Marker Text:
July 22, 1864. Coincident with Hardee's night march to attack Federal forces in east Atlanta, Wheeler's cavalry (CS) was sent to seize McPherson's wagon trains parked north of the Decatur public square, guarded by Sprague's 16th Army Corps brigade and three pieces of field artillery.
Wheeler's men, dismounted, were deployed south of the railroad and drove Sprague's troops, together with the Chicago Board of Trade and Michigan batteries (US), to the public square where, outflanked, they withdrew with the wagon trains to the North Decatur road.
Wheeler made no pursuit because of peremptory orders to rejoin Hardee in east Atlanta.
044-31 Georgia Historical Commission erected 1956
Located Decatur Square at the Old Courthouse
GPS:
Visited: June 30, 2008
Remember when I spoke of the area in flux being Leggitt's Hill area? Well, if Wheeler initially delayed Blair while on their way towards Leggitt's Hill and then Wheeler was pushed towards Leggitt's Hill until overtaken July 20th or so by McPherson's men, I guess they would be available for some guerrilla warfare of their own, seeing how Garrard's cavalry wasn't here to help protect it. This little action of Hood's could have worked and caused McPherson and Sherman some pain and embarrassment at least. I don't think that they could have changed the overall outcome, only delayed the timeline. I believe that this was one of their intents, to delay the fall of Atlanta until after the Federal presidential elections in order to sway public opinion.
Now some question on what action happened here. According to this marker, Wheeler dismounted south of the railroad line while the wagons were north of the public square. Unless the public square at the time of the civil war was further south than it is today, the following action makes no sense ....oh..re-reading it, the troops were pushed north to the square where they took the artillery and the wagons towards North Decatur road. I initially read and typed the marker text in a different light. The marker still is pretty sketchy about how Wheeler flanked the Federal troops. That would be interesting to know.
1 comment:
My mother had recollections of a relative leading a cavalry charge near the Decatur RR station at the time of the battle of Atlanta, then skeedattling away with TMY (too many Yankees) syndrome. That's all I remember but I'll ask my siblings if they remember anymore.
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