanta, Emory, Tucker, Chamblee, Brookhaven, and Dunwoody.  I was able to photograph nine antebellum structures that used for various thing during the war.  It was a long, but fruitful day and I was lucky to have such good weather.  Made about 1000 images for the day. 

150 Years Ago Today: August 26th, 1864

August 26th, 1864: 
     Sherman’s siege guns around Atlanta have fallen silent.  On the North and East side of the city, the Southern Soldiers find the Federal siege line empty of troops, but full of various items and food left behind by the Federals.  Even though he has no hard proof, Hood suspects that Wheeler’s Cavalry raid against Sherman’s supply line in northern Georgia, may have been successful and that Sherman is starting to pull back from Atlanta.  Hood also is weary of another flanking attempt by Sherman, and with the bulk of his cavalry in northern Georgia and Tennessee, he lacks critical intelligence on what is actually happening.  Hood orders his units on the south west side of the city to be prepared to move quickly if Sherman is attempting to extend his lines south. 
     During the night of the 26th, Sherman begins moving the remainder of his army.  The XIV Corps and the Army of the Tennessee begin moving south of Utoy Creek towards Camp Creek.  The XXIII Corps remains in place at East Point opposing Hardee’s Corps.  The XXIII staying in place, helps screen the movement of the other Federal Corps. 

150 Years Ago Today: August 25th, 1864

August 25th, 1864:
     General Sherman has grown impatient and restless with the siege of Atlanta and the failure of his Cavalry to destroy the Confederate supply line south of Atlanta.  He has devised a plan to sweep his entire army with the exception of one Corps, to the south west then move back east towards the railroad.  This movement will carry them though Red Oak, Fairburn, and Palmetto.  From there they will move on Jonesboro. 
     On the 25th, Sherman gives the order to begin the movement and late in the evening the XX Corps begins pulling back from the siege lines and moves across the Chattahoochee river.  The IV Corps moves as well.  They move to the are that is now I-285 and Cascade Road.  They form a line of battle facing toward the north in the direction of the Confederate stronghold of Atlanta.  They will act as a rear guard to protect the remainder of the Union army as they begin their march on Jonesboro.  The IV Corps will remain in the Atlanta area during the assault on Jonesboro.  Sherman has also ordered all the surplus wagons and supplies to be moved from the siege lines and taken across the Chattahoochee where they will be guarded.