Jonesboro, Georgia was the scene of a series of short, but sharp engagements during William Sherman's investment of Atlanta in 1864 during the American Civil War. The town was then being held by Hood with some 60,000 Confederates. William Sherman's force was nearly 100,000 strong. There was some fighting between Atlanta and Jonesboro on August the 19th and 20th, Hugh Kilpatrick having been dispatched to destroy the Maconrailroad and encountering a cavalry troop under Ross, whom he defeated. Hugh Kilpatrick was in his turn defeated the next day by a Confederate infantry force. Meantime Hardee had been sent from Atlanta to Jonesboro by Hood to guard his communications. On August the 31st Hardee fell upon the Federal right under Howard and a desperate battle took place, in which Hardee was decidedly beaten and retreated that same night. Research Battles of Jonesboro
The March to the Sea was General Sherman's celebrated march from Atlanta to Savannah with a Union army of over 60,000 men, between November the 15th and December the 31st, 1864 during the American Civil War. Burning the Confederate shops, depots and storehouses, and leaving Thomas with two corps to look after Hood, Sherman set out with the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Fourteenth and Twentieth corps of infantry, 5063 cavalry under Kilpatrick, 1812 artillerymen, and enormous trains of wagons and ambulances. The line of march extended nearly sixty miles through the very heart of the Confederacy, passing through Rough and Ready, Jonesboro, Covington, McDonough, Macon, Milledgeville, Gibson, Louisville, Millen, Springfield and many smaller towns.
The march was 300 miles in length. The soldiers were allowed to pillage freely, discriminating between the rich and poor. The Georgia Central Railroad was wholly destroyed, besides thousands of dollars' worth of other property. Foraging parties preceded the army, and scouts were kept constantly on the lookout for Confederate attacks. Sherman lost 764 men on the march. Savannah was captured, after some days of siege, on December the 21st, Sherman presenting the-city to Abraham Lincoln as a 'Christmaspresent'. Research March To The Sea
The Thirtieth Alabama Infantry Regiment was organised at TalladegaApril 16, 1862, and reported for duty at once to Chattanooga. Sent further into east Tennessee, it was brigaded under General Reynolds of Tennessee, and then under General Stevenson. The regiment skirmished at Tazewell and Cumberland Gap, and moved into Kentucky, but was not engaged. On the return to Tennessee, the Thirtieth was brigaded with the Twentieth, Twenty-third, Thirty-first, and Forty-sixth Alabama, under General Tracy of Madison, and in December was sent to Vicksburg with the other portions of Stevenson's division. In the spring the regiment fought with few casualties at Port Gibson, but was bathed in blood at Baker's Creek, where it lost 229 men killed, wounded, and missing - half of its number - and had four ensigns killed, and its colours rent by 63 balls and 16 shell fragments. Pent up in Vicksburg, the Thirtieth suffered severely in casualties during the siege, and was captured with the fortress. Paroled, the regiment recruited at Dempolis, and proceeded, with other portions of the brigade - now under General Pettus of Dallas - to the main army near Chattanooga. The regiment was engaged without loss at Mission Ridge, and wintered at Dalton. At Rocky-face the Thirtieth suffered severely, and lightly at Resaca. From there to Atlanta its tattered colours floated at the front of the fire-tried Army of Tennessee, the regiment losing heavily at New Hope, Atlanta, and Jonesboro. Proceeding into Tennessee, the Thirtieth was cut up at Nashville, but was part of the rear guard back to Duck River. Transferred to North Carolina, the regiment fought at Kinston and Bentonville, suffering severely in casualties. With the army the Thirtieth surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina, about 100 men being present for duty. Research Thirtieth Alabama Infantry Regiment
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Research Ben Murphy
