The Washington herald., 1914-09-02


Iarrival in a spirit Of new-found free
dom that threatened to break out at any
mSment in riOtoTs demonstrations an
| q ime. Something ~ much like n
Vigilance committee vas formed hv
| common consent by thu rropertv-h0Id-
ers. and well-known ritiz'as patroIled
the streets with arms in their hands"
"AtInHtR Ours, md Well Won"
Early In the morning Of September .
a number Of the lei ling citizens Of At
lanta met in the office Of N,!b. James
VI. Calhoun to dis ,USS the situation II
! was determined To see the nearest Fed
I eral commander. 10 apprise him Of the
evacuation Of the city. and to formally
surrender II ~ him. The object OF such
formal surrender was to make certain
lof securing sufficient protection for the
citizens OF the city.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the mayor and
a large number OF the citizens. mount
ed on horses and bearing a white flag.
left the city and proceeded north. They
soon encountered a body Of Federal cav
airy, TO whom the mayor introduced him
self and made known his mission. Il am
looking for Gen. Sherman he said. He
was Informed that Sherman was in the
vicinity Of JOneshoro and was referred
10 Col John COburn. OF the Third Di-
VISION OF tne lWenttth Army Corps, who
happened upon the scene.
Col. COhurn advised Mayor Calhoun to
write a note surrendering the city. suS-
costing that il be addressed to Brig
Gen. W. T. Ward. commander Of the
Third Division. who was the nearest gen.
eral officer. Calhoun drew a small
memorandum book from his pocket. and
tearing out a blank leaf. wrote upon il.
Atlanta. Ga.
Sept. >, 1854
Brig. Gen. Ward. Commanding Third
Division. Goth Corps:
"Sir-The fortune OF war has placed
Atlanta in your hands. As mayor Of the
city I ask protection to noncumbatants
and private property.
JAMES NJ. CALHOUN.
Mayor of Atlanta"
This note was sent of by messenger
to Ward, while Col. Coburn and his
command entered the city with the
mayor and citizens who had come out
to meet him. Thus Atlanta fell into
the hands of the FederaIs The same
day Gen. Henry F. Slocum. who had
been left by Sherman to watch Atlanta
dressed to Secretary of War stanton at
Washington a dispatch announcing:
sherman has taken Atlanta"
The next day Sherman himself re-
ported his success. in a telegram en-
bodying the now famous lines, Atlanta
is ours. and fairly won
Gen. Sherman was not to enter the
city for another FIVE DAYS On Septern-
Der he rode into it from the south.
There was no parade. no ostentation, no
Haunting Of colors. no firing Of salutes
to humble the pride of the conquered
Sherman and his staff. accompanied by
several pnnRraI els
through the town to SIocum's head
quarters. There was not even a shout
or a hurrah TO welcome him.
Good News to Lincoln.
No victory OF the war was more aimely
in its general effect than was the fall
OF Atlanta A few days before a DEM
Chicago, and had adopted a platform de-
claring the war failure Gen
George B. Mcclellan had been nomI-
mated as the Presidential candidate Of
that party TO run against President Lin
coin. He had repudiated the platform.
but had indorsed the conventions de-
OF the Lincoln Government.
The delegates to the Chicago conven-
tion had barely reached their homes
when the Eews came of the fall of At
lanta. To Lincoln the news was a vir-
tual Endorsement OF his war policy. Out
Of the thankfulness of his heart he die
tated this dispatch TO Sherman:
The national thanks are rendered by
the President to Mai. Gen. W. T Sher-
man and the gallant officers and soldiers
Of his command before Atlanta, for the |
ability and perseverance
displayed in the campaign in Georgia.
which, under Divine favor, has resulted |
In the capture OF Atlanta. The marches, |
battles, Isieges, and other military opera |
tions, that have signalized the cam
paign. must render II famous in the
annals Of war. and have entitled those
who have participated therein to the
applause and thanks Of the nation"
Copyright, lslLl
TomorroY-ThanI<s to FnrraEut |
and m spIute for Atlanta.