Action, Noonday Creek was a Civil War engagement fought in Georgia, 1864.
The Battle of Noonday Creek was a series of combat events in the Atlanta campaign of the American Civil War that took place between June 10 and July 3 of 1864.
Brigadier General Kenner Garrard was ordered by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman to interpose between Major General Joseph Wheeler's Confederate cavalry and detached infantry at Noonday Creek, which was just a few miles from Sherman's headquarters at Big Shanty. When, after a week, Garrard failed to do so, two brigades of infantry and three brigades of cavalry with artillery support were advanced against the Confederate positions on June 9. Two charges failed, and the Union Army retired from the field. However, Wheeler's cavalry was moved to a position between Bell's Ferry and Canton Road.
On June 10, the 17th Indiana Infantry Regiment pushed the enemy across Noonday Creek after heavy fighting.
On June 15, a division of Union cavalry attacked and was repelled. On June 17, the Federals pushed Wheeler down Bell's Ferry Road, where he retired to Robert McAffee's house located at the intersection of today’s Barret Parkway and Bells Ferry Roads. This location is often confused with the house of Doctor John McAfee, which was located at the intersection of the Canton and Marietta Road, and the Old Alabama Road in Woodstock. On June 10 Colonel Robert H. G. Minty’s First Cavalry Brigade (U.S.) consisting of the 4th U.S. Cavalry, 4th Michigan Cavalry, and 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiments, and the Chicago Board of Trade Battery crossed Noonday Creek on the Old Alabama Road, and proceeded to McAfee’s Crossroads, where Doctor McAfee’s Home was located. Upon approaching the crossroads the 7th Pennsylvania became heavily engaged, but drove in the Rebel pickets, and occupied the crossroads. While Minty was deploying his line he was attacked by two brigades of Major General William T. Martin’s division, and the entire division of Wheeler's cavalry. After fighting for about an hour the 7th Pennsylvania made a saber charge, and drove the Confederates south on the Canton and Marietta Road for a mile, until they entrenched on the crest of a hill. After an unsuccessful assault on that position, Minty withdrew back across Noonday Creek on the Old Alabama Road. Minty’s Brigade remained in position near McAfee’s Crossroads skirmishing daily with Wheeler’s Confederate Cavalry until June 20.
On June 19, the Union Army attacked but was driven off with heavy losses.
On June 23, Colonel Eli Long, USA, crossed Noonday Creek with his brigade. He was attacked at that time, and repelled the attackers.
The 4th Michigan Cavalry was attacked by 4,500 of Wheeler's cavalry at Latimar's Mill on Little Noonday Creek near Noonday Church.
Between June 10 and July 3, 1864, fighting broke out along Noonday Creek as part of the wider Atlanta campaign of the Civil War.
Sherman, directing operations from his headquarters at Big Shanty, had instructed Brigadier General Kenner Garrard to position his forces between Wheeler's Confederate horsemen and nearby detached infantry along the creek, only a short distance away. A week passed with no results from Garrard, so on June 9 the Union command sent forward two infantry brigades and three cavalry brigades, backed by artillery, against the Confederate line. Twice the attackers charged and twice they were thrown back, forcing a Union withdrawal from the field. Wheeler nonetheless shifted his cavalry to new ground between Bell's Ferry and Canton Road.
The following day, June 10, soldiers of the 17th Indiana Infantry Regiment forced the opposing troops back over Noonday Creek following intense combat.
Five days later, on June 15, a Union cavalry division launched an assault that was thrown back. Two days after that, on June 17, Federal troops pressed Wheeler's men down Bell's Ferry Road, compelling his retreat to the residence of Robert McAfee, situated where Barret Parkway meets Bells Ferry Road in the present day. People often mistake this property for the home of Doctor John McAfee, which actually stood at the junction of Canton and Marietta Road with Old Alabama Road in Woodstock. That same day, June 10, Colonel Robert H. G. Minty led his First Cavalry Brigade, made up of the 4th U.S. Cavalry, the 4th Michigan Cavalry, the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and the Chicago Board of Trade Battery, across Noonday Creek along Old Alabama Road toward McAfee's Crossroads, site of Doctor McAfee's house. Nearing the crossroads, the 7th Pennsylvania found itself locked in heavy combat but succeeded in pushing back Confederate pickets and seizing the intersection. As Minty arranged his troops, Major General William T. Martin struck with two of his brigades, joined soon after by the whole of Wheeler's cavalry division. Roughly an hour of combat followed before the 7th Pennsylvania answered with a saber charge, chasing the Confederates a mile south along Canton and Marietta Road until they dug in atop a hill. When a follow-up assault on that entrenched position failed, Minty pulled his men back across Noonday Creek by way of Old Alabama Road. His brigade then held its ground near McAfee's Crossroads, trading skirmishes daily with Wheeler's cavalry until June 20.
On June 19, another Union assault met stiff resistance and was beaten back with severe casualties.
Four days later, on June 23, Colonel Eli Long of the Union army led his brigade across Noonday Creek, faced an enemy attack there, and succeeded in driving it off.
Separately, the 4th Michigan Cavalry came under assault from 4,500 of Wheeler's troopers at Latimar's Mill along Little Noonday Creek, close to Noonday Church.
Even after decades of commercial growth transformed the area surrounding Town Center at Cobb beginning in the 1980s, the McAfee house has remained in place along Bells Ferry Road, joined by a historical marker at the roadside. The site sits at the northwest corner where Barrett Parkway meets from the west and Piedmont Road from the east, at coordinates 34.0141°N 84.5488°W (Robert McAfee house & historical marker).
The forces engaged in this fight drew from a wide array of regiments and companies. Among them stood the 103rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment alongside the 40th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, while Iowa contributed its 6th Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Ohio sent the 46th Infantry, and Indiana was represented both by the 97th Regiment Indiana Infantry and by the 17th Indiana Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Cavalry support came from the 4th Michigan Cavalry, the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and the 4th U.S. Cavalry, with additional firepower provided by the Chicago Board of Trade Artillery.
On the opposing side, troops included the Kentucky 15th Cavalry Regiment and the Confederate 1st Cavalry Regiment, joined by the 5th Georgia Cavalry. Rounding out this array was Company I of the 37th Alabama Regiment.
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