Military Service Road

At Allatoona, the Federal defense included a military service road that crossed the Tennessee Wagon Road and linked the fortified positions of the Eastern Redoubt to the headquarters of the 4th Minnesota. Before the Battle of Allatoona Pass, Union forces used the mill dam to flood the valley, causing difficulty for Sears' Mississippi Brigade as it maneuvered into position for the morning attack. The Battle of Allatoona Pass was fought on October 5, 1864, in Bartow County, Georgia, as the first major attempt to cut General William T. Sherman's supply lines after the fall of Atlanta. After the battle, the 4th Minnesota was one of the regiments in Sherman's March to the Sea. During the war, both sides used civilian labor, and many of the African Americans used by northern forces were free citizens. Today, the valley lies under the waters of Lake Allatoona.

Georgia · United States