To the east were the parade grounds and tents of Camp McDonald, established by Governor Joseph E. Brown, June 1861, to train citizens for the defense of the Confederacy. Here Phillips Legion, and other Georgia units trained, then rendered valiant service to the southern cause.
The camp closed in the late fall of 1861 but reopened in 1862 and 1863 to train more troops for the Confederacy. Sham battles and parades here attracted large and appreciative audiences.
033-35B GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1953
Plaque courtesy Lat34North.com.
Original page, with additional info, here.
Photo credit: Byron Hooks of Lat34North.com.