Photo: Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
On November 15 and 16, 1864, William T. Sherman left a burning Atlanta with about 62,000 soldiers and marched for the coast, cutting loose from his supply lines and living off the land in a swath up to 60 miles wide. Five weeks later he captured Fort McAllister and Savannah. There was little large-scale fighting, so the March to the Sea is remembered through towns, markers, prison camps and a few small battlefields. These are the sites to visit, in the order the armies reached them.
- DatesNovember 15 to December 21, 1864
- RouteAtlanta to Milledgeville, Millen and Savannah
- Don’t missThe Old Capitol in Milledgeville, Camp Lawton and Fort McAllister
- State park fee$10 ParkPass per vehicle at Fort McAllister and Magnolia Springs
Atlanta to Milledgeville
1. Atlanta: the starting point
Before leaving, Sherman’s engineers destroyed Atlanta’s rail yards, depots and factories, and fire spread to much of the city. The Atlanta History Center tells the story.
2. Griswoldville
The only significant infantry battle of the march, on November 22, 1864, when Georgia militia attacked entrenched Union troops east of Macon and were cut down. A marker and small park mark the field.
3. Milledgeville and the Old Capitol
Georgia’s capital from 1807 to 1868. Union troops occupied the town in late November and held a mock session of the legislature in the capitol, where Georgia had voted to secede. See also Memory Hill Cemetery.
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Through East Georgia
4. Camp Lawton at Magnolia Springs State Park
A Confederate prison camp near Millen, emptied as Sherman approached. Georgia Southern University archaeologists have excavated it, and a small museum displays what they found. $10 ParkPass.
5. Buck Head Creek
On November 28, Union cavalry raiding toward Millen fought Joseph Wheeler’s Confederate horsemen at this creek crossing.
6. Waynesboro
On December 4, Judson Kilpatrick’s cavalry drove Wheeler out of Waynesboro, the last real fight before the army reached the coast.
7. Blackshear prison camp
More than 5,000 Union prisoners were moved to this hastily built camp in Pierce County to keep them out of Sherman’s path. A historical marker on GA 203 marks the spot.
Fort McAllister and Savannah
8. Fort McAllister State Park
On December 13, Union troops took this earthen fort on the Great Ogeechee River in about 15 minutes, opening a supply line to the fleet. It is the best-preserved earthwork fortification of the Confederacy. $10 ParkPass. Read the story of the capture.
9. Green-Meldrim House, Savannah
Sherman’s headquarters after Savannah fell on December 21. From here he wired Lincoln offering the city as a Christmas present.
10. Old Fort Jackson
The brick fort guarding the river below Savannah, abandoned by Confederates as the city was evacuated. See our things to do in Savannah guide.
Related Sites
11. Andersonville National Historic Site
The Confederate prison at Andersonville held more than 45,000 Union soldiers in 14 months, and almost 13,000 died. The site includes the National Prisoner of War Museum and a national cemetery. Free.
12. Fort Pulaski
Two years before Sherman, Union rifled cannons forced this brick fort near Tybee Island to surrender in April 1862. $10 per person ages 16 and up.
13. Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site
Near Irwinville, where Union cavalry captured the fleeing Confederate president on May 10, 1865.
Plan Your Trip
For every battle in the state, see our guide to all 27 Georgia Civil War battles. Start with the Atlanta Campaign sites that came before it. To string the sites together, follow the perfect 3-day Georgia Civil War sites itinerary, and browse our Civil War sites directory. Savannah and Fort McAllister pair well with a Georgia coast trip.
Common Questions
What was Sherman’s March to the Sea?
It was Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s campaign from Atlanta to Savannah, November 15 to December 21, 1864. About 62,000 soldiers lived off the land and destroyed railroads, mills and supplies to break the Confederacy’s ability and will to fight.
Were there battles on the March to the Sea?
Only small ones. Griswoldville on November 22 was the one significant infantry fight; Buck Head Creek and Waynesboro were cavalry clashes, and Fort McAllister fell in a short assault on December 13.
Can you follow Sherman’s route today?
Roughly. The two wings took different roads, but a drive from Atlanta to Milledgeville, Millen and Savannah passes most of the major sites. Allow two days.
Sources we checked
Facts on this page were checked against official sources and our own detailed pages. Drive times are from downtown Atlanta (Five Points) using OpenStreetMap routing and do not include traffic. Hours, fees and event dates change, so confirm before you go:
- National Park Service, American Battlefield Protection Program: battle dates and summaries
- Georgia State Parks: Fort McAllister and Magnolia Springs; 2026 ParkPass rate
- National Park Service: Andersonville National Historic Site
- National Park Service: Fort Pulaski entrance fee
Spot something out of date? Email Contact@n-georgia.com and we’ll check it against the official source. Read how we research our guides.