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 east to Decatur, where the 20th Corps under Brig. Gen. A.S. Williams, USA, took the road to Social Circle, struck the Georgia Railroad there, and destroyed through Madison. On the 19th at Madison, the 2nd Div. under Brig. Gen. John W. Geary, USA, formerly mayor of San Francisco, was detached to burn the railroad bridge 13 miles east of Madison. At Buckhead, after his advance exchanged a few shots with the enemy’s scouts, Geary burned the depot and large stocks of cord wood, ties, and cut timbers. At Blue Spring, or Swords, he camped on Col. Lee Jordan’s plantation, where he found 280 bales of cotton and 50,000 bushels of corn stored for the rebel government. That day, about five miles of track, the railroad bridge over the Oconee River, ferry boats on the Apalachee River, several mills, gins, and presses, and about 250 more bales of cotton were destroyed. On the 20th, Geary marched to Park’s Mill, which he burned, destroyed the ferry boat there, and turned south into Putnam County to rejoin the 20th Corps south of Eatonton.