Davis at the Yellow River

On Nov. 17, 1864, the 14th Corps [US], Maj. Gen J.C. Davis, which had camped along this road in and west of Lithonia (14 miles NW) the night before, marched to the Yellow River and camped for the night. General Davis' headquarters were on the west bank in this area; those of Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman, who was accompanying the 14th Corps from Atlanta to Milledgeville, were on the railroad a mile west of the river. Both the railroad and wagon bridges over the Yellow River having been destroyed in July by Garrard's Cavalry [US] and the river being unfordable, two pontoon bridges (120 feet each) were laid during the night by the pontoniers of the Left Wing, Col. George B. Buell's 58th Indiana Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Next day, the troops and trains of the 14th Corps crossed on the pontoons and marched through Covington to the Ulcofauhachee (Alcovy) River, four miles beyond the town. To expedite the crossing of that stream, one bridge was taken up and moved forward to the Alcovy and relaid. That night, the 14th Corps camped east of Covington on both banks of the Alcovy, its advance on the Eatonton road. General Sherman's headquarters were at Judge Harris' "Quarters", near the road junction east of the river. During these first three days of the March to the Sea, Davis' column marched more than forty miles, destroyed the track and station facilities of the Georgia Railroad from Lithonia to the Yellow River, and crossed two rivers on its own pontoons.