A silence fell over the battlefields after the fall of Atlanta and for the federals all of Hood's movements remained secretive. The majority of the Federal Army was at or near Jonesboro, with some cavalry back toward the Chattahoochee between Sandtown and Fairburn. In mid-September, restrained by a cease-fire to remove civilians from the Atlanta area, Sherman cautiously sent out scouting parties to ascertain the whereabouts of Hood and his army.

Gen. Kilpatrick quickly realized his brigade was covering a front from near Fairburn to near Powder Springs. He was so overextended that even small forces of Confederates presented a threat. He noted strong resistance around Fairburn and reports of the enemy crossing the river about Campbellton. On the 20th, Sherman sent Gen. Thomas' infantry toward Fairburn to shore up Kilpatrick's sagging line. He also sent a scouting party from 2cd Cavalry Division to make a dash to Moore's Bridge to see what was going on. When some of the scouts came to the bridge at Sweet Water Town, they found it fortified: "….estimated by the officer at 150 ….(9-23-64)". This was perhaps the first inkling that the Sweet Water had been blockaded by Hood's Cavalry.

Sherman then sent another scouting party to Moore's Bridge. Capt. Greeno of 1st brigade, later met up with the other scouting party:

…The scout just returned found a detachment of 200 men, under a Captain of the 2cd Cavalry Division, at Alexander's Ford. The Captain in command refused to say where he was going…(9-23-64).**

Captain Greeno, 7th Pa. Cav.

Captain Loud of Harvey's Confederate Scouts also showed up and later reported:

…One hundred and fifty came down to Ferguson's pickets on the 23rd. We met them at the creek, and had not our courier missed his way, would have given General Ferguson ample time to have entrapped them…(9-23-64).**

As news of other Confederate cavalry at Powder Springs arrived, Gen. Sherman contemplated a mad dash by all cavalry to intercede between Hood and his cavalry. He intended to head straight for Carrollton to meet Hood head on. To achieve this he sent Kilpatrick farther north to Powder Springs and summoned Garrard to move west to the Sweet Water Town bridge. He also noted the intention of Hood, whose army was visited by Jefferson Davis on the 26th, to cross the Chattahoochee in force to cut the railroad north of Marietta.

On September 30th, Kilpatrick began to feel Confederate pressure to hold the Sweet Water Creek flank:

Have had considerable skirmishing in my front this a.m. on Camp Creek; have driven the rebel cavalry back across the Sweet Water. They are now barricading the fords on that stream. Had 2 men killed and 5 wounded, and lost several horses killed and wounded. I have 100 men on the opposite side of the river watching the Sweet Water.

On October 1st, as Hood's Army started crossing the River at Pumpkintown, Kilpatrick began his attempt to cross the Sweet Water at Sweet Water Town bridge. A railroad line had been constructed down to his position on the creek and heavy rail guns were brought to bear on Salt Springs. Col. Boyles of Ferguson's Alabama Cavalry Brigade reported that he heard drum and band music on the Sandtown- Marietta Road and skirmishing below the bridge at a ford. The next day he found himself in a fight for his life:

Captain (Sykes): Enemy made a bridge on Sweet Water above this point last night, and under cover of artillery have crossed a heavy cavalry force. The length of my line and the absence of Col. Inge's regiment neccessitates reinforcements. I have only 600 fighting men.

Kilpatrick, having tried earlier to secure a bridgehead was "…driven back after a severe skirmish…(10-1-64)" but managed to cross, drive Col. Boyles back 1.5 miles and finish building the bridge. Boyles reported the movement: "….leaves my pickets on the lower Sweet Water exposed, and I have concentrated them at Alexander's Mill. I don't think I can hold my position if attacked. I can only bring into a fight about 400 men in front…(10-2-64)". Meanwhile, Gen. Ross, at Powder Springs feared that Infantry moving on the Sandtown- Marietta Road could cross at Sweet Water Town Bridge and, heading down theAtlanta- Villa Rica Road, would be closer to Hood's infantry than he was. He proposed to relieve Col. Boyles to keep federal cavalry from getting between the infantry and the cavalry.

As the Confederate infantry moved north, Sherman ordered his entire army to set out forMarietta. On the 4th, Hood's infantry were beaten back from Allatoona, Gen. Corse reinforcing from Rome, Ga. Sherman then ordered Kilpatrick to make a dash for Carrollton to chase Hood's forces westward:

Colonel (Clark): I have forced two brigades of Jackson's Cavalry Division beyond this point (Flint Hill Church), and now hold the bridge over the right branch of Sweet Water (Gothard's) and the Dallas- Campbellton Road and within three miles of the Dallas-Villa Rica Road. Rebel Cavalry have all left the lower Sweet Water and country south of this point and have gathered in about Dallas, covering the movements of Hood's army, which is not marching on any of the roads south of Dallas…(10-7-64).

Having been unsuccessful at Allatoona, Hood began his retreat into Tennessee, to fight again at Nashville and Franklin and to disband and go back to Texas, while others regrouped inSouth Carolina, with Gen. Johnston, only to surrender in North Carolina. On November 11,Atlanta was ordered burned and Sherman, leaving a garrison behind, would begin his march to the sea. Kilpatrick made his final report to him, noting:

Hood at Corinth; 1500 cavalry and some infantry at Opelika, 3 brigades of cavalry at Carrollton, 5 regiments at Villa Rica and a small force at West Point and Newnan.

Company D, 25th Illinois remained at Salt Springs after the war. Other camps were at Campbellton, off Mann Road, near Dark Corner and Kentucky Federals were still being snatched and hung, near Sandtown, well after the war was over. The people of Campbell, laterDouglas County, had to put up with the Pony Homestead, The Freedman's Bureau and Federal Troops until 1876, when Reconstruction ended. Visiting Atlanta in the early 1960s, as a teen, I was witness to some of the earliest signs that the South might finally recover from the Civil Reconstruction ended. Visiting Atlanta in the early 1960s, as a teen, I was witness to some of the earliest signs that the South might finally recover from the Civil War.

(from THE 100 DAY WAR, by Ray Henderson, ©2004).

The Army of Tennessee attempts to cut off Sherman's supply train