Sherman's "March to the Sea" - The war was brought home in a more direct way when on Ma 5,1864, General William T. Sherman led his troops into Georgia. Gen. Grant had given Sherman permission to cross Georgia, meet Federal ships at the coast, and get behind Lee's army in Virginia...
Sherman's army left Atlanta in November 16, 1864, with 62,204 officers and men, with Sandersville directly in its path. Sherman's troops were to forage and live off the land. They ate what they needed and destroyed the rest.
Although Confederate troops had been sent to protect Augusta, Macon, and Savannah, the total manpower did not begin to match Sherman's army. The area's best soldiers were in Virginia with Lee. All men from 16 to 55 were called into service. In desperation Gov. Brown had paroled prisoners from the state penitentiary in Milledgeville and recruited boys from military academies.
Reports of the fighting on the approach to Sandersville differ in regard to its intensity. While Sherman would not concede that Wheeler put up much of a fight and referred to having "little opposition," the Southern account is that this was the "first stiff resistance" since Atlanta. Wheeler reportedly drove the army back 2 miles with heavy losses, taking 30 prisoners.