On Oct. 12, 1864, Maj. Gen. G.W. Smith, CSA, assembled a militia force at Lovejoy's Station to support Iverson's division of Wheeler's cavalry corps, which was picketing the roads south from Atlanta in anticipation of a movement by Gen. Sherman's army toward Macon and Savannah. Smith's force consisted of 2800 infantry of the 1st Division, Georgia Militia, 3 batteries, and about 250 local reserve cavalry. On Nov. 15th, Sherman began his March to the Sea. The leading element of his Right Wing, the 15th Corps under Maj. Gen. P. J. Osterhaus, USA, marched from White Hall toward Jonesboro, apparently en route to Macon via Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station, while its right was covered by Kilpatrick's cavalry division on roads to the west. At Morrow's Station, the 15th Corps turned southeast toward Stockbridge and McDonough. Kilpatrick's cavalry then closed on Jonesboro and drove Iverson's smaller command toward Lovejoy's Station. With his position turned, Smith withdrew his force to Griffin, a fortified hospital center, to cover that point and keep his force between Macon and the Union advance.