Sherman's cavalry under Judson Kilpatrick rides northeastward…

Sherman's cavalry under Judson Kilpatrick rides northeastward as his infantry marches southeast through Georgia,.

In the late afternoon of November 26, 1864, elements of the Kilpatrick's 3rd Cavalry Division had reached the wooden railroad bridge north of Waynesboro, Georgia, and partially burns it before being driven off by troops dispatched from the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Tennessee by Joseph Wheeler.

After the numerically inferior Confederates withdraw, Kilpatrick enters Waynesboro the next day and destroys a train of cars and much private property before being driven from the town by Wheeler.

At dawn on November 28, Wheeler suddenly attacks Kilpatrick's camp south of Waynesboro and drives him southwest beyond Buckhead Creek toward Louisville.

Annoyed by Wheeler's constant harassment, Kilpatrick sets out on the morning of December 4 with his full division to attack Waynesboro and finally destroy Wheeler's small command.

Early in the morning, Kilpatrick, now supported by two infantry brigades dispatched from Baird's division of the XIV Corps, advances from Thomas's Station six miles northward to burn the bridges over Brier Creek north and east of Waynesboro.

Finding Wheeler's Confederates deployed astride the road, Kilpatrick attacks, driving the Confederate skirmishers in front of them.

The Union force then comes up against a strong defensive line of barricades, which they eventually overrun.

As the Union advance continues, they encounter even more barricades that require additional time to overcome.

After hard fighting, Wheeler's outnumbered force retires into Waynesboro and another line of barricades hastily erected in the town's streets.

Here, Wheeler orders a charge by Texas and Tennessee troops in order to gain time to withdraw across Brier Creek and block the road to Augusta, which, at the time, appears to be the objective of General Sherman's army.

After furious fighting, the Union troops break through and Wheeler’s force hastily withdraws. (Union forces suffer more than three times the casualties as the Confederates, however).

Finally reaching his objective of Brier Creek, Kilpatrick burns the rail and wagon bridges and withdraws.

The supporting infantry brigades march toward Jacksonboro and rejoin the rest of Baird's division, encamped at Alexander.

They are followed that evening by Kilpatrick's command, which camps at Old Church on the old Quaker Road.

Additional fighting over the next few days will enable Sherman to close in on Savannah.