Battlefield Visits: South of Atlanta

From my travels, May 26, 2023.

Our family flew to Atlanta so that we could celebrate my niece’s high school graduation in Chattanooga. We left very early in the morning from Philadelphia, so once we got through the airport and got our rental car, we had some extra time on the south side of Atlanta.

During my last visit to the area, I wasn’t able to see all the fields of the Atlanta Campaign – the afternoon traffic around the city just wouldn’t allow me to make it with the time I had available. This was the perfect way to check out these remaining battlefields.

Battle of Lovejoy’s Station – Civil War Battlefield #151

A small field that is today partly preserved within a local park, the Battle of Lovejoy’s Station was a cavalry raid led by Brig. Gen. H. Judson Kilpatrick, that was attempting to disrupt the Macon & Western Railroad. The Confederates thwarted the attempt.

There are a few markers and waysides in the area that tell a bit of the story. Pretty good interpretation as these “minor” actions go.

Battle of Jonesborough – Civil War Battlefield #152

Surprisingly, this is the only CWSAC “A”-level battlefield of the Atlanta Campaign. It doesn’t seem like much is left of it, either. The train station in town is not the one that existed at the time of the Battle of Jonesborough. It was this fight that resulted in the Union capture of the Macon & Western Railroad – at the time the only Confederate-controlled railroad left running into Atlanta. The loss of this supply line forced the rebels to evacuate the city the next day.

Isaac got out of the car to explore the signs and take a few photos with me. It’s very sweet to spend time with my boys engaging with history.