It
was during this turning movement that the 8th suffered its greatest
setback as part of McCook’s raid on July 27-30 (sometimes called the Battle of
Brian’s Mill). Sherman sent Gen. Edward
McCook and his cavalry to the southwest of Atlanta with the objective of
severing supply lines. En route, they
burned wagons, destroyed roads, as well as captured a large number of prisoners
consisting mostly of officers (though they would be liberated). [14] After burning a section of the Atlanta &
West Point Railroad, McCook’s cavalry endeavored to also destroy the Macon and
Westward rail line at Lovejoy’s Station on July 29th. [14]
During this raid, they were engaged by
Ross’s Texan brigade. After hand-to-hand
fighting with revolvers and repulsing two confederate charges, the 8th
Iowa left the field and rode through the night until the reached Newnan,
GA. Here they again engaged, were
surrounded, and though they fought bravely for several more hours they were defeated. A few
of the regiment escaped, but five were killed, twenty more wounded, and 268
were captured. Many of the officers were
killed during the raid, a few managed to escape, and a few others (including
their commander, Col. Dorr) were captured and later exchanged. What was left of the 8th Cavalry
remained at Kingston, Georgia until Sept 17th when Colonel Dorr
could return to the unit. [12]
In
the interim the 8th Iowa was attached to the Army of the
Mississippi, then transported back to Tennessee, where they became a part of
the Franklin-Nashville campaign. [13] The
Franklin-Nashville battles came about when Sherman’s supply lines were
disrupted which prompted his decision to abandon Atlanta via his famed “march
to the sea.” Gen. John Bell Hood was
thus faced with the choice of engaging Sherman on his march or attacking his
rear lines. Choosing the latter, he
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