The Washington herald., 1914-09-02

w T1tten expressly IOr
Fifty years ago today Atlanta The
Gate City OF the South" was occupied
by the FederaIs, Gen. John b Hood
having evacuated the place in the night
The entry Of the Union troops in:o
the city. whose streets were flanked by
blackened ruins where Federal shells
had wrought destruction, waS the final
act in a great war drama which had
begun III days before. On May the
Federals, under Gen. W. T. Sherman. had
advanced from the vicinity of Chatta-
nOOgs, Tenn. 10 miles north OF Atlanta,
and had fired the first shots Of the
campaign that reduced the city, the
arsenal OF the Confederacy.
The evacuation Of Atlanta came al
the conclusion of a notable flank march
by Sherman's army. For more than
month the Federals had battered at the
door OF the city. having massed their
forces within a few miles Of 1t on the
north and west.
II being found that Gen. Hood had
thrown up a strong line Of earthworks
on his 'front.' which could have been
carried by the Federals only with tre-
mendous loss of life. II