Built about 1858 in the Georgian Cottage style as a home for J. D. Roberts and designed by architect John Trowbridge, this house later served as a doctor's office, millinery shop, and county museum. In late 1864 it stood amid fighting in the streets of Waynesborough during cavalry operations tied to General William T. Sherman's march to the sea. On Saturday afternoon, November 26, 1864, a few hundred Federal cavalrymen under Captain Edward M. Hayes rode through town toward the railroad bridge across Brier Creek, partially burned it, and then rode west to rejoin Brigadier General H. Judson Kilpatrick's main force of some 4,000 Federal cavalrymen. Kilpatrick had been ordered to destroy part of the railroad between Millen and Augusta, mislead Confederates into expecting an attack on Augusta, and if possible free Federal prisoners of war at Camp Lawton near Millen. As Wheeler's cavalry moved to defend Augusta, Sherman's army met little opposition in completing its march. Kilpatrick's division had left Milledgeville on November 24 and, after passing through Ogeechee Shoals and Gibson, was being pursued by General Wheeler and about 2,000 Confederate troopers by late November 26. Near continuous skirmishing on November 27 between Sylvan Grove and Ivanhoe Plantation west of Waynesborough drove Kilpatrick's troopers through town, where they burned railroad equipment and warehouses and in turn set several houses on fire. After detached forces rejoined and reported failure at the Brier Creek railroad bridge and Camp Lawton, Kilpatrick chose to return to Sherman's main army and camped three miles south of town. Wheeler reported success in extinguishing the town fire in all but one dwelling while skirmishing through the night. Before dawn on November 28 Wheeler's cavalry renewed its attacks and nearly captured Kilpatrick, taking his hat, before a running gunfight continued south to Big Buck Head Creek and beyond until the Federal cavalry reached the protection of Federal infantry. Four days later Kilpatrick returned to the Waynesborough area with reinforcements. From Louisville on Thursday, December 1, Kilpatrick's cavalry moved northeast toward Waynesborough with Brigadier General Absalom Baird's infantry division. On December 2 they skirmished with Wheeler's outnumbered troopers along Rocky Creek and on December 3 at Thomas Station. On Sunday, December 4, Kilpatrick's cavalry attacked Wheeler's barricades, flanked the first, broke through the second, and drove the Confederates north through Waynesborough and across Brier Creek. A Confederate countercharge in downtown Waynesborough allowed most of Wheeler's men to escape, but part of Kilpatrick's command pursued to Brier Creek and destroyed the railroad and wagon bridges. The combined Federal cavalry and infantry then marched southeast toward Jacksonborough, and only then did Confederate authorities become convinced that Sherman's objective was Savannah.