Ross’s Texans – War Was Here

August 20th, 1864:

After leaving from Fairburn on the 19th, Kilpatrick moved his column towards Jonesboro. He once again met resistance from Ross’s Texas Brigade, first to his rear and then after Ross moved south below Kilpatrick and made it across the Flint River before Kilpatrick, he was then in Kilpatrick’s front. Ross’s Brigade removed the planks on the bridge over the Flint River and formed a line of battle on the high ground on the east side of the river. Kilpatrick had his artillery open open up on the Confederates and then had his Cavalry dismount and cross the bridge on its stringers. They were able to force Ross’s Brigade, which was a smaller force, back towards and eventually through Jonesboro. Kilpatrick reached Jonesboro around 5:00pm on the 19th and began to destroy the tracks and was able to burn the Railroad Station and other structures. Heavy rain prevented the Federals from making fires to heat the railroad tracks for bending so they removed it from the railroad bed and tossed it to the side.

On the 20th, after learning that a Confederate force of unknown strength was approaching, Kilpatrick decided to abandon his efforts in Jonesboro and move towards Love Joy’s Station. As he approached Love Joy’s Station he did not know the strength of the Confederate forces there. They Rebels had hidden themselves in a railroad cut and waited. When the Federal Cavalry dismounted and approached the railroad, the Confederates waited until they were within about 50 yards before making themselves known and opening fire on the Federals. The Federals were quickly repulsed and soon they were attacked from the rear by Ross’s Texans. Kilpatrick had limited options. He quickly decided to fight his way out and formed his units into several tight and compact columns and made a counter attack on the Confederate forces to his rear. Minty’s Brigade lead Kilpatricks column and as they approached the Rebels across an open field, they drew their sabers and charged. They were able to cut their way through and Kilpatrick’s column was able to escape and make for the Federal lines east of Atlanta. They moved north east from Love Joy’s Station toward McDonough and from there they made for the South River, which they crossed and the went through Lithonia and form there to Decatur.

_DSC0300.bw — Looking west on Hwy 138 at the Flint River. Kilpatrick’s Cavalry rode from Fairburn to Jonesboro along this road. On the high ground in the distance, the Chicago Board of Trade Battery, unlimbered their field pieces and began to shell the Confederates of Ross’s Texans on the ridge on the east side of the river. This artillery bombardment covered portions of Kilpatrick’s Cavalry as they dismounted and crossed the Flint river on the stringers of the damaged bridge.

_DSC0287.bw — The rain swollen Flint River at Hwy 138, 150 years after Kilpatrick’s raid.

_DSC0296.bw — Looking east from the Flint River Bridge on Hwy 138. Ross’s Texans established a line on the low ridge in the distance. After being shelled by the Chicago Board of Trade Battery and being outnumbered by Kilpatrick’s advancing cavalry, Ross’s Texans fell back to and were eventually pushed out of Jonesboro.

_DSC0478.bw — Downtown Jonesboro. This depot, built in 1867 to replace the original depot destroyed by Kilpatrick’s Cavalry, is located roughly half a mile south of location of the wartime depot. After destroying the depot and other structures, Kilpatrick’s men destroyed the railroad tracks. Heavy rain prevented the Federals from building large fires of cross ties to heat the tracks for bending into “neckties”, but they still did their best to dismantle the tracks.

_DSC0130.bw — After leaving Jonesboro, Kilpatrick’s Cavalry rides to Love Joy Station with Ross’s Texans skirmishing with their rear guard nearly the entire way. As Kilpatrick’s troopers dismounted and started to destroy the railroad, Confederates allowed them to approach withing 50 yards before opening fire on them. Kilpatrick’s Cavalry was forced east from the railroad along the McDonough Rd. In the area of the Nash farm they encountered Ross’s Texans deployed across the road.

_DSC0032.bw — Nash Farm Battlefield. Kilpatrick formed his cavalry into tight columns and charged in the direction of the camera, moving to break through Ross’s Texans.

_DSC0076.bw — Ross’s Texans were deployed on this high ground at the Nash Farm Battlefield. They were astride the road with an artillery batter on the north side of the McDonough Rd. Kilpatrick’s Cavalry would have road across this ground into the distance to break through Ross’s Texans.

August 18th, 1864: Several days earlier, General Hood dispatched General Wheeler and his Confederate Cavalry to the north in an effort to disrupt Sherman’s supply lines coming from Chattanooga. Sherman, who has quickly become restless during the siege, has started planning the movement of his entire army to the the south of Atlanta to destroy the Confederate supply line coming up from Macon.

Sherman has also learned that Wheeler’s Cavalry has made it to Tennessee and is therefore to far to offer any support to Hood or oppose Kilpatrick and his Cavalry. Sherman decides to delay the movement of his army around Atlanta and instead he orders Kilpatrick to move on the railroad in Jonesboro with his three Brigades and two more attached to him from Garrard’s Cavalry.

On the night of the 18th, Kilpatrick and five Brigades of Federal Cavalry, begin their move towards Jonesboro. They leave from Sandtown and head towards Fairburn. They are opposed by only one Confederate Brigade. Ross’s Texas Brigade spends the night of the 18th harassing and slowing down the Federal Cavalry. These actions slow down the Federal Cavalry considerably and delay the raids time table.