Grove City, Ohio was a town of 1500 to 2000 southwest of Columbus and in the middle of a belt of farmland. During Operation Blackbeard, Grove City became the last U.S. stronghold before Columbus, late in the summer of 1941. As such U.S. troops under the command of General Abner Dowling took a desperate defensive stand here. Col. Tom Colleton demonstrated the new Confederate ways of war in taking the town.