Near Fort Oglethorpe in Catoosa County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Johnson's Division

McCook's Corps

— Brigadier General Richard W. Johnson —

Johnson's Division Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 12, 2015

1. Johnson's Division Marker

Inscription. Johnson's Division - McCook's Corps.
Brigadier General Richard W. Johnson
September 20th, 1863, until 6 p.m.
1st Brigade - Brigadier General August Willich.
2d Brigade - Colonel Joseph B. Dodge.
3d Brigade - Colonel William W. Berry
This Division was established on this line before daylight of September 20th, having withdrawn the evening before from the vicinity of Winfrey's House in the face of Cleburne's attack. Berry's Brigade was on the front and Willich in reserve. Baird's Division was on the left and Palmer's on the right.

Dodge's Brigade was transferred before the attack to the left of Baird's Division. The front was protected by a breastwork of logs. About 10 a.m. Cleburne's Division attacked the fronts of Johnson and Palmer, but after desperate fighting for about an hour it was repulsed with heavy loss.

Thereafter, there was little fighting on this front until late in the afternoon. Meantime part of Berry's and all of Willich's Brigades assisted in repelling the persistent attacks on Baird's left. At 4 p.m. Willich's Brigade moved in rear of Baird's line, and skirting the woods moved southwards and cleared them of scattered forces of the enemy and took position in the southeast corner of the Kelly field to the right of Reynold's Division.

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Soon after 5:30 p.m. Johnson was ordered to follow Palmer in withdrawing.

Being heavily attacked at this moment, Johnson and Baird maintained their lines for a short time and then withdrew in haste and in disorder to the woods west of the Kelly field. They were not pursued into the forest, and thence moved to Rossville by way of McFarland's Gap. Loss during two days: Killed, 148; wounded, 940; missing, 554; total, 1,642.

Erected 1890 by the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Commission. (Marker Number MT-507.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is September 20, 1863.

Location. 34° 55.78′ N, 85° 15.309′ W. Marker is near Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, in Catoosa County. Marker is on Battleline Road south of Alexander Bridge Road, on the right when traveling south. This tablet is located in the national park that preserves the site of the Chickamauga Battlefield, The tablet is located about halfway between the northern end and the middle of the line of mostly Union monuments, markers, and tablets that are situated along the length of the park's Battleline Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Oglethorpe GA 30742, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 5th Kentucky Infantry (USA) (here, next to this marker); 5th Indiana Battery

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 12, 2015

2. Johnson's Division Marker

View, looking southeast of both the tablet and of the guns placed along Battleline Road, to show the position of both the Division and of the Battery during the battle.

(a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named 5th Indiana Battery (a few steps from this marker); 32nd Indiana Infantry (a few steps from this marker); 6th Indiana Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); 1st Ohio Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); Baldwin's Brigade (within shouting distance of this marker); 93rd Ohio Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Oglethorpe.

More about this marker. I used the "Chickamauga Battlefield" map, that I purchased at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Visitor Center, to determine both the marker number for this monument and the monument's location in relation to the rest of the park's monuments, markers, and tablets. According to the map it provides the, "numerical listing of all monuments, markers, and tablets on the Chickamauga Battlefield (using the Chick-Chatt NMP Monument Numbering System).”

Regarding Johnson's Division. Note, that on this tablet it lists Berry's Brigade,

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 12, 2015

3. Johnson's Division Marker

View of the tablet and the nearby 5th Battery Monument, looking northeast along Battleline Road.

however, out on the park's battlefield, the tablet for this Brigade is identified as being Baldwin's Brigade. So upon doing some research on Wikipedia it was discovered that Colonel Philemon P. Baldwin was killed and Colonel William W. Berry assumed command of this Brigade.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 12, 2015

4. Johnson's Division Marker

View of the featured tablet, situated to the right of the 5th Indiana Battery tablet, along the side of the Battleline Road.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, August 12, 2015

5. Johnson's Division Marker

View of the tablet looking east with a view of Battleline Road in the background.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 3, 2017. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2015, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 363 times since then and 7 times this year. Last updated on January 18, 2017, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 31, 2015, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.