Gilgal Church Battle Site
Also known as: Federal Entrenchments
Why it's listed
Nine miles west of Marietta, a small tract of hardwood forest along the Sandtown Road preserves the Federal trench lines dug for the Battle of Gilgal Church on June 15-16, 1864. The 8.15-acre site holds a front line, several rear lines, seven rifle pits, command posts, officers' pits and the depressions of graves, all softened by leaves and time but still distinct. The fighting was part of the series of clashes around Marietta between Sherman's Federal troops and Johnston's Confederates during the Atlanta Campaign. Federal troops were squeezed tightly between a creek branch and the road, producing the most concentrated placement of troops of any documented Civil War battle site in Georgia. Officers described the engagement as unusually severe, and the Confederate works as exceptionally strong. When Federal troops turned the Confederate line on June 16, Johnston abandoned his Pine Mountain and Lost Mountain line. Surrounding land was plowed or developed, but this parcel escaped, leaving the best-preserved of the battle sites.
Significance in brief: The site is significant as the location of Federal entrenchments from the fierce fighting at Gilgal Church, part of the 'action about Marietta' during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. The trenches remain almost intact. The tight placement of troops here was more concentrated than at any other documented Civil War battle site in Georgia, according to the form.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000585, listed January 23, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9 mi. W of Marietta on Sandtown Rd., Marietta |
|---|---|
| County | Cobb County |
| Listed | January 23, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000585 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | June 15-16, 1864 |
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and virtually unchanged since 1864; the form lists it as unimproved acreage. |
| Acreage | 8.1 |
| Coordinates | 33.97170, -84.66495 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000585.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.