March to the Sea – Page 3

November 21st, 1864

November 21, 1864:

Parts of the Right Wing of Sherman’s army pass through Gordon and move on east to Irwinton. Their column stretches out for miles as they choke the roads. The Left Wing continues to move closer to Milledgeville. Sherman remarks in his memoirs that they only made 8 miles on this hard, cold, windy day. That night an uncommon early season snow storm blanketed the army with snow. The southern civilians accuse the yankees of bringing the cold weather with them.

General Hardee, in command of the Confederate forces in Georgia, is in Macon where he has been preparing to defend the city. His scouts have reported that the Federal columns have turned away from Macon and have started on a move eastward. Hardee now realizes that the Federal objective is most likely Augusta or Savannah. General Hardee begins to shift his troops as well as Wheeler’s cavalry to the east in an effort to slow down the Federal Advance.

November 19th, 1864

November 19th, 1864:

The 20th Corps, part of the Left Wing, made their way through Social Circle and Rutledge to Madison along the way they destroyed the Railroad and any thing that could be used to support the Confederate war effort. From Madison, General Geary took a Division to Buckhead, near the Oconee River. In Buckhead, Geary’s Division burn the Railroad Depot, 500 bales of cotton, and 5000 bushels of corn. They also burned the Ferry and boats on the river as well as the railroad bridge that was over 400 yards in length. General Sherman, who was traveling with the 14th Corps of the Left Wing, moved through Shady Dale and Newborn, destroying both as they were working their way towards Milledgeville. Sherman and the 14th Corps also crossed the Alcovy River during the day. Elements of the Right Wing reach and occupy Clinton. They camp in and around the town.

November 17th, 1864

November 17th, 1864:

The Right Wing of Sherman’s forces continue their march south and pass through Jackson, Flovilla, Worthville, and Indian Springs. General Howard’s forces camped for the night near Jackson and prepared to cross the Ocmulgee River on the following day at Planter’s Ferry in the area known as Seven Islands.

The Left Wing, accompanied by General Sherman, moves through Conyers, Covington, and Social Circle while also crossing the Alcovy River. While in Covington, the Federal Troops march through the town with their flags waving and their bands playing. They are greeted with much trepidation from the southerns, but the slaves were joyous in their arrival and began to sing, dance and pray. They crowed around General Sherman on his horse in great celebration. Sherman camped for the night by the Ulcofauhachee River about four miles east of Covington. Here, Sherman met an elderly slave and engaged him in conversation. He asked the old man to spread the word to others to not follow the army as it would hamper their movements and burden them with more mouths to feed and people to care for. He also said that the army would hire young and strong men to work for the army along the way as pioneers and some as teamsters and cooks. Sherman told the old man he would not be successful in his mission if he was encumbered by masses of freed slaves as he attempted to move through the country and fight the Confederates. The old man agreed and began to spread the word. During the March to the Sea, many freed slaves did follow the army, but not nearly as many as could have.

On this day, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, appointed General William Hardee to command all the Confederate forces in Georgia. Confederate Cavalry General Joseph Wheeler had made his Headquarters in Griffin and on the 17th, he ordered his men to place pickets on all the roads to Macon, Columbus and Augusta. Wheeler and his men were to harass and slowdown Sherman’s Army as much as possible.

On the morning of the 17th, the Federal Cavalry under the command of General Kilpatrick, moved from Hampton towards Griffin and Forsyth. The threat was really a feint to distract Wheeler, but was enough of a threat to cause Wheeler to burn the bridge over the Towaliga River and start a small firefight.