On March 22, 1865, the Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi [US], Bvt. Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson, USA, left the Tennessee River near Florence, Ala., and marched south to Selma to destroy its arsenals and foundries. On April 10th, after defeating Lt. Gen. N. B. Forrest's cavalry corps [CS] and wrecking Selma, he marched east through Montgomery to Columbus, Georgia, where he destroyed the arsenal, foundries, navy-yard, small-arms factory, mills, railway facilities and large stores of cotton.
On April 18th, Wilson moved toward Macon and, by a forced march, seized the Double Bridges over the Flint River before they could be destroyed. Late on the 20th, his advance (the 17th Indiana Mounted Infantry, Col. Frank White), reached Tobesofkee Creek at Mimm's Mills (15 miles W) where Confederates had just fired the bridge. Charging through the flames and into the barricades beyond, White drove the defenders beyond Rock Creek in the last skirmish fought on Georgia soil. Outside of Macon, he met a flag of truce announcing the armistice between Generals Sherman [US] and J.E. Johnston [CS] in North Carolina, following the surrender of Lee's army in Virginia on the 9th. There being no further resistance, White entered Macon and took possession and, before midnight, General Wilson's headquarters were established in the Lanier House.
On the 26th, General Johnston surrendered the remaining armies of the Confederacy east of the Mississippi River to General Sherman, bringing the war to a close.
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