The March to the Sea, Newton County

The March to the Sea, Newton County is a Georgia historical marker in Newton County, dedicated 1957.

In front of Shopping Center on US278 in Covington.

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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 [US] into two wings. The Right Wing (15th and 17th Corps), Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard, USA, moved south via McDonough to feint at Macon, crossed the Ocmulgee River at Seven Islands (9 miles SE of Jackson), and concentrated around Gordon (17 miles SW of Milledgeville), where it could communicate with the Left Wing, then converging on Milledgeville. Kilpatrick´s cavalry division covered the right of the army as far as Gordon, skirmishing continually with Wheeler´s cavalry [CS]. The Left Wing (14th and 20th Corps), Maj. Gen. H. W. Slocum, USA, marched east from Atlanta in two columns. The 20th Corps, Brig. Gen. A. S. Williams, USA, moved through Social Circle and Madison, feinted at Augusta, then turned south through Eatonton, reaching Milledgeville on the 22nd. The 14th Corps, Maj. Gen. J. C. Davis, USA, accompanied by Gen. Sherman, turned southeast via Covington and Shady Dale, reaching Milledgeville on the 23rd. On Nov. 18th, the 14th Corps moved through Covington, camping that night in and east of town and on the banks of Ulcofauhachee (Alcovy) River, four miles east. The 20th Corps destroyed the Georgia Railroad east from Social Circle, camping near Madison.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1856 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1864 · Colton's Georgia (1864) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1866 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1869 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1896 · Monroe, Georgia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Georgia, 1866, covering the location of The March to the Sea, Newton County, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Georgia, 1866, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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This historical marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program and was erected by the Georgia Historical Commission. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

More markers nearby

The Stoneman Raid, Newton Countysame spot
Garrard's Cavalry Raid (Newton County)same spot
Newton Countyunder 1 mi
The Capture of Covingtonunder 1 mi