Battle of Jonesborough

The Battle of Jonesborough was fought August 31 – September 1, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the final battle that caused the besieged city of Atlanta, Georgia, to fall into Union hands.

In several previous raids, Union General William T. Sherman had successfully cut Confederate General John Bell Hood’s supply lines by sending out detachments, but the Confederates quickly repaired the damage. In late August, Sherman determined that if he could cut Hood’s supply lines—the Macon & Western and the Atlanta & West Point Railroads—the Rebels would have to evacuate Atlanta. Sherman, therefore, decided to move six of his seven infantry corps against the supply lines. The army began pulling out of its positions on August 25 to hit the railroad between Rough and Ready and Jonesborough.

To counter the move, Hood sent Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee with two corps to halt and possibly rout the Union troops, not realizing Sherman’s army was there in force. On August 31, Hardee attacked two Union corps west of Jonesborough, but was easily repulsed. Fearing an attack on Atlanta, Hood withdrew one corps from Hardee’s force that night. The next day, a Union corps broke through Hardee’s troops, which retreated to Lovejoy’s Station, and on the night of September 1, Hood evacuated Atlanta. Sherman did cut Hood’s supply line, but failed to destroy Hardee’s command. However, Sherman would finally occupy Atlanta the following day, September 2.

The famous fire scenes in the movie Gone With the Wind depict the conflagration started in Atlanta when Hood destroyed military supplies and installations as he evacuated.

Sources

• National Park Service battle description