The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-12
SHERMAN'S SHELL.
Atlanta During the Siege as Seen
by a NonCOmbatant.
The Security of the Bombproofs Aginst
the Iron Mssives of the Men in Blue
The Narrow Escape
bird Article.

The confederates had nothing more to do, so
far as fortlfying the place was concerned.
Under the personal supervision of that accom-
plished military engineer, Colonel l.. P. Grant,
of Atlanta, the city had been made the center
OF circle of almost impregnable forts and
breastworks; and thousands of stout negroes,
impressed for the work. had cut down every
tree and shrub within mile of the fortitica-
tioDs, in order to give the guns full play, as
well as to prevent the enemy from stealing
march upon the works.
Still, the city was not completely cut off from
communication with the outside world. Two
roads, the one to Macon and the one to West
Point remained open, and over these lines
poured a continuous stream of refugees. Sher-
mans army extended in a crescent, stretching
perhaps two-thirds of the way around the
town. The federals lost no time in placing
their big siege guns in position, and then the
Smelling commenced in earnest.
The first spasm of fea was over, and the
citizens strengthened their bombproofs, and
calmly prepared for the worst. The men
moved about the streets as usual, discussing
the topics of the day, and lodging an occa-
sional she'll. The ladies busted themselves
with their household matters, with their ears
on the alert for the well-known sounds Of dam
ger. Many times during the day a busy house
wife would unceremoniously drop her sewing,
and gathering her little ones together, would
make wild and precipitate plunge for the
back yard where the family would quickly
disappear into the bowels Of the earth, there
to remain until there was a lull in the storm
of lead and iron.
Most of the shells had percussion caps, and,
as fully three-fourths of them had struck on
the wrong end, they failed to explode Many
fuse shells were fired, and at night these pre-
scented beautiful appearance, resembling so
many rockets. AT first there were few casual
ties in the city. An exploding bomb would
tear up several rooms in house, or when it
fell in the street deep hole would be left, big
enough to swallow an army wagon with its
mules. The people, however, were so watch
full that they managed for a time to escape in
jury. 1t was no uncommon thing for a
lady to walk some distance to see a
neighbor. Sometimes she would be caught
on the way in pattering shower of shells, and
then she weuld run merrily into the nearest
yard and huddle down in bombproof, perhaps
with perfect strangers. But that made no diff
ference. A common danger made everybody
well acquainted, kind and hospitable.
People living in the vicinity of tall steeples,
and the smoke stacks OF mills and factories
had hard time The enemys guns were
trained upon these prominent objects, and
sometimes their fire was too hot for anything.
Then, too, the outgoing trains made rumble
that could be distinctly heard by the out
side gunners, and random q. shots were
constantly fred as feelers. What added
to the discomfort of the situation was the
y IF Gil linr T., fba old
of liars this particular prevaricator has here
tofore escaped. But his genius deserves at
least passing mention.
'Do you know that Sherman is going to
open fire with 800 cannon all at once?" quietly
said one citizen to another.
"Great heavens! Is it possible? How do
you know?"
81 don't know" replied the other, but it
seems to be well understood that it is fact
Sherman has demanded the surrender of the
city by a certain hour today, and if we refuse
he is going to wipe us up with his big guns"
''But can it be true?'
Eyes, L think SO. Some of the fellows
around headquarters heard all about it. I'm
going home and move my family down into
the bomb proof"
Each day some such rumor was started.
Nobody had time to investigate. The only
thing to be done under the circumstances was
to have everything ready for hasty run to
cover.
One hot July night the members of little
family in the southern part of the city sat on
their piazza trying in vain to obtain breath of
cool air. Occasionally fuse shell assembled
with whish into the mid-heavens, and burst
with a deafening explosion. The watchers
were not much afraid OF these missiles, as
they could see their approach
long way off. Suddenly there
was thunder clap in the next yard. Several
paaels of the fence were knocked down, and a
few stray fragments of shell knocked off two
or three of the bannisters of the piaz "a.
In less than ten seconds the family had
found its way into the reliable bomb proof
"Pshaw l am not going to stay down here
this hot night said the only man in the
party. "I'll 90 up to my room and finish read
ing the Life of Napoleon and if there is any
real danger viii come down to YOU"
There We're tears and protests, but the colo
mel, as he was called, was stubborn. So he
went upstairs in the wing of the building
nearest to the bomb-proof and seated himself
by window, where he had the advantage of
light, and could also look out upon the city.
The Smelling was terrific, but the inmates of
inc uuSouI, every ulDe tney TOOK peep could
SEQ the colonel turning over the pages of his
Napoleon, apparently forgetful of the stirring
occurrences around him.
Had volcano broken loose?
The ground trembled under the shock of the
explosion, and after the lurid glare had died
away, the dense fumes of sulphur filed the
air, and ma lie the atmosphere SO thick that
nothing could be seen.
Before the terrified people in the bomb
proof had pulled themselves together, some
thing very much like a siuged cat only much
bigger, rolled down into their midst, and then
sat up with a sneeze.
Ii was the COLONEL
There were frantic inquiries, and close in
spection Of the victim, but it was soon discov-
cred that he had escaped without any more
serious damage than few bruises, and the
blackening of his face with gun powder.
"How did it happenP' asked everybody in a
chorus.
Don't ask me, )" replied the colonel irritably.
''Nou know as well as l do. Unjust have been
n twenty-four FOUNDER. | know l can't hear,
and can hardly see. and I'm all choked up
with sulphur and rubbish"
just then his wife, who had looked cut gave