Those interested in American history will be able to get an up-close look at a portion of it later this month. The weekend of Jan. 24-26 will feature the Battle of Brown’s Mill-Hospital Town Reeanctment 2014.
To be held at the historic battlefield site on Millard Farmer Road, the event will be the kick-off for the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Battle of Brown’s Mill which will include a reenactment of the battle and of Newnan as a “hospital town” during the Civil War.
The Jan. 24-26 event will include a muster of the Phillip’s Legion Cavalry and Ferrell’s Battery and will be held at the battlefield site, said Brown’s Mill Battlefield Historic Site co-chair Carolyn Turner.
This is an authentic mounted cavalry and horse drawn artillery unit that portrays General Joe Wheeler’s Cavalry. They conduct a muster twice a year to train and practice tactics. Their set-up is in the form of a living history and the public is invited, Turner said.
It was on July 30, 1864 that the Battle of Brown’s Mill was fought. According to the Brown’s Mill Battlefield Association, the Civil War battle occurred during the Atlanta Campaign. Gen. Edward McCook’s Union cavalry, on a daring raid to sever communications and supply lines in south central Georgia, was defeated at the battlefield site by Confederate forces under the command of Gen. Joseph “Fightin’ Joe” Wheeler.
After a successful raid in Fayetteville, McCook was trying to return to the main army in Atlanta but was attacked by Wheeler’s cavalry four miles south of Newnan at Brown’s Mill. McCook wanted to surrender but instead let his officers lead their battalions out separately.
Though Wheeler lost 50 men in the ensuing battle, McCook’s forces were routed. McCook had 1,285 men captured, 100 killed or wounded and lost 1,200 horses, several ambulances and two pieces of artillery. With the victory, Wheeler freed approximately 300 Confederate prisoners.
Brown’s Mill Battlefield Civil War Historic Site is located south of Newnan at 155 Millard Farmer Road.
