Civil War Historical Roadside Marker: Babb’s Settlement and Battle of Dug Gap

Location:
N 34º 44.196 W 085º 02.482
Intersection of Babb Road and Mill Creek Road
Whitfield County, Georgia

Babb’s Settlement

Ante-bellum domain of Joel Babb (1809-1882) on Mill Cr., foot of Rocky Face at Dug Gap.

May 8, 1864, 1 A.M., Col. W.C.P. Breckinridge’s 9th Ky., Grigsby’s Brigade, Wheeler’s Cav., descended from Dug Gap & patrolled the roads N. & W. to ascertain if Federals were there. By 1:30 P.M. Breckinridge found Dogwood Valley swarming with Federals, a brigade of which, in support of Kilpatrick’s cav., was enroute S. to Villanow. Later, the 9th Ky., confronted by 2 brigades, Geary’s div., 20th A.C. moving east forced to retreat to Dug Gap. Geary reaching this vicinity at 3 P.M. deployed his two brigades for the storming of Dug Gap.


Battle of Dug Gap

May 8, 1864. Maj. Gen J.W. Geary, with Buschbeck’s & Candy’s brigades of the 2nd div., 20 A.C., moving from near Gordon’s Springs, reached this, Babb’s Settlement, at 3 P.M. Planting McGill’s Penn. Battery(3 inch Rodman guns) bear Joel Babb’s house the Confederate positions at Dug Gap in Rocky Face Ridge was shelled. This was followed by a concerted assault up the steep scarp by Buschbeck’s brigade on the right, Candy’s on the left. Repeated attempts by the Federals to seize the gap ended in failure, but under cover of this engagement, McPherson’s troops occupied Snake Creek Gap.

Date Visited: 11/26/09

Civil War Historical Roadside Marker: Battle of Lay’s Ferry

Location:
N 34º 31.006 W 084 º 59.422
Intersection of Herrington Bend Road and Hunts Road
Gordon County, Georgia

Battle of Lay’s Ferry (064-19)

May 14, 1864. A contingent from Sweeny’s (2d) div., 16th A.C. (USA) made a crossing here in pontoon boats, but on a rumor of Confederate crossing upstream it withdrew.

May 15. The division, supported by Welker’s Artillery (USA) crossed in force & deployed to meet the immediate attack by Maj. Gen. W.H.T. Walker’s div., Hardee’s A.C. (CSA), in the area between George W. Frix house and the Oostanaula River. This Federal move on the Confederate left & rear forced Johnson (CSA) to evacuate his line at Resaca.

Date Visited: 11/25/09

Historic Home: Ogden House

On December 19, 2009 we left Calhoun for Sulligent, Alabama. This is my lovely wife’s hometown. Sulligent is a small town in the west Alabama county of Lamar. This is also the historic region in which my mother’s family anchored their roots. The Odgen House cannot help but be noticed as one drives through Sulligent on US Highway 17. It once served as the town library, but today it appears to be headed down that path that has claimed so many of the old structures that make up our historic landscape.

Location:

N 33º 54.000 W 088 º 07.987
Sulligent, Lamar County, Alabama

The Ogden House
Built in 1888, this was the first house constructed within the original city limits of Sulligent after incorporation. It was the family home of William W. and Tallulah Henson Ogden. One of the founders and chief promoters of Sulligent, Mr. Ogden was a merchant, banker, planter, Mayor of Sulligent 1919-1921 and a member of the Alabama House of Representatives 1931-1934. Leila Ogden, daughter of the builder, presented this house to the town of Sulligent in 1975.



Date Visited and/or Photographed: 12/20/09

Civil War Historical Roadside Marker: McClure’s Ferry

Location:

N 34º 34.773 W 084 º 51.769
Pine Chapel Road
Gordon County, Georgia

McClure’s Ferry

May 16, 1864 Major Gen. Jospeh Hooker (20th A.C.), moving E. from Resaca, with orders to cross at Newtown Fy., elected to usurp the crossing at McClure’s thereby forcing Schofield’s 23rd A.C. to proceed E. to Field’s Mill & Ferry. Williams (1st) & Geary’s (2nd) divs. crossed at night on a temporary bridge. To hasten progress Butterfield’s (3rd) div. moved on to Field’s complicating affairs by getting there ahead of Schofield. The 23d QA.C with Stoneman’s and McCooks’s Cavalry constituted the left wing of Sherman’s advance S. from Resaca.


Date Visited and/or Photographed: 4/11/08

Christmas Yondering

Christmas Eve, 2009

Hannah and Luke are just too old and cool. Isaac is four and he is wired tight tonight.

With the activities of our children it has been the hardest year to get home that Alice and I can remember. We left last Saturday night for Sulligent, Alabama and Christmas with the Weeks family. Part of us drove home Sunday night so that Hannah and Luke could both attend Monday morning practices. Alice and Isaac came home Monday evening. After attending a wrestling tournament in Ringgold, Georgia we were back on the road Tuesday evening. We went to Double Springs for my family Christmas. Because of the need to attend a funeral this morning we left my parents house and drove back here last night.

Our Florida relelatives here tonight. We are waiting on Santa Claus!!! Our other loved ones are in different places tonight. We miss them, but they will be in our hearts.

Merry Christmas!!!