African American Pioneers of the Marsh-Warthen-Clements House. The Marsh-Warthen-Clements House was hand built by enslaved African Americans in an African cultural style known as the "Shot Gun." Slaves traveled with Marsh from North Carolina and Covington, Georgia to LaFayette. African Americans served in the Marsh House, circa 1836 to the 1990s. In 1850, Marsh owned 12 slaves. In 1860, he owned eight slaves that lived in two slave houses. One of Marsh's beloved slaves was Wiley Marsh, a mulatto, born circa 1834/1835. Wiley Marsh became a skilled carpenter, preacher, farmer and valued member of the Trion Factory and LaFayette communities. In 1863, Spencer Marsh refugeed to Cassville having time to take only his wife, buggy, and two of his slaves, Clinton and Charlotte. In 1900, Spencer's daughter, S.A. (Addie) Marsh-Warthen, lived in the house. Her servants lived in the servants' quarters with their children. Their names were: Julia Whitehead, age 34; Anna Allgood, age 36; Edward Allgood, age 11; Rosie L. Allgood, age 9; Marshall Allgood, age 6; Lucile Allgood, age 3 and James Allgood, age 1. THIS PROPERTY IS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Joe Stock Memorial Park, Main Street (State Highway 1 / 136), LaFayette, GA, United States

Army of Tennessee. Late in August, 1863, the Army of the Cumberland, Maj. Gen. Wm. B. Rosecrans, USA, crossed the Tennessee River near Bridgeport and threatened Chattanooga. On Sept. 7th, learning that Rosecrans was moving toward his rear in the direction of Rome (42 miles S), Gen. Braxton Bragg, CSA, withdrew his Army of Tennessee from Chattanooga to this vicinity, with headquarters in LaFayette, to meet the Union advance when it crossed Lookout Mountain. Deciding that Bragg was retreating via Ringgold (21 miles NE) and Summerville (18 miles S), Rosecrans divided his army to pursue both columns and to strike at Bragg's flanks. Thomas' 14th Corps moved through Stevens' Gap into McLemore's Cove, west of LaFayette; McCook's 20th Corps toward Summerville; Crittenden's 21st Corps toward Ringgold. By the 12th, when Rosecrans realized his error, his flanks were widely separated, leaving Thomas alone in front of Bragg's whole Army. Although a hasty reconcentration was begun, it was not completed until the night of September 17th. In the meantime, an effort by Bragg to crush Thomas and Crittenden in turn failed for want of strong leadership. This failure forced Bragg to fight Rosecrans' reassembled army near West Chickamauga Creek (15 miles N) on the 19th and 20th. Although Bragg won the Battle of Chickamauga, it required two days of desperate fighting, during which his losses almost nullified his victory. 146-13 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1957

John B. Gordon Hall at N. Main and Margaret Streets, LaFayette, GA, United States

The Battle of Lafayette. On June 18, 1864, during Gen. Sherman's campaign for Atlanta, Col. Louis D. Watkins, commanding the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, occupied LaFayette with about 450 men of the 4th, 6th and 7th Kentucky cavalry regiments "to endeavor to rid the country of several guerilla bands." His headquarters were in the Court House, then in the center of the square, and his men were quartered in adjacent buildings. On June 24th, about 3 A.M. he was attacked by Brig. Gen. Gideon J. Pillow, CSA, who, with about 1600 cavalry was moving to North Georgia to burn the railroad bridges over Chickamauga Creek and harass Gen. Sherman's communications. Although surprised, Watkins' men barricaded their quarters and fought stubbornly; but without water, and with ammunition running low, their plight was becoming desperate when, about 8:30 A.M., relief arrived. Escaping the Confederate encirclement, one of the Union pickets had ridden for help and, at Rock Springs Church (8 miles N.), he had found the 4th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, Col. John T. Croxton, encamped for the night. Riding hard to LaFayette, Croxton surprised in turn Pillow's heavily engaged force and stampeded many of their horses. Uncertain of Croxton's strength, and with his own ammunition depleted, Pillow abandoned the attack and withdrew. Losses: (USA) 4 killed, 7 wounded, 53 captured: total 64. (CSA) 24 killed, 53 wounded, 78 captured: total 155. 146-16 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1967

park several blocks north of downtown on N. Main St., LaFayette, GA, United States