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