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, dividing his army into two wings. The Right Wing marched south from Atlanta to feint at Macon, then cross the Ocmulgee River above the city and concentrate at Gordon. The Left Wing, the 14th and 20th Corps under Maj. Gen. H. W. Slocum, USA, marched through Decatur, where the 20th Corps under Brig. Gen. A. S. Williams, USA, took the Rock Bridge road toward Social Circle to strike the Georgia Railroad there and destroy it to Madison. The 14th Corps, accompanied by Sherman, cleared Decatur the next day and turned southeast toward Covington. That night the 20th Corps camped near Stone Mountain, where the next morning about two miles of railroad was destroyed. On the 16th the 20th Corps continued east on the Rock Bridge road, crossed the Yellow River, and camped in the vicinity of Rock Bridge Post Office to allow the trains to close up. Jackson’s and Ward’s divisions camped near the river, and Geary’s division camped about a mile southeast on the road to Social Circle. The next morning the 20th Corps marched east through Sheffield to Centreville Box, Jersey, and camped for the night between Cornish and Big Flat creeks, with Geary’s division on the west bank of the Ulcofauhachee, Alcovy, River, three miles from Social Circle and the undefended main line of the Georgia Railroad.