09/28/2026
The Roswell Mills Camp #1547 funded the monument to the Mill Workers.
In July 1864, Roswell became part of a military campaign that would change the lives of hundreds of local families.
Today, people walk along Vickery Creek, visit Town Square and cross the Chattahoochee without necessarily realizing how closely these familiar places are connected to the Civil War.
But beneath the Roswell we know today is another story.
One of military strategy, destroyed mills, displaced workers and families whose lives were changed by decisions made far beyond their control.
šŖ WHEN THE WAR REACHED ROSWELL
During the Atlanta Campaign, Union General William T. Sherman needed a way across the Chattahoochee River.
Roswell's river crossings made the town strategically important.
On July 5, 1864, Union cavalry under General Kenner Garrard entered Roswell.
The town's textile mills had been producing materials for the Confederacy. Within days, the mills were destroyed.
But the consequences extended far beyond the buildings.
š§µ THE MILL WORKERS
Approximately 400 mill workers, predominantly women, were arrested under orders from Sherman and accused of treason.
Many had remained in Roswell while men were away fighting.
They were held under guard, transported to Marietta and subsequently sent north by railroad, along with children.
Some eventually returned.
The fate of many others remains uncertain.
Think about that the next time you pass Roswell Town Square.
For some families, that familiar public space was one of the last places they saw their hometown before being taken away.
Today, the Lost Mill Workers Monument on Sloan Street preserves their memory.
šŗļø A DIFFERENT ROSWELL
Historic maps reveal something that modern streets cannot always show.
The old roads.
The river crossings.
The locations of mills, homes and military positions.
They help us understand why Roswell mattered during the Atlanta Campaign.
The Chattahoochee wasn't simply a scenic river.
It was a military obstacle, a transportation route and a strategic crossing point.
The mills weren't simply old industrial buildings.
They were part of a wartime economy, and places where ordinary people worked to support their families.
The geography of Roswell helped shape its history.
āŖ HISTORY STILL SURROUNDS US
The historic Roswell Presbyterian Church sanctuary was used as a hospital for Union soldiers.
The Machine Shop survived when other original mill buildings were destroyed.
The river crossings helped shape the movement of armies.
And the monument on Sloan Street reminds us that the consequences of war were experienced by ordinary people, not only soldiers.
These aren't disconnected historical facts.
They're pieces of the same local story.
A story about how geography, industry, military decisions and community life intersected in Roswell.
Sometimes Hidden Roswell isn't a forgotten building. It's a forgotten connection between places we already know.
š HIDDEN ROSWELL
š Explore: Old Mill Park ā¢ Vickery Creek ā¢ Roswell Town Square ā¢ Lost Mill Workers Monument ā¢ Historic Roswell Presbyterian Church
ā Why It Matters: Roswell played a role in the 1864 Atlanta Campaign, and the occupation had lasting consequences for the town's workers, families and industrial community.
š Look For: Historic markers, surviving mill structures, river crossings and memorials that preserve the events of 1864.
šæ Roswell Well ā¢ ā¤ļø Connect Well
Understanding our community means learning its complete history, including the difficult experiences of people whose stories were not always preserved in familiar landmarks.
š¬ COMMUNITY QUESTION
Before today, did you know the story of Roswell's mill workers who were arrested and sent north in 1864?
Or is there another piece of Roswell's Civil War history you've always wanted to understand?
š Share your thoughts or questions below.
