Historians will have you believe that the Rebels fired Atlanta completely destroying the City. Ken Burns epic Civil War Film is full of errors and most Histories I have read are incomplete or Union biased. The facts are as follows:
On Aug. 31, 1864- Rebel sappers set fire to the depot and ammunition dumps they could not remove in time before Union occupation. The fire and explosions unfortunately reached the Atlanta Gas Works, setting a good portion of the town ablaze.
Sept. 2, 1864- The Mayor of Atlanta, Calhoun, formally surrenders to the Union army. The army occupies Atlanta on that date. The fires are quickly extinguished. More than 90% of Atlanta remains.
Sept. thru Oct. - Union forces put Atlanta under military rule. Sherman sets up headquarters and devises his plans for the destructive March to the Sea.
Nov. 7, 1864- Sherman orders all civilians to leave town. Looters, Union and Civilian wreak havoc upon the abandoned homes and businesses.
Nov. 13,1864- Union Sappers set Atlanta on fire. The City is a total loss.
Nov. 15, 1864- Sherman marches away from Atlanta. Sherman wrote that day:
... We rode out of Atlanta by the Decatur road, filled by the marching troops and wagons of the Fourteenth Corps; and reaching the hill, just outside of the old rebel works, we naturally paused to look back upon the scenes of our past battles. We stood upon the very ground whereon was fought the bloody battle of July 22d, and could see the copse of wood where McPherson fell. Behind us lay Atlanta, smouldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in air, and hanging like a pall over the ruined city. Away off in the distance, on the McDonough road, was the rear of Howard's column, the gun-barrels glistening in the sun, the white-topped wagons stretching away to the south; and right before us the Fourteenth Corps, marching steadily and rapidly, with a cheery look and swinging pace, that made light of the thousand miles that lay between us and Richmond. Some band, by accident, struck up the anthem of "John Brown's soul goes marching on;" the men caught up the strain, and never before or since have I heard the chorus of "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" done with more spirit, or in better harmony of time and place.
So, there was over 2 mos. Yankee occupation before the town was destroyed completely.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Very cool, KT - it's sad how little we were taught about this stuff in history class. Unless you take the time to read about it yourself, all you know is the revisionist history that would have you believe all Confederates were racists and all they wanted was slavery. Keep up these posts - very interesting.
ReplyDelete