During the civil war, the seat town of Jenkins County - that was Burke County until 1905 - Millen, held a site for a prisoner-of-war camp to house Union soldiers . Due to its strategic position ( the springs provided potable water and the proximity to the Augusta and Savannah Railroad) on December 3, 1864, before the Sherman's March to the Sea passed through Millen, Confederate soldiers evacuated the Camp Lawton prisoners to Savannah. During the Sherman's March to the Sea , Big Buckhead Church was also the scenario of actions resulting in a Confederate victory .
