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Activities | Presentations Offered | Our Partners | Links
While the Georgia Battlefields newsletter provides monthly updates on our activities, here are some of the things we've done over the past few years.
- GBA contributed $50,000 towards the cost of a conservation easement on 473.48 acres of the Resaca Battlefield. See February 2011 newsletter.
- GBA assisted the Georgia Historical Society in its efforts to install new historical markers, specifically in preparation for the Sesquicentennial. GBA agreed to help pay for the production of markers and also helped prepare the texts. Three markers have already been installed.
- The GBA newsletter continues to feature “150 years ago this month” articles chronicling the events leading up to secession, the outbreak of conflict, and the course of the war, especially as it affected Georgia.
- GBA continues its representation on the state of Georgia’s Civil War Sesquicentennial steering committee.
- The update to the 1993 Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC) report was submitted to GBA for comment in May 2010. This revision, known as Civil War Sites II (CWS II), was subsequently published online. The American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) staff continued to correspond with GBA throughout the year and incorporated several of our suggestions into the CWS II report.
www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/CWSII/CWSIIStateReportGA.htm
- GBA was asked to help the Civil War Trust identify preservation opportunities in Georgia. We started with the CWS II report and worked from it to lesser known sites and those where the potential for loss or damage was greater.
- GBA assisted Atlanta History Center in the “War in Our Backyards” exhibit that opened in August 2010 and will run through October 2011. The exhibit demonstrates how much of Atlanta’s history has been overrun by growth of the city in the last 150 years and allows people to see if their own backyards were part of the action.
- In January 2010, GBA assisted the U.S. Forest Service in a field survey of sites (Dug Gap, Snake Creek Gap, and Ship’s Gap) on Forest Service land in northwest Georgia. This project continues with GBA as a partner.
- In conjunction with the National Park Service, GBA continues to provide comments opposing a proposed cell phone tower near Davis’s Crossroads.
- In June 2010, GBA commented formally on a Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) plan to modify the I-285 interchange at Atlanta Road. The work will affect a trench related to the River Line. GBA’s participation in this effort grew into consultation on a larger GDOT project known as the Metro Atlanta Civil War Context Study. GBA attended a 24 August 2010 meeting and followed-up with a written response to the study proposal. A discussion with the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) representative participating in the meeting led to expanded GBA participation in ARC’s Regionally Important Resources initiative which began in 2009. GDOT subsequently solicited GBA’s comments on a plan to build a high speed rail line from Chattanooga to the Atlanta airport. GBA expressed concern about the numerous sites in this corridor, listing several of the more significant sites and recounting the detrimental impact already made by construction of I-75 and residential development. GBA advocated for a convergence of national (ABPP), state (GDOT), and regional (ARC) listings of Georgia’s Civil War sites so that a common database may prevent the possibility of sites being overlooked in any plan. Working from the national listing (CWS II) as a core and augmenting it with the results of prior site surveys and studies should lessen the potential danger.
- Worked with other preservation organizations to install historical
markers.
- Organized Civil War site tours led by Ed Bearss, America's premier historic guide.
- Led tours of Atlanta area sites for civic groups.
- Presented history and preservation lectures for local civic groups, such as Heritage Sandy Springs, Perimeter Adult Learning & Services, and Senior Enriched Living Services.
- Provided volunteer staff at Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) annual conferences.
- Published monthly newsletter relating to preservation of Georgia's Civil War sites.
- Owned and maintained 4 acres of battlefield property near New Hope Church.
- Monitored status of threatened sites.
- Successfully nominated Georgia sites for CWPT's annual list of most endangered sites.
- Provided expertise to other preservation groups and news media.
- Attended Georgia House of Representatives Committee meeting in support of legislation to prevent disturbance of archaeological sites.
- Testified before Georgia Senate study committee on Electric Transmission Line location.
- Donated $5,000 to and advised Kolb Farm Coalition on how to save historic property.
- Participated as a stakeholder in the Chickamauga National Military Park Transportation Study.
- Helped Grant Park Conservancy apply for American Battlefield Protection Program grant to restore Fort Walker.
- Sent letter to Smyrna City Council to advocate preservation of Shoupade fortification.
