General Sherman, determined to find out the Confederate strength south of Atlanta, sent U.S. Judson Kilpatrick’s cavalry to do what McCook and Stoneman had failed to do.  On August 18, 1864, Kilpatrick and 4,700 cavalrymen left Sandtown in West Atlanta, ordered by Sherman to cut all railroad lines south of the city.  Kilpatrick began his southwestern trek by roaring through Fairburn and slicing apart the Atlanta-West Point tracks.  On the 19th he skirmished his way to Jonesboro and unhinged the Macon & Western Railroad.  By early afternoon on August 20, Kilpatrick was in Henry County, but indelicately sandwiched by Confederate infantry in front and Confederate cavalry in back.   

His only route of escape would be to retreat on the McDonough Road towards McDonough.  But first, they would have to cut their way through Confederate Sol Ross’ Texas Cavalry Brigade who were spread out on the McDonough Road and southward into a large field.  Ross’s Cavalry Brigade had less than 700 cavalrymen and one single 12 pound howitzer cannon which was positioned just off the McDonough Road on a small knoll, just West of Babb’s Mill Road. 

Kilpatrick’s cavalry command quickly assembled on the crest of a hill and they lined up in a column of fours. 

General Minty of the 7th Pennsylvania gave the orders “Attention!”  He then commanded in a clear voice, “Draw Sabers!”  There was a sharp, metallic rasp of cold steel being drawn from many scabbards.  Minty’s bugler bounded to the top of the hill.  Silhouetted against the summer sky, he lifted the bugle to his lips and sounded “Forward.”

“Gallop! March!”  Minty roared, swinging his saber over his head.  “Charge!” the bugles echoed.  A wild cheer rose in the throats of a thousand Federal troopers as three compact columns of fours surged up over the crest.  Boot to boot, stirrup to stirrup, they spurred hell-for-leather, here-they came down the gullied hill, their upraised sabers flashing in the sun. 

“The Fourth Cavalry obliqued to the left from the field and struck the McDonough dirt road, down which they went at break-neck speed.”  In front of them, a lone Confederate howitzer roared from a stand of walnut trees on a hill on the left side of the road.  A shell burst overhead.  Then another. Then the Confederate gunners switched to canister.  As the Federals raced on, a frightful hail of round balls shivered a mulberry tree next to the fence on their right.  Yelling and shouting, they dug their spurs in deep.  An instant later they were galloping past the belching gun, so close they could feel it's hot breath on their faces.

Sul Ross’ caissons, led horses, and ambulances crowded the narrow McDonough Road around a sharp curve behind the Confederate cannon and the oncoming Federal regiment slammed into them at a dead run.  The impact was terrific.  The white horse Captain McIntyre of the Forth Michigan was riding collided with an artillery limber, hurling him headlong into a fence.

Many Southern men were dodging the flailing hooves of frightened horses as the Federal cavalry cut down men with their slashing blades.  The muddy ground trembled under the urgent fury of pounding hooves.  The smoky air shook with each fiery blast of case shot and canister.  Horses screamed in agony, men shouted and death filled the air.

The Texans fired their rifles and emptied many saddles but before they could reload, the Federal horsemen were upon them. We cut them down left and right, exulted Captain Burns of the Forth Michigan.  I struck one man who did not surrender fast enough full on top of his head, felt my saber sink in, saw him fall, and dashed on.

Private Sam Waters in the front ranks of the 7th Pennsylvania stood up in his stirrups as he overtook a mounted Confederate and raised his saber.  The Confederate rider threw his arm up to ward off the blow.  The Federal blade flashed, cutting off his hand at the wrist.  Another blow nearly severed the man’s head from his body.

Albert Potter of the 7th Pennsylvania said, “Many of them were cut down without mercy.  We slashed right and left, and many a poor devil’s brains lay scattered on the ground.”

In the forefront of the charge, General Bob Minty of the 7th PA sabered a Texan across the head just before his horse was hit by a rifle bullet and fell into a ditch as the thunderous stampede kept coming.  In the ranks of the 3rd Ohio, a Federal trooper was hurled ten feet in the air when an artillery shell struck his mount and exploded.  Nineteen year-old Hector Looker of the 10th Ohio tumbled from his saddle, shot through the head.  His father, Private James Looker, dismounted and rushed to his side.  As he knelt over his dead boy’s body, a Confederate bullet struck him down. 

Kilpatrick ordered Eli Long’s Ohio Brigade to dismount and hold the Texans at bay while the rest of the column moved off toward McDonough. 

The greatest cavalry charge recorded in Georgia’s history took place in Henry County.  This incredible charge began in a large field just off the McDonough Road, and ended just north of Babb’s Mill Road at County Line Church.