Milledgeville in Baldwin County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Old Governor's Mansion
"Utmost Disorder and Confusion"
— March to the Sea Heritage Trail —
Beginning in late 1860, the Mansion became the stage for pro Southern celebrations, political speeches and the efforts of Governor Brown to assert Georgia's "states rights" within the Confederacy. Such activities ended abruptly when Union Major General William T. Sherman and approximately 30,000 troops marched into Milledgeville on November 23, 1864. These were the 14th Corps of Major General Jefferson C. Davis and the 20th Corps under Brigadier General Alpheus S. Williams, comprising the Left Wing of Sherman's command, led by Major General Henry W. Slocum. They were preceded by some cavalry. Slocum established a strong guard to maintain order. But most local citizens remained inside their homes. The few bystanders witnessing the arrival of Federal soldiers were mostly slaves. "We are indeed in a den of enemies," one officer wrote.
Sherman made his headquarters in the abandoned Governor's Mansion, having been stripped by Brown and his family of all its furnishings, including carpet, curtains and furniture, before fleeing to Macon. In his memoirs, Sherman mocked Brown, referring to him as "brave and patriotic," and his removal of property from the Mansion, even down to "the cabbages and vegetables from his kitchen and cellar." Here, for the first time since leaving Atlanta, Sherman found newspapers from all over the South, reporting "the consternation which had filled the Southern mind at our temerity." Besides Governor Brown and his family, state officials and the legislature had also fled, as Sherman wrote, "ignominiously... in the utmost disorder and confusion, standing not on the order of their going, but going at once." Despite destruction elsewhere in Milledgeville, the Mansion was relatively unharmed during its military occupation.
The arrival of Sherman army in Milledgeville completed the first phase of his "March to the Sea." While here, he met with various generals and gave orders for the second phase, beginning on November 25th. This included a cavalry feint toward Augusta, the destruction of railroad bridges and an attempt to release Federal prisoners from Camp Lawton near Millen.
Governor Brown and other state officials returned to Milledgeville near the war's end. In May 1865 Brown was arrested in the Mansion by Federal troops and taken to Washington, DC, where he was briefly imprisoned. President Andrew Johnson pardoned him on the condition he resign the governorship. By the summer of 1868, Georgia's capital was moved from Milledgeville to Atlanta.
Since 1889, the Old Governors Mansion has been an integral part of what is today Georgia College & State University. The Mansion was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
[Photo captions]
Left: Governor Joseph E. Brown
Middle: The Governor's Mansion under Federal occupation, November 1864
Right top: Major General William T. Sherman
Right bottom map: The Old Governor's Mansion in downtown Milledgeville
Erected by Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails, Inc. (Marker Number L14.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #17 Andrew Johnson, the Georgia Civil War Trails, and the Sherman’s March to the Sea series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is November 23, 1864.
Location. 33° 4.774′ N, 83° 13.904′ W. Marker is in Milledgeville, Georgia, in Baldwin County. Marker is on South Clarke Street (Business U.S. 441) south of East Hancock Street, on the left when traveling south. Located just inside the fence of the mansion. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 120 South Clarke Street, Milledgeville GA 31061, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named Old Governor’s Mansion (a few steps from this marker); Lafayette's Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); State College (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tomlinson Fort House (about 600 feet away); Georgia State Penitentiary (about 700 feet away); Dr. Charles Holmes Herty (about 700 feet away); Birthplace of Charles Holmes Herty (about 700 feet away); De Soto in Georgia (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Milledgeville.
Also see . . .
1. Georgia College on The Old Governor's Mansion. (Submitted on May 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
2. Wikipedia article on the Old Governor's Mansion. (Submitted on May 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 6, 2017. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 510 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 5, 2017, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.