Skirmish at Farmer's Bridge

May 21, 2008
Cemetery of Interest

Location:
N 34º 22.087 W 085 º 10.300
New Armurchee Baptist Church Cemetery
Floyd County, Georgia

The ten tombstones arranged in a slight arc mark the resting place of 9 privates and the Captain of Company G of the 12th Alabama Calvary Battalion. According to the epitaph on a nearby monument these men were killed on May 19, 1864 as they held the ground at nearby Farmer's Bridge against an overwhelming force of Union Calvary. . The dead included Captain William T. Lokey, Private B. Brown, Pvt. A.D. Turren, Private P.W. Ward, Private J.J. Morgan, Private Benjamin Garrett, Private Cullen Porter, Private W.H. Ellis, and Private Thomas Barnard. During this engagement six men were also captured. Privates Joel Weems and Edwin P. Morris would die in the U.S. Military Prison in Alton Illinois and Private Joseph Harper would die in a POW camp in Douglas, Illinois. Privates J. Brown, J.M. Robertson, and Marcus Formby were eventually released from their captivity.

Colonel Robert H. G. Minty’s after action report in The Official Record of the War of the Rebellion Series 1, Volume 38 report described the skirmish at Farmer’s Bridge:

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, John's Creek, Ala., May 16, 1864.
CAPTAIN: At 5 a. m. yesterday, the 15th instant, I marched from camp on Dry Creek. At about 8 a. m. my advance struck the enemy's pickets near Farmer's Bridge, on Armuchee Creek, and drove them in. The advance vedettes and a few of my scouts charged over the bridge, but the advance guard having halted to allow the column time to close up they were not supported, and consequently were driven back with 1 killed and 4 horses wounded. On my arrival at the bridge I sent scouts to examine the creek to the right and left. Bad fords were reported both above and below. I crossed two companies of Fourth Michigan Cavalry below and six companies above. I then crossed with the other battalion of the Fourth Michigan, followed by the Seventh Pennsylvania, the Fourth United States following the six companies of the Fourth Michigan across the upper ford. Captain Lokey, Twelfth Alabama Cavalry, was mortally wounded, and 9 men killed. We took 6 prisoners. I pushed forward rapidly to within three miles of Rome, where the enemy, in considerable force and holding a strong position, made a stand, showing four pieces of artillery. They at the same time moved strong columns on both my flanks. Immediately in my rear the Dalton road joins the Rome road-the one on which I had advanced. I, therefore, fell back to a position north of the junction of the roads. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Park, commanding Fourth Michigan Cavalry, reported that a column of infantry was moving around my left; at same time Smith's brigade of cavalry was discovered on my right. I fell back to Farmer's Bridge, where I reported to General Garrard. The rebels followed me up closely. Four times they charged the battalion of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, which formed the rear guard. They were received dismounted, and handsomely repulsed. During the entire day's skirmishing the Fourth Michigan was the only regiment engaged.
My entire loss was 3 men wounded, 1 severely, 1 slightly, and 1 man taken prisoner.
From all the information I could gain there are two divisions of cavalry and one of infantry at Rome, under Generals Jackson, Ross, and Smith. Some of the citizens state positively that Forrest arrived at Rome on the evening of the 14th. The Atlanta paper of the 13th, which I gave the general this morning, places Forrest at Tupelo, Miss. It also states that Lieutenant-General Polk is en route for Rome, where he will command the reserve division of general Johnston's army. The scout this a. m. under Captain Garrett, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, met the rebel pickets at the cross-roads near the bridge, and drove them across the creek, killing 1 and wounding another.
ROBT. H. G. MINTY,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Captain KENNEDY,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Cavalry Division.

The history of the 12th Alabama Calvary was chronicled by Brewer in the 1872 book Alabama: Her History, Resources, War Record, and Public Men, From 1540 to 1872.
The 12th was organized from a battalion organized by Hundley of Madison County and Bennett of St.Clair County. After the battle in Chattanooga this battalion was reorganized by the addition of four companies. Captain Lokey’s Company G was raised in Cherokee County, Alabama and it is assumed that it was one of the four added at this time. Brewer states that at the time of the skirmish at Farmer’s Bridge the 12th Alabama was attached to Hagan’s Brigade of Wheeler’s Calvary. This action was a part of the 1864 retreat of Johnson Army from Chattanooga to Atlanta.