Nash Farm Battlefield

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August 20, 1864 - Acting on orders from Gen. William Sherman [US], Brig. Gen. Hudson Kilpatrick [US] was sent on a mission of harrassing Confederate supply lines. After attacking depots and buring supplies along the Macon & Western Railroad on the 18th and 19th of August, Kilpatrick moved into Lovejoy's Station on the 20th. There he was met by a considerable Confederate infantry force (Cleburne's Division)led by Brig. Gen. William Jackson [CS]. Fighting continued into the night and Kilpatrick was eventually forced to retreat from the area.

General Sherman, determined to find out the Confederate strength south of Atlanta, sent U.S. Judson Kilpatrick’s cavalry to do what McCook and Stoneman had failed to do. On August 18, 1864, Kilpatrick and 4,700 cavalrymen left Sandtown in West Atlanta, ordered by Sherman to cut all railroad lines south of the city. Kilpatrick began his southwestern trek by roaring through Fairburn and slicing apart the Atlanta-West Point tracks.

On the 19th he skirmished his way to Jonesboro and unhinged the Macon & Western Railroad. By early afternoon on August 20, Kilpatrick was in Lovejoy, but indelicately sandwiched by Confederate infantry in front and Confederate cavalry in back. The Federal horsemen drew their sabers, hacked their way through Sul Ross’ Texas brigade in front and proceeded eastward toward McDonough. Kilpatrick’s breakthrough thru the Texans took place on the Nash Farm property at Babb’s Mill and McDonough Roads.

This breakthrough is well described and documented in David Evan’s book of the Union cavalry operations in the Atlanta campaign called, “Sherman’s Horsemen,” Pages 405-460. Many artifacts from this cavalry clash have been located on this property site. The Texans put up a hard fight but failed to hold their ground at the Nash Farm.