On the Road with Alex

Have you ever wanted to dive a little deeper into something that you originally studied for a
school project? I grew up in the South but have never really given much thought to the history of
my region. I recently read a couple of books about the Civil War; this sparked my interest in
taking a few road trips to places where major Civil War battles were fought. So, I am off on a
series of road trips. Join me as we explore everything from big cities to remote battle sites,
stopping along the way to sample the best local food s

The First leg of the Journey: Atlanta-Savannah

First Stop: Atlanta

During this first stop of my journey around the South, I plan to visit the Atlanta History Center,
the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum, and Stone Mountain National Park.

Second Stop: Milledgeville, GA

A quick journey East along I-20 will take us from Atlanta to Milledgeville, GA. We will be
following in the footsteps of General William T. Sherman who marched from Atlanta to
Savannah in the Fall and Winter of 1864, burning and pillaging everything in his path.

Stops in Milledgeville will include:

Old Capital Museum
Jefferson and Grace streets, on the campus of Georgia Military College, 201 E Greene St,
Milledgeville GA 31061
Old Governors Mansion
120 S Clark St, Milledgeville GA 31061
478-445-4545
ROAD MAP
This 1839 building was home to feisty Georgia Gov. Joseph E. Brown during the Civil War.
Sherman made it his headquarters Nov. 23-24, 1864

Final Stop : Savannah

After gassing up, I am off to coastal Georgia. Driving along 1-16, I will once again trace the route
that General Sherman took during his March to the Sea in 1864. Upon arriving in this beautiful
city, General Sherman immediately telegraphed President Lincoln and gifted him the city as a
Christmas present.
Possible stops in Savannah include:
Savannah History Museum
303 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah GA 31401
912-651-6825

Green-Meldrim House
14 W Macon St, Savannah GA 31401
912-233-3845
Beautiful Gothic-style home was Gen. William T. Shermans headquarters while his army
occupied the city in December 1864.

The Second Leg of the Journey: Charleston

No Civil War tour would be complete without a visit to Fort Sumter just outside Charleston,
where the first battle of the Civil War was fought. From there I will visit the HL Hunley, the
first Confederate submarine that was recently brought up from the bottom of the Atlantic, and
the Confederate Museum.
The H.L. Hunley

Charleston Museum
360 Meeting St, Charleston SC 29403
(across from the main Charleston Visitor Center)
843-722-2996
Founded in the 1700s, this museum features an excellent Civil War section. The Civil War
exhibit, "City Under Siege," examines the crisis that led to South Carolina's secession (decided
in Charleston) and the subsequent firing on Fort Sumter. Using maps, artifacts and
illustrations, the displays also outline Charleston's troubled journey through the rest of the
war as Confederate defenses were tested by various Union attempts to capture the city. The
bombardment of the city by Union batteries is described.

The Third leg of the Journey: Manassas to Gettysburg

I will travel from my home in NC to Virginia where I will take the Old Carolina Road, Route 15,
through Virginia , Maryland and up to Gettysburg, PA. This 175 mile long highway meanders
past multiple Civil War battle sites and was one of the most important roads in early American
history. I will make stops in Manassas, Frederick, Antietam and Gettysburg. Travel with me as I
trace the steps of Union and Confederate soldiers who engaged in fierce battle.