August 31st, 1864 - The Battle of Jonesboro

Conflict: American Civil War

Combatants: Confederates vs. Federals

Location: Georgia (USA)

Outcome: Federal victory

As part of the Atlanta Campaign, Union General William T. Sherman orders the seizure of railroads in and around the city. On August 31st of 1864, General Oliver O. Howard is attacked by Confederate General William J. Hardee while cutting railway lines near Jonesboro. Howard repulsed Hardee and inflicted 1725 Confederate casualties to the Federals 170. The next day Howard counterattacked and drove Hardee back to Lovejoy Station. General John B. Hood evacuated the Army of Tennessee from Atlanta that same day.

The Battle of Jonesboro Georgia, 1864 (Cropped) by Currier & Ives

Points of Interest:

• The last railroad line out of Atlanta was cut the same day at Rough and Ready.

• Federal troops entered Atlanta on the morning of September 2nd.

William J. Hardee, Lieut. General by an unknown photographer

General Oliver. O. Howard (circa_1855-1865) from the Brady-Handy Collection

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Sources:

Bowman, John S. (Ed.) (1983). The Civil War Almanac. New York: World Almanac.

Catton, Bruce (1955). This Hallowed Ground. Kingsport, Tennessee: Kingsport Press, Inc.

Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

Hogue, James M. & McPherson, James M. (2009). Ordeal By Fire. New York: MaGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Long, E.B & Long, Barbara (1971). The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac 1861-1865. New York: De Capo Press, Inc.