5fish
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You all know about Jason Aldean's song called "Try that In a Small Town". He is from Macon, GA. so I looked up the town's Civil War moments. It was twice approached by Union cavalry and both times they repelled the Union horsemen.
The first battle was part of Stoneman's Raid in Georgia which ended badly for Stoneman.
The Battle of Dunlap Hill (sometimes called
Dunlap's Farm) was fought at Macon,
Georgia on July 30, 1864. An important action
of Stoneman's Raid, it was the first in a
series of reverses that would lead to the
defeat and capture of the Union general.
Approaching via the Clinton road, Stoneman
ran into a heavy line of Southern skirmishers
three miles out from Macon. As the Federals
pushed forward, the Confederates slowly fell
back on a main line of earthwork fortifications
that ringed the city. Southern troops also
posted a battery of field artillery at old Fort
Hawkins, a former U.S. fort built in 1808.
Instead, according to Lt. Col. Robert W.
Smith, the detachment of the 24th Indiana
Battery attached to Stoneman's command
was ordered to direct the fire of its two 3-inch
rifled guns on the city itself. Confirming that
the fire on civilian targets was not accidental,
Smith wrote, "We threw a few shells into the
city."
Other shells rained down on other civilian
targets, but the Federals were unable to
break through the Confederate lines to
capture the railroad bridge that had been
their primary target. As a result, Stoneman
ordered his forces to withdraw. The Battle of
Dunlap Hill came to an end.
The next Union cavalry encounter was with Macon, GA. was called the Battle of Walnut Creek...
The Battle of Walnut Creek, known by several
different names including Second Dunlap's
Hill or Second Dunlap Farm, was fought on
November 20, 1864, on the outskirts of
Macon, Georgia.
The Battle of Walnut Creek developed when
Kilpatrick was ordered to sweep in close to
Macon to screen the movements of
Sherman's right column, which was starting
its turn to the east after appearing to threaten
Macon. Blowing up the jail in nearby Clinton
and tearing up railroad track as he advanced,
Kilpatrick moved up on the defenses of
Macon.
Attacking across Walnut Creek, Union troops
drove Confederate defenders off Dunlap's
Hill, now part of the Ocmulgee National
Monument. Two Confederate cannon were
overrun and temporarily captured. Swinging
their own guns into action, the Federals
began to fire away on nearby Fort Hawkins.
Confederate reinforcements poured to the
front. As fighting swirled around Dunlap's
Hill, so named because it was part of the
Dunlap Farm and the location of the Dunlap
house, Kilpatrick launched a second attack
against the Central of Georgia railroad trestle
over Walnut Creek. This advance was quickly
blunted by Confederate defenders.
As a Confederate counterattack retook the
guns on the crest of Dunlap's Hill, Kilpatrick
decided that he had accomplished his
mission and began to fall back. Confederate
cavalry under General Joseph "Fighting Joe"
Wheeler was now on the field and shadowed
the Union withdrawal.
The first battle was part of Stoneman's Raid in Georgia which ended badly for Stoneman.
Battle of Dunlap Hill - Macon, Georgia
The Battle of Dunlap Hill was fought on July 30, 1864, at Macon, Georgia. It was part of Stoneman's Raid, a facet of the Atlanta Campaign. A Confederate victory, the battle was fought in the vicinity of today's Ocmulgee National Monument.
www.exploresouthernhistory.com
The Battle of Dunlap Hill (sometimes called
Dunlap's Farm) was fought at Macon,
Georgia on July 30, 1864. An important action
of Stoneman's Raid, it was the first in a
series of reverses that would lead to the
defeat and capture of the Union general.
Approaching via the Clinton road, Stoneman
ran into a heavy line of Southern skirmishers
three miles out from Macon. As the Federals
pushed forward, the Confederates slowly fell
back on a main line of earthwork fortifications
that ringed the city. Southern troops also
posted a battery of field artillery at old Fort
Hawkins, a former U.S. fort built in 1808.
Instead, according to Lt. Col. Robert W.
Smith, the detachment of the 24th Indiana
Battery attached to Stoneman's command
was ordered to direct the fire of its two 3-inch
rifled guns on the city itself. Confirming that
the fire on civilian targets was not accidental,
Smith wrote, "We threw a few shells into the
city."
Other shells rained down on other civilian
targets, but the Federals were unable to
break through the Confederate lines to
capture the railroad bridge that had been
their primary target. As a result, Stoneman
ordered his forces to withdraw. The Battle of
Dunlap Hill came to an end.
The next Union cavalry encounter was with Macon, GA. was called the Battle of Walnut Creek...
Battle of Walnut Creek or Second Dunlap Farm - Macon, Georgia
The Battle of Walnut Creek was fought in Macon, Georgia, on November 20, 1864. A part of Sherman's March to the Sea, the fight is also known as the Second Battle of Dunlap Farm or the Second Battle of Dunlap's Hill.
www.exploresouthernhistory.com
The Battle of Walnut Creek, known by several
different names including Second Dunlap's
Hill or Second Dunlap Farm, was fought on
November 20, 1864, on the outskirts of
Macon, Georgia.
The Battle of Walnut Creek developed when
Kilpatrick was ordered to sweep in close to
Macon to screen the movements of
Sherman's right column, which was starting
its turn to the east after appearing to threaten
Macon. Blowing up the jail in nearby Clinton
and tearing up railroad track as he advanced,
Kilpatrick moved up on the defenses of
Macon.
Attacking across Walnut Creek, Union troops
drove Confederate defenders off Dunlap's
Hill, now part of the Ocmulgee National
Monument. Two Confederate cannon were
overrun and temporarily captured. Swinging
their own guns into action, the Federals
began to fire away on nearby Fort Hawkins.
Confederate reinforcements poured to the
front. As fighting swirled around Dunlap's
Hill, so named because it was part of the
Dunlap Farm and the location of the Dunlap
house, Kilpatrick launched a second attack
against the Central of Georgia railroad trestle
over Walnut Creek. This advance was quickly
blunted by Confederate defenders.
As a Confederate counterattack retook the
guns on the crest of Dunlap's Hill, Kilpatrick
decided that he had accomplished his
mission and began to fall back. Confederate
cavalry under General Joseph "Fighting Joe"
Wheeler was now on the field and shadowed
the Union withdrawal.