Jonesboro, GA.
August. 31 - September 1, 1864

Jonesboro, Ga., Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 1864. Armies of the
Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio. The movement of Sherman's
armies to the south of Atlanta began on Aug. 25. On the
morning of the 31st the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by
Maj.-Gen. O. O. Howard, was in position near Jonesboro; the
4th and 14th corps of the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by
Maj.-Gen. George H. Thomas, and the Army of the Ohio, under
Maj.-Gen. John M. Schofield were along the line of the Macon &
Western railroad between Jonesboro and Rough and Ready
Station. Hood had learned the position of the Federal forces
on the 30th, and that night he sent Hardee's and S. D. Lee's
corps to Jonesboro, with orders to attack Sherman's flank the
next morning. Hardee was in command of the expedition, his
corps being temporarily commanded by Gen. Cleburne. Owing to
the fact that Howard occupied the road on which Hardee wanted
to move, it was 2 p.m. before the Confederates were in a
position to attack. Shortly after that hour a heavy artillery
fire was opened along the entire line and a little later
Cleburne advanced to the assault. Hardee had formed his line
with Cleburne on the left and Lee on the right. The former
was to turn the Union right and Lee was to attack vigorously
as soon as he heard the sound of Cleburne's guns. Lee mistook
the firing of the skirmishers on his left for the main attack
and advanced his line before Cleburne became fairly engaged.
Hazen's division, which formed the left of Logan's line,
received the brunt of the attack, the enemy trying to turn the
left flank and get between the Union line and the Flint river.
Bryant's brigade of Blair's corps was first sent to Hazen's
assistance and later all of Woods' division was moved to that
part of the line with instructions to charge the Confederates,
if they attempted to turn the flank. At the same time Howard
called on Thomas for reinforcements and Carlin's division of
the 14th corps was hurried to the scene of action, but before
its arrival the enemy had been repulsed.

While the main engagement was in progress Kilpatrick,
with his cavalry division, was at Anthony's bridge, a mile and
a half below Howard. Seeing that Howard's right was in danger
of being turned, Kilpatrick dismounted five regiments, posted
them behind barricades on the flank of Cleburne's column,
placed his batteries in good positions and directed them to
open fire, while the rest of his command was ordered to
attack. This diversion forced Cleburne to forego his attempt
to turn Howard's flank and turn his attention to Kilpatrick.
Twice he attacked the latter, but each time he was repulsed.
A third effort was more successful and Kilpatrick was forced
to retire across the river. This was done in good order, but
with the loss of 2 of his cannon. Some of the enemy followed
over the bridge, but they were met by the 92nd Ill. mounted
infantry, now dismounted, and held in check. To protect his
trains and assist Kilpatrick Howard ordered Blair to send
Giles A. Smith's division to the bridge. The arrival of this
division turned the tide of battle, the enemy was repulsed
with heavy loss and the 2 guns were recaptured.

The fight lasted about an hour and resulted in complete
defeat for the Confederates at every point. The defeats at
Peachtree creek, Bald Hill, Ezra church and Utoy creek seemed
to have dampened the ardor of the Confederate soldiers, as Lee
says in his report. "The attack was not made by the troops
with that spirit and inflexible determination that would
insure success. Several brigades behaved with great
gallantry, and in each brigade many instances of gallant
conduct were exhibited by regiments and individuals; but
generally the troops halted in the charge when they were much
exposed, and within easy range of the enemy's musketry, and
when they could do but little damage to the enemy behind his
works, instead of moving directly and promptly against the
temporary and informidable works in their front. The attack
was a feeble one and a failure, with a loss to my corps of
about 1,300 men in killed and wounded."

As soon as Sherman was informed of the result of the
action he knew that he was in possession of Hood's line of
communications, and issued orders for a complete destruction
of the railroad, in the expectation of forcing Hood to
evacuate Atlanta and concentrate his forces somewhere near
Jonesboro. Lee's corps was recalled during the night, leaving
Hardee alone at Jonesboro, and upon learning this Sherman
ordered Thomas and Schofield to unite with Howard to surround
and capture Hardee before Hood could reinforce him. Stanley's
carps, which was engaged in destroying the railroad near Rough
and Ready, was hurried forward to Jonesboro; Davis was sent to
Howard's left; two divisions of Blair's corps, with
Kilpatrick's cavalry, were ordered to gain a position on the
railroad south of town, and Schofield was to continue the work
of destroying the track, but at the same time follow up
Stanley to support him in an emergency. Hardee had formed his
line to meet an attack from Howard on the west, with
Cleburne's division on the right, sharply refused, Govan
holding the angle, Granbury on the left of Govan, and Lewis to
the right and rear. Davis reached the position assigned him
about noon on Sept. 1, and pushed forward Edie's brigade of
Carlin's division to reconnoiter the ground to the railroad.
Edie soon became engaged in a sharp skirmish, but succeeded in
gaining a ridge that commanded the angle in Hardee's line.
Prescott's battery was placed on this ridge, in a position
where it could enfilade a portion of the enemy's line, and in
a short time disabled a number of Hardee's guns. Davis now
ordered an assault. Edie struck the salient and carried it,
but owing to the uneven surface of the ground his supports did
not come up m time and he was repulsed with considerable loss.
About 5 p.m. a second advance was made, when Este's brigade of
Baird's division carried the salient. This time the supports
were at hand. Morgan's division swept in from the right and
Carlin's from the left, completely surrounding the
Confederates and capturing Gen. Govan, with nearly all his
command. Lewis and Granbury were forced to fall back and form
a new line, though the Confederate left and center held on to
their trenches. Stanley, who had reached the field about the
time Davis made his second assault, now deployed on the left
of Davis, but before any decisive movement could be made
darkness put an end to the conflict. During the night Hardee
abandoned his position and joined the main body of Hoods army
at Lovejoy Station. The Union loss at Jonesboro was about
l,15O men. The enemy acknowledged a loss of 5,000.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 6