On Nov. 21, 1864, after leaving Atlanta on Nov. 15 on its destructive March to the Sea, the Right Wing of General Sherman’s army, the 15th and 17th Corps, began concentrating around Gordon with the arrival of Smith’s Division, 17th Corps, preceded by the 1st Alabama Cavalry [US], which met only sporadic resistance, so it could communicate with the Left Wing, the 14th and 20th Corps, then converging on Milledgeville. On the 22nd, headquarters of the Army of the Tennessee, the Right Wing under Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard, USA, and headquarters of the 15th Corps and 17th Corps opened there, and Smith’s division of the 15th Corps and Mower’s and Leggett’s divisions of the 17th Corps arrived. On the 23rd, the Artillery Brigade and Kilpatrick’s cavalry division reached Gordon. On the 24th, Corse’s division of the 15th Corps arrived with the supply trains, a cattle herd, and the pontoon train. Woods’ and Hazen’s divisions of the 15th Corps marched to Irwinton on roads south of Gordon and encamped there on Nov. 24. Beginning on the 23rd, the Right Wing moved to the Oconee River in two columns. The 17th Corps moved along the railroad to cross at Jackson’s Ferry above the railroad bridge, but that route proved impracticable, so the 17th Corps was diverted to Ball’s Ferry, 25 miles southeast, where on the 26th it crossed on pontoon bridges together with the 15th Corps, which had moved by way of Irwinton. The cavalry moved to Milledgeville for duty with the Left Wing.