Cavalry Skirmish at Thomas' Station

CAVALRY SKIRMISH AT THOMAS' STATION. On Dec. 3, 1864, Kilpatrick's cavalry division [Union], supported by Baird's division, 14th Corps, moving on the extreme left of General Sherman's army, reached the Augusta and Savannah Railroad and encamped, with Baird at Thomas' Station (0.2 mile E.) and Kilpatrick a mile N., both astride the rail and wagon roads.

Details from both divisions began destroying the railroad. The main body, 14th Corps, with the artillery and trains, camped at Lumpkin's Station, 4 miles S. That night, Wheeler's cavalry [Confederate] attacked the work details and shelled the camps, but after sharp skirmishing the attackers were repulsed by the 92nd Illinois Mounted Infantry without delaying the work of destruction.

Next morning, supported by two of Baird's infantry brigades, Kilpatrick, moved N. to accomplish his mission of destroying the bridges over Brier Creek, N. and E. of Waynesboro. Finding Wheeler lightly entrenched S. of the town, Kilpatrick attacked and, after hard fighting, forced him to retire beyond Brier Creek.

Baird's third brigade remained at Thomas' Station to complete the destruction of three miles of track then, with the division trains, marched to Alexander enroute to Jacksonboro (5 miles N. of Sylvania). The detached brigades turned S.E. from Waynesboro that afternoon and marched to Alexander, followed later by Kilpatrick after he had burned the bridges over Brier Creek.

017-15 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1958