Georgia Civil War Trailblazers Marking the Historic Routes Where Sherman Marched

Civil War Heritage Trails in Georgia

Interpreting the Civil War Era Along Historic Driving Routes

Laurel Grove Cemetery

Savannah

Completed “trailblazer” sign portions of the Atlanta Campaign Heritage Trail®:

---City of LaFayette: Around John B. Gordon Hall (interpretive marker site #3, a.k.a. Chattooga Academy) in the City of LaFayette. The site was Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s headquarters immediately prior to the September 1863 Battle of Chickamauga, and of intense fighting in June 1864. Less than one mile in length.

---City of Chickamauga: Around and near Lee & Gordon’s Mills (interpretive marker site #5) in the City of Chickamauga. There were extensive activities here during both 1863 and 1864. Approximately one mile.

---McFarland Gap area: West from Chickamauga National Military Park, along and near McFarland Gap Road, through McFarland Gap (interpretive marker site #6) and back to the park. This gap is the route most of the Federal army took during its retreat from Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. Approximately 2 miles.

---Chickamauga National Military Park to the City of Ringgold: East along Reeds Bridge Road (a.k.a. Boynton Road) from Chickamauga National Military Park into the City of Ringgold. This historic route was used by both armies at various times. Approximately 6 miles.

---City of Tunnel Hill: South on Lee Chapel Road, through the City of Tunnel Hill, leading to/from the Tunnel Hill Heritage Center (interpretive marker site #8) and its famous railroad tunnel. Approximately 2 miles.

---City of Dalton to Snake Creek Gap: From the Hamilton House (interpretive marker site #10) on Chattanooga Avenue in north Dalton, through downtown Dalton and its Confederate Cemetery (interpretive marker site #11), over Rocky Face Ridge at Dug Gap Battle Park (interpretive marker site #12), through Mill Creek Valley and into Snake Creek Gap in southeast Walker County. Approximately 10 miles.

---Paulding County: From the Battle of New Hope “ Pocket Park” (interpretive marker site #19) through New Hope Cemetery (interpretive marker site #20), along Dallas-Acworth Highway and other roads past Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site, then via Due West Road to the Cobb County line. Approximately 4 miles.

Completed “trailblazer” sign portions of the March to the Sea Heritage Trail®:

The "Left Wing" route:

---City of Social Circle: Along and near Hightower Trail through the City of Social Circle (interpretive marker site #L7) and southern Walton County. March route of Sherman’s 20th Corps. Approximately 4 miles.

---Rutledge to Madison: Through western Morgan County, along a dirt portion of the historic Hightower Trail and Dixie Highway from the City of Rutledge to the City of Madison. Approximately 9 miles.

---City of Milledgeville: Leading to and from both the Old Governor’s Mansion (interpretive marker #L14) and the State Capitol Building (interpretive marker site #L16) in Milledgeville. Approximately one mile.

---City of Sandersville: From the Old City Cemetery (a yet to be numbered interpretive marker site) in Sandersville, and around the Washington Co. Courthouse (interpretive marker site #L17). Less than one mile.

---City of Louisville: Along T.E. Buchanan Road and Broad Street west of town near the "Ogeechee River Crossing" (interpretive marker site #L20) of Sherman's "Left Wing" to the center of downtown Louisville (near interpretive marker site #L21, "The Sacking of Louisville"). Approximately one mile.

---From Waynesboro to Big Buckhead Church, and toward Jacksonboro: Follow the running gunfight route of Kilpatrick's Federal and Wheeler's Confederate cavalry south from Waynesboro along Herndon Road and Porter Carswell Road to Big Buckhead Church Road, then to the church itself (interpretive marker site #L26, Big Buckhead Church) where the largest cavalry fight during the March to the Sea took place. From there this route moves east through the community of Perkins and into Screven County, following Kilpatrick's cavalry and Sherman's 14th Corps of infantry toward the virtual ghost town of Jacksonboro. Approximately 30 miles.

---Screven/Effingham County line to the Rincon Bypass: From the Screven County line south through Effingham County via the Old Augusta Road and other roads, across Ebenezer Creek (interpretive marker site #L28) to the new Rincon Bypass. Approximately 24 miles.

The "Right Wing" route:

---From Old Clinton to Griswoldville Battlefield State Historic Site: In July 1864, Greene Settlement Road northwest of Gray was used by the Federal cavalry of General George Stoneman and the Confederate cavalry of General Alfred Iverson, Jr. Four months later General William T. Sherman's cavalry plus his 15th Corps of infantry again followed Greene Settlement Road, heading south to the historic town of Clinton. From Clinton the 15th Corps continued south to Griswoldville, where a portion of it met and defeated a mixture of Confederate units during the largest battle along their March to the Sea. Approximately 15 miles.

---On the route of the Old Savannah Road: Beginning on Kindon Road, south of the Town of Bartow near U.S. Hwys. 221/319 in Jefferson County, and continuing generally southeast on Dukes Road and Greens Old Mill Road to U.S. Hwy. 1, these roads trace the march route of General Sherman with his 17th Corps along the historic "Old Savannah Road." Approximately 4 miles.

---On the route of the Old Savannah Road: On Wadley Coleman Lake Road in northern Emanuel County to the Old Savannah Road, and on to interpretive marker #R18, "Pine Barren Crossroads," these roads continue to follow the route Sherman traveled while accompanying his 17th Corps. Approximately 5 miles.

---The Old Midville Road to Millen: In late 1864 the road between Midville and Millen was dirt, as it still is today. Turning north from GA Hwy. 17 onto Birdsville Road leads to the Old Midville Road, which was used by General Sherman and his 17th Corps. It proceeds east toward the vital railroad hub of Millen. Approximately 7 miles.

---The old road to Oliver: After destroying railroad and other facilities in Millen, General Sherman and his 17th Corps turned southeast toward Oliver and Savannah. Turning south from today's GA Hwy. 67 onto Paramore Hill Road east of downtown Millen, they continued their destruction of the railroad toward Savannah (Note: a portion of this route is still dirt, as it was in 1864). Approximately 7 miles.

---Oliver to Guyton: South from Little Ogeechee Baptist Church (interpretive marker site #R20) in the City of Oliver via the Old Louisville Road to Guyton (interpretive marker site #R21). Approximately 12 miles.

Completed “trailblazer” sign portions of the Jefferson Davis Heritage Trail℠:

---City of Washington: Through the city’s square (interpretive marker site #5) and past the Wilkes County Courthouse. This site is where Davis and other Confederate leaders held their last meeting. Less than one mile.

---Washington to Raytown: From the City of Washington south toward the Taliaferro County community of Raytown (interpretive marker site #6), an overnight camp site for Mrs. Davis. Approximately 6 miles.

---Ogeechee Shoals to Warthen: From the southern Warren County community of Shoals (a.k.a. Ogeechee Shoals, interpretive marker site #9) through a portion of southeastern Hancock County, then past Hamburg State Park in Washington County to the community of Warthen. Davis and his traveling party crossed the Ogeechee River at Shoals on May 5, 1865, then continued south. Less than six months previously both Federal and Confederate cavalry raced through this area during Sherman’s March to the Sea. Approximately 9 miles.

The colorful Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails® roadway "trailblazer" signs are currently being installed in segments along various portions of each trail. The following is a partial listing of completed segments along each of three different trails. Check back frequently for further construction progress updates.

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