The 15th Corps Sector

Marker Text
July 20, 1864. Posted on this ridge, astride the Georgia R.R. was the right flank of Hood's old corps, (CS) Gen. B.F. Cheatham commanding. July 22. These troops were withdrawn, before daylight, to the city fortifications. The vacated line was occupied by Logan's corps, (US) which was reversed to face westward.
Gen. Morgan L. Smith's div. centered at the R.R., Lightburn's brigade posted (between DeGress Ave. & Battery Place) west of the Hurt house; Martin's, S. of it - the R.R. cut separating them. The Confederate assault, afternoon July 22d, broke the lines of Lightburn & Martin's brigades at the Decatur Rd. & the railroad cut.

Location: DeKalb Avenue near DeGress Avenue

GPS

Date Visited: July 01, 2008


Here is the defending Federal forces that bore, at least partially, the brunt of the westward attack on July 22, 1864. After moving west into abandoned lines and reversing them, however that happens, the attack would come that afternoon.
It makes me wonder what would have happened if the attack had come sooner, as Hood intended. Then the 15th Corps would not have had time to reverse the line, as I assume, by shifting tempers and redigging trenches etc. Although apparently this sector of the line was swept by the attackers until reinforcements arrived for the Federals. Currently nothing that I could recognize as a railroad cut is left. The MARTA line and railroad on on the otherside of DeKalb Avenue and almost level with the street. Prior to the bridge at Moreland, I wonder what the rail road did. Now the rail road and Marta are kept level up to the bridge. The surrounding ground, however, slopes downward towards the Moreland Avenue road bed and then back up as it continues on towards Decatur.