Battle of Lovejoy's Station

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Date	August 20, 1864
Location	Clayton County, Georgia
Result	Confederate victory

Combatants

United States of America

Confederate States of America

Commanders

William T. Sherman
H. Judson Kilpatrick

William H. Jackson

Strength

Cavalry Division

Jackson's Division

Casualties

237

240

Atlanta Campaign
Rocky Face Ridge – Resaca – Adairsville – New Hope Church – Pickett's Mill – Dallas – Kolb's Farm – Kennesaw Mountain – Marietta – Pace's Ferry – Peachtree Creek – Atlanta – Ezra Church – Utoy Creek – 2nd Dalton – Lovejoy's Station – Jonesborough

The Battle of Lovejoy's Station was fought on August 20, 1864, near what is now Lovejoy, Georgia, in Clayton County, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The two sides had arrived at something of a stalemate, with the Union army half-encircling Atlanta and the Confederate defenders staying behind their fortifications.

While Confederate cavalry commander Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler was absent raiding Union supply lines from North Georgia to East Tennessee, Union army commander William T. Sherman sent cavalry Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick to raid Confederate supply lines. Leaving on August 18, Kilpatrick hit the Atlanta & West Point Railroad that evening, tearing up a small area of tracks. Next, he headed for Lovejoy's Station on the Macon & Western Railroad. In transit, on August 19, Kilpatrick's men hit the Jonesborough supply depot on the Macon & Western Railroad, burning great amounts of supplies. On August 20, they reached Lovejoy's Station and began their destruction. Confederate infantry (Patrick Cleburne's Division) appeared and the raiders were forced to fight into the night, finally fleeing to prevent encirclement. Although Kilpatrick had destroyed supplies and track at Lovejoy's Station, the railroad line was back in operation in two days.

[edit] Battlefield today

The area of this historic battle has mostly been lost due to suburban sprawl of Clayton and Henry Counties, Georgia. The last 100 acres on the Henry County side are the site of a battle of another kind. Local citizens, preservationists, and historians are fighting to stop the development of this rural farmland. The local community has offered to buy back the land to develop a historic park to commemorate the Civil War battle.

As of March 2006, Henry County, Georgia, is currently in the process of raising funds to renovate the Nash Farm Site of Kilpatrick's Raid and the Battle of Lovejoy Station. The 202 acre battlefield plans include converting the farmhouse into a museum and renovating the barn into a public meetings and event facility, as well as developing a walking trails throughout the property.