Confederate Cemetery-Forsyth

During the Civil War, in the wake of Sherman's march to destroy Georgia, the wounded were brought to a special hospital camp in Forsyth—said to be the first such camp in Georgia—and 300 soldiers are buried in a Confederate cemetery in the town. Monroe County escaped much of the destruction associated with the Civil War, possibly because of its reputation as a center for healing and respite, and after the battles in Atlanta, Stone Mountain and Jonesboro, the number of injured soldiers escalated to nearly 20,000. Every available shelter in Forsyth was used: the courthouse, the Monroe Female College, the Hilliard Institute, the old Lumpkin Hotel, stores, and even private homes. Eventually, tent hospitals had to be constructed to handle the multitude of wounded soldiers.