Tunnel Hill in Whitfield County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Clisby Austin House
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 27, 2022
1. The Clisby Austin House Marker
Constructed in 1848 by Reverend Clisby Austin, "Meadowlawn" is a prime example of an antebellum style home. A wooden plank walkway extended from the house to the nearby Western and Atlantic Railroad Depot.
When Civil War hostilities approached this area in 1863, the town of Tunnel Hill became an integral part of the Confederate Army Hospital system. The resultant casualties of Chickamauga in September engulfed the limited Confederate resources. The Clisby Austin House was converted for the care of the wounded, the most renowned being General John Bell Hood, whose right leg is thought to be buried nearby.
The dwelling's next role was that of headquarters for General William T. Sherman, who stayed in the house for a week in May 1864 during the opening actions of his famous Atlanta Campaign. Mistakenly assuming he had surrounded his opponent, General Sherman pounded the supper table and proclaimed, "I've got Johnston dead."
Clisby Austin sold the house and surrounding acreage during the war and moved his family back to the relative safety of East Tennessee. Thanks to recent owners Kenneth and Barbara Holcomb, the
this page online
The house is part of the Tunnel Hill Heritage Tour Mon-Sat 9AM-5PM.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1864.
Location. 34° 50.286′ N, 85° 2.351′ W. Marker is in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, in Whitfield County. It is on Hunt Road 0.1 miles south of Clisby Austin Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 872 Hunt Road, Tunnel Hill GA 30755, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Mountains. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 27, 2022
2. The Clisby Austin House Marker
Marker is in the center.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Reverend Clisby Austin Sr. (here, next to this marker); Captain Key & Key's Battery (within shouting distance of this marker); Remembering the General Stores (within shouting distance of this marker); The Leg of Hood (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Building a Tunnel (about 600 feet away); Tunnel Hill (approx. 0.2 miles away); What are Sherman Neckties? (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Clisby Austin House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tunnel Hill.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 27, 2022
3. The Clisby Austin House
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 27, 2022
4. Military Division of the Mississippi Army Headquarters
Marker is to the right of the featured marker.
Major-General William T. Sherman Lt. Colonel Charles Ewing - Inspector General Captain Lewis M. Dayton - Adjutant General Captain Orlando M. Poe - Chief of Engineers Captain Thomas G. Baylor - Chief Ordinance Officer Colonel Amos Beckwith - Chief Commissary Doctor John Moore - Chief Medical Director Major J.C. McCoy (Far Right) - Aide-de-Camp Major Henry Hitchcock - Aide-de-Camp Captain Joseph C. Audenried - Aide-de-Camp Captain George W. Nichols - Aide Brevet Brig. General Langdon C. Easton - Chief Quartermaster
Major-General William T. Sherman Lt. Colonel Charles Ewing - Inspector General Captain Lewis M. Dayton - Adjutant General Captain Orlando M. Poe - Chief of Engineers Captain Thomas G. Baylor - Chief Ordinance Officer Colonel Amos Beckwith - Chief Commissary Doctor John Moore - Chief Medical Director Major J.C. McCoy (Far Right) - Aide-de-Camp Major Henry Hitchcock - Aide-de-Camp Captain Joseph C. Audenried - Aide-de-Camp Captain George W. Nichols - Aide Brevet Brig. General Langdon C. Easton - Chief Quartermaster
Credits. This page was last revised on November 5, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 4, 2022, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,242 times since then and 116 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 4, 2022, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
