Georgia: Its History, Condition and Resources — John Shaqi
Georgia: Its History, Condition and ResourcesDrake, Samuel Adams
History
Georgia: Its History, Condition and Resources
Drake, Samuel Adams
Georgia -- Description and travel
In 1825 a serious difficulty arose between the State and national
authorities in consequence of proceedings by the Georgia executive
to extinguish the title to lands in the State held by the Creeks and
Cherokees. The head chief of the Creeks, M‘Intosh, was assassinated by
his people for signing away these lands to the whites. By an Act of
Congress passed in 1830, these Indians were subsequently removed to the
Indian territory west of the Mississippi.
Georgia formally seceded from the Union in January, 1861. The
Government forts and arsenals were seized. The first military
operations were on the coast. In April, 1862, Fort Pulaski, one of the
defences of Savannah, was recaptured by the Federal forces under Com.
Du Pont. St. Mary’s, Brunswick, Darien, and St. Simon’s island were
also occupied.
In the beginning of 1863 the Federal forces were in possession of
middle and west Tennessee. In September they occupied Chattanooga in
strong force, the Confederates falling back by the Western and Atlantic
Railway to Lafayette, Ga. A further advance by General Rosecrans,
the Federal commander, brought on the severely contested battle of
Chickamauga, on the creek of that name (September 20). The Federals
retreated to Chattanooga, which was soon threatened by the Confederates
under Bragg. In November the Union army under General Grant drove
Bragg from all his positions. In the spring of 1864 the Southern army
was at Dalton, Ga., on the railway to Atlanta, which it covered. In
May, General Sherman moved forward against this force a numerous
and well-appointed Union army. Severe battles took place at Resaca,
Kingston, and Allatoona Pass. A series of strategical movements,
signalized by frequent bloody conflicts between the rival armies,
resulted in the possession of Atlanta by the Union forces, September 2.
From this point Sherman began in November his memorable march across
Georgia to the sea. On December 10th he arrived in the neighborhood of
Savannah, captured Fort M‘Allister by assault, and occupied the city
on the 21st. A cavalry force under General Wilson entered Georgia from
Alabama in April, 1865, capturing Columbus, West Point, and Macon,
and making Davis, the Confederate States president, prisoner. In
June, 1865, a provisional governor was appointed for the State by the
president of the United States. A convention assembled in October at
Milledgeville, which repealed the ordinance of secession, abolished
slavery, and declared the war debt void. A new constitution was framed
and ratified in 1868, and Rufus B. Bullock inaugurated as governor. The
restoration of civil government under the new forms was not effected
in Georgia without complications which retarded its re-establishment
on a solid foundation, but the amendments to the national constitution
were at length adopted, and her senators and representatives were
admitted to seats in Congress in December, 1870. During the war Georgia
furnished about 80,000 soldiers for the Confederate armies. She
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