The End Is Near

If we had been living here around 150 years ago, we might have heard the booms of the Confederate and Union big guns that were waging battle on the eastern border of Atlanta.

The battle began on July 22nd and had been ongoing ever since.

Capturing Atlanta was essential to begin the Union March to the Sea to Savannah. Transportation for both sides, food, weapons, soldiers depended on the railroads that crossed in Atlanta. By the end of August, Union General Sherman had warned anyone left in Atlanta to leave or risk being killed.

In the meantime, wounded Confederate soldiers took the train as far as the track was still intact, Griffin. The Union soldiers had destroyed all the tracks south of Griffin. Thousands of soldiers died in Griffin without any medical help.

Today, you can visit the Stonewall Cemetery in Griffin that contains the remains of 500 Confederate and one Union soldier. All the graves show the date of death, September 2, 1864.

An angel sculpture stands at the entrance with these words inscribed at the base, “Rest! Soldier! Rest!