On May 16, 1864, after delaying McPherson's troops at Lay's Ferry the day before, Walker's division of Hardee's army corps was joined here by Bate's and Cleburne's Confederate divisions. Deploying on both sides of Oothcalooga Creek, with the left of the line covering the road to Adairsville, Hardee, facing north and west, held McPherson's forces throughout the day to enable the Confederate wagon trains to proceed to Adairsville. This action, the Battle of Rome Cross Roads, was an episode of the Atlanta Campaign.