A tiny but valuable component of the South’s military industrial complex, Griswoldville became a target of union forces in 1864. After a glancing blow by Stoneman’s Raiders in late summer, the town was obliterated during Sherman’s infamous march to the sea.
Based on primary sources, Griswoldville charts the rise of Connecticut Yankee Samuel Griswold from tinware peddler to industrial magnate and details the history of Griswoldville from its creation to its destruction. Special attention is paid to the two military operations most closely identified with the little town: the Stoneman Raid and the brave but fruitless stand of young boys and old men of the Georgia militia against Sherman’s experienced and skilled Federals.