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Special Collections Frequently Asked Questions and Topics


Q: How many houses were burned during Sherman's March to the Sea?
A:
 Although many towns were burned along the way, no houses were burned in Milledgeville.

Q: How many people were killed during the Union occupation of the city?
A:
 There was only one casualty while Union troops were in Milledgeville. Patrick Kane, Irish overseer for Dr. William Jarrett, was shot while defending the Jarrett plantation. After Kane was killed, Union soldiers set fire to the plantation.

Q: Where did the Union troops stay while in Milledgeville?
A:
 General Sherman and his immediate guard were quartered in the Governor's Mansion.

Q: Did Union troops really hold a mock session of the legislature?
A:
 Yes, Sherman's forces held a mock session in the capital building where they repealed Georgia's ordinance of secession.

Q: Did Sherman really pour molasses in the organ pipes at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church?
A:
 Yes, they poured sorghum and molasses down the pipes to "sweeten the sound."

Q: What were the Baldwin Blues?
A:
 The Baldwin Blues were a volunteer military group organized in 1848 by William Steele and William A. Harris. The group was formally incorporated in 1858.