Brown’s Mill Battlefield
Beckoning both kids and adults for outdoor adventure – with a history lesson thrown in for fun
Written by FRANCES KIDD
Young bicyclists explore the trails at Brown’s Mill Battlefield Historic Civil War Site.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Historians say the Battle of Brown’s Mill changed the course of Union General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. Sherman’s original plan was to use cavalry to cut Atlanta’s railroads that supplied and fed the Confederate Army defending the city.
Two mounted columns, including almost 10,000 officers and troops, headed out on July 27, 1864. One, commanded by General Edward M. McCook, headed west; the other was led by General George Stoneman. Their orders were to cut four major railroad lines.
McCook’s force did initially succeed in inflicting damage to Confederate rail lines and supply wagons. But just southwest of Newnan, McCook was turned back by cavalry troops commanded by Major General Joseph Wheeler. McCook’s troops suffered considerable losses at the Battle of Brown’s Mill.
Even though the mill itself played virtually no role in the battle, the mill is referenced directly in the accounts of General McCook, so the place name has become synonymous with the battlefield site.
According to an archeological research study commissioned by Coweta County, Brown’s Mill was constructed in the 1830s and was largely destroyed by flood in the 1880s. The only remaining signs of the mill are a series of drill holes in the stone of the creek containing iron reinforcement bars associated with bracing the dam. The Brown family residence was also on the property, south of the mill.
Wandering through the woods and meadows of the Brown’s Mill Battlefield Historic Civil War Site, it’s almost impossible to think that, in 1864, a battle was fought on this now tranquil spot. Other than the well-placed walking and mountain biking trails snaking through the woods, the land feels completely undisturbed.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the opening of the site as a historic and recreational resource for the Newnan-Coweta community. While it took some time to get here, the process has been driven by great collaboration between government agencies, the private sector and volunteers.
In 2001, the Coweta County Board of Commissioners committed to preserving the historic site by purchasing approximately 105 acres of land that had been part of the battlefield. Not only was the Battle at Brown’s Mill the only Civil War battle in Coweta County; it is credited with causing Union General William T. Sherman to change his initial strategy as his troops headed toward Atlanta.
Soon after the purchase, the County presented Sandra Parker, who had recently joined the County Planning Department, with the project. The rest is history.
Carolyn Turner, a Coweta resident who taught history in the Coweta County School System, approached Parker to inquire about involving some of her students in the census work being run out of Parker’s office. After the two met and sorted out plans for Turner’s class, they discovered something else they could work on together: Brown’s Mill.
Turner, now retired and serving as president of Brown’s Mill Battlefield Association, had grown up hearing family stories about the battle and had always had a great interest in the site. Parker was already working on the idea of developing the former battlefield as a historic site. Other early supporters included State Senator Lynn Smith, who was instrumental in getting grant funding to assist the County in the purchase of the land.
As the site developed, organizations and individuals around Coweta contributed to making the site a great place for the community. For example, Boy Scouts seeking to earn their Eagle Scout badges volunteered to build wooden benches at intervals along the trails. Local Kiwanis Clubs provided funding to the Battlefield Association.
“Here we have open communication with, and great support from, our Board of Commissioners,” says Turner. “We are fortunate that they all have pride in the history of our county. Cooperation between the Commissioners, the Parks and Recreation Department, the mountain bikers, and the historians creates a great experience for all who visit Brown’s Mill Battlefield.”
At the historic site at 155 Millard Farmer Road in Newnan, approximately four miles of hiking trails include a quarter mile that’s ADA-accessible. Markers outlining the area’s history, researched and erected by Brown’s Mill Battlefield Association, line the way. In May 2019, six miles of beginner and intermediate mountain bike trails opened as the culmination of a partnership with Bike Coweta, Mountain Bike Atlanta and Brown’s Mill Battlefield Association.
Brown’s Mill was the first County site reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents, increasingly looking for safe ways to get out of their houses, were calling the county asking what facilities were open. The site was reopened because the extensive trail system gave users the ability to keep a safe distance from others using the trails. As one can imagine, its popularity immediately increased, according to Turner.
A dog-friendly site, Brown’s Mill is a great place for people to exercise and walk their canine companions, although pets must remain on a leash. It’s also a place where mountain bikers whoosh through the woods on their dedicated trails. Often, volunteers from the association ride along the trails to pick up any trash left behind or give tours to visitors.
Even on a gray, drizzly day in early spring, there were folks on the trails. One of the visitors was Holly, a beautiful Weimaraner who was leading her owner Mike Hartenstine towards the trail.
“I get to come about two times a week for 20 or 30 minutes,” Holly seemed to say, with great excitement in her eyes as she added, “I like the woods and the squirrels.”
Further along the trail, there were two other dogs and their people who are also frequent visitors to the park. The dogs declined to comment, but one of the owners said they found the pet-friendly trail on an app listing nearby recreation areas.
While a destination for recreation and outdoor activities, Brown’s Mill is also a place that deserves respect. In 2022, at the suggestion of the state historic preservation office, the Battlefield Association brought in cadaver dogs with an experienced handler. These trained dogs are usually in the field looking for missing persons or tracking the area where a body is thought to be buried. The work in battlefield archeology, using the same skills, is relatively new.
In hopes of confirming the existence of graves, some volunteers with the association had been dowsing, a traditional art used to detect underground water, grave sites and other buried items by using metal rods that move when they detect something underground. The volunteers had discovered some potential locations of graves, including that of a young girl who had lived with her uncle, George Cook, owner of the mill. Along with the grave of Cook’s niece, some other areas were corroborated by the cadaver dogs.
The Brown’s Mill Battlefield Historic Civil War Site is located at 155 Millard Farmer Road in Newnan and is managed by the Coweta County Parks and Recreation Department. There are self-guided tours, free parking, a pavilion, bike racks and public restrooms. The site is open year-round Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Hiking trails are always accessible but, to prevent damage, the Rec Department requests that mountain bikers help preserve the biking trails by avoiding them after hard rains. NCM
