Lee & Gordon's Mills

Lee and Gordon's Mills became a familiar landmark for Federal and Confederate soldiers before and during the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. It is located along West Chickamauga Creek on the vital “State Road" between Chattanooga and La Fayette. Portions of both armies marched past the mill, positioning troops here and nearby both before and during the fighting. The original mill was built in 1836 by James Gordon (1801-1863). He later built his home near Crawfish Spring, about two miles southwest. When Gordon retired he left the mill's operation to James Lee.

On September 8, 1863, Confederate General Braxton Bragg withdrew his army south from Chattanooga. For two nights he made his headquarters near the mill. The Confederate rear was positioned here, with its line extending south to La Fayette. After Confederate headquarters moved to La Fayette on the 10th the Federal 21st Corps, under Major General Thomas L. Crittenden, followed to the mill and vicinity. Active, even heated, skirmishing occurred on the 12th and 13th against Confederate Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk's corps.

As the Battle of Chickamauga raged less than two miles north of the mill on Saturday, September 19th, Union 7 Brigadier General William H. Lytle's brigade defeated a detachment of Confederate Major General John C. Breckinridge's division attempting to capture the nearby ford. About 3:00 pm on the 20th, over 6,000 Confederate cavalrymen under Major General Joseph Wheeler crossed the creek at the mill. Private John A. Wyeth, fighting dismounted with the 4th Alabama Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, recalled, "...a number of us started to run across the [mill] dam; but an officer shouted: 'Get off! They're going to rake you with grapeshot!,' and we leaped into the water like so many bullfrogs." In two hours of combat against one Federal infantry and two cavalry brigades, led by Union Brigadier General Robert B. Mitchell, Wheeler's Confederates fought their way from the mill to Federal field hospitals near Crawfish Spring. Mitchell's defense enabled most wounded Federal soldiers to be hurriedly moved to safety. However, Wheeler's cavalrymen captured over 1,000 wounded and able-bodied men.

In early May 1864 about 24,000 soldiers in Union Major General James B. McPherson's “Army of the Tennessee” began their portion of the Atlanta Campaign by massing at and near the mill. They marched through Snake Creek Gap, southwest of Dalton, forcing Confederates to abandon that city leading to the Battle of Resaca.

The original mill burned shortly after the war, and another was constructed with some modifications on the same site. It operated until 1967. In 1993 a new owner began restoring the mill to working order. It contains artifacts and equipment from the mill's early years.