GEORGIA

In 1861, over 1 million people lived in Georgia, of which 462,000 were slaves, 591,000 whites, and 137,000 white males between the ages of 15 and 39. Georgia seceded from the Union on January 19, 1861. The state raised only one regiment of soldiers for service in the Union army but over 60 infantry regiments, 12 cavalry regiments, and over 3 dozen regiments, batteries, and battalions of artillery for Confederate service. Most of Georgia remained free from the horrors of war until 1864, when Sherman launched his Atlanta Campaign and his subsequent "March to the Sea" in 1864. Major battles were fought at Chickamauga, September 19-21, 1863; Reseca, May 14-15, 1864; Peach Tree Creek, July 20, 1864; Atlanta, July 22, 1864; Ezra Church, July 28, 1864; Allatoona, October 5, 1864; and there were dozens of other engagements and skirmishes. Georgia was also the site of the infamous Andersonville Prison, and Jefferson Davis was captured in Georgia trying to escape Union authorities. During the war he had almost as much trouble from Joe Brown, Georgia's governor and a stickler for state's rights. Georgia was admitted back into the Union in 1870.

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