The Town Sherman Refused to Burn

The courthouse in downtown Madison, GA.

First night we camped just outside Madison, GA, which is about 50 miles southeast of Atlanta. When Paula asked the friendly campground manager what Madison was known for, his reply was that Madison was the only town between Atlanta and Savannah that Sherman didn't burn. The reason -- Sherman's girlfriend lived in Madison. Nice bit of Civil War trivia. Unfortunately, it isn't true. According to the Georgia Encyclopedia, Sherman was south of the area when one of his regiments passed through Madison. Sherman was good friends with Joshua Hill, a former US Senator who lived in Madison, and he reportedly sent word to his troops not to burn Madison out of respect for that friendship. Whatever the real story, downtown Madison today is well-preserved, charming southern town.