Our 2008 walking tour of the Civil War sites of downtown Atlanta has been turned into a DVD by professional videographer David Druckenmiller. A sample of the introduction to “Civil War Atlanta: A walk through history” is available on the web at www.vimeo.com/7535060. The DVD is for sale for $15 (includes shipping) by sending a check to GBA at 7 Camden Rd NE, Atlanta GA 30309.
Georgia Battlefields Association can provide slide presentations on the following topics:
- Andrews' Raid (The Great Locomotive Chase)
- Chickamauga and Chattanooga
- Atlanta Campaign: Rocky Face Ridge to Resaca
- Atlanta Campaign: Resaca to Cassville
- Atlanta Campaign: Cassville to New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill, and Dallas
- Atlanta Campaign: Kolb's Farm, Kennesaw Mountain, Smyrna, and the River Line
- Atlanta Campaign: Crossing the Chattahoochee and the Change of Command
- Atlanta Campaign: Peachtree Creek and Atlanta
- Atlanta Campaign: Cavalry Raids, Ezra Church, Utoy Creek, Jonesboro, Fall of Atlanta
- Two "Quiet" Months: Sherman's Occupation of Atlanta and Pursuit of Hood
- The March to the Sea: Atlanta to Milledgeville
- The March to the Sea: Milledgeville to Savannah
- Jefferson Davis's flight from Virginia to Georgia
- Wilson's Raid through Alabama and Georgia
- Current Condition of Civil War Sites near Atlanta and elsewhere in Georgia
Here's a partial list of other organizations with which we've cooperated over the past few years.
Civil War-related State Parks & Historic Sites
Red Top Mountain State Park, East of Cartersville
Operates Allatoona Pass Battlefield of 5 October 1864
Pickett's Mill Battlefield Historic Site, North of Dallas
Battlefield of 27 May 1864
Sweetwater Creek State Park, Lithia Springs
Site of New Manchester Mill, burned by Federal cavalry 9 July 1864
Friends of Sweetwater Creek State Park
Alexander Stephens Historic Park, Crawfordville
Home of Confederate Vice President
Robert Toombs House Historic Site, Washington
Home of Confederate general and cabinet officer
Griswoldville Battlefield
Battlefield of 22 November 1864
Jefferson Davis Historic Site, Irwinville
Where Confederate president was captured 10 May 1865
Magnolia Springs State Park, North of Millen
Site of PoW Camp Lawton, 1864 - 1865
Wormsloe Historic Site, Savannah
Contains artillery position that defended Savannah
Fort McAllister Historic Park, Richmond Hill
Battlefield of 13 December 1864
Web sites for other Civil War sites in Georgia
Prater's Mill, near Varnell
Site of cavalry clash during opening days of Atlanta Campaign in May 1864.
Tunnel Hill, Northwest of Dalton
Featured in Andrews’ Raid on 12 April 1862 and opening of Atlanta Campaign in May 1864.
Resaca Battlefield, I-75 exit 320
Battlefield of 13-15 May 1864.
Fort Norton, Rome
Part of city defenses, near battlefield of 17 May 1864.
Fort Walker, Grant Park, Atlanta
Only remaining fort from defenses of Atlanta, October 1863 - September 1864
Nash Farm Battlefield, East of Lovejoy
Cavalry battle of 20 August 1864 and infantry battle of 3 September 1864.
Brown’s Mill Battlefield
Cavalry battle of 30 July 1864.
Cannonball House, Macon
Damaged by artillery fire during Federal cavalry raid in July 1864. Museum includes Civil War artifacts.
Old Governor’s Mansion, Milledgeville
Home of wartime governors. Sherman spent a night here during the November 1864 March to the Sea.
Fort Jackson, Coastal Heritage Society, Savannah
Fort that defended Savannah. Wreck of ironclad CSS Georgia is nearby.
Civil War-related Museums in Georgia
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
Display on Andrews’ Raid; houses locomotive General.
Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama
Battle of Atlanta painting; houses locomotive Texas.
Atlanta History Center
Turning Point Civil War exhibit with displays from DuBose, Dickey, and Wray artifact collections.
Port Columbus Civil War Naval Center
Houses remains of two Confederate ships as well as many other displays.
Blue & Gray Museum, Fitzgerald
History of town founded by veterans from both sides.
Georgia Civil War Information Resources online
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