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Photo Gallery: The March to the Sea
Marker text:
On Nov. 15, 1864, after destroying Atlanta and cutting his
communications with the North, Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman, USA, began his
destructive campaign for Savannah - the March to the Sea. He divided his
army into two wings. The Right Wing marched south from Atlanta, to
feint atMacon but to cross the Ocmulgee River above the city and concentrate
at Gordon. The Left Wing (14th and 20th Corps), Maj. Gen. H.W. Slocum, USA,
marched east. At Decatur, the 14th Corps, accompanied by Gen. Sherman,
turned SE toward Milledgeville. The 20th Corps, Brig. Gen. A.S. Williams,
USA, marched east to Social Circle and Madison, destroying the Georgia R.R.
between those towns.
On the 19th, at Madison, Geary's division was detached to burn the RR bridge
over the Oconee River (13 miles E of Madison). It rejoined the Corps near
Dennis Station (9 miles S).
On the 20th, the Corps camped about three miles north. Next day, it
passedthrough Eatonton, destroyed a few miles of the the railroad, and
camped below Dennis Station. Heavy rains having slowed the march and bogged
down the trains, little destruction of public utility property was
attempted. The 14th Corps, which had marched from Shady Dale that day,
destroyed Eatonton factory (3 miles W on Little River) and camped in that
vicinity.
On the 22nd, both corps converged on Milledgeville, then the Capital of
Georgia. The 20th Corps arrived that day and took possession of the city;
the 14th Corps arrived on the 23rd.
117-7 Georgia Historical Commission 1957
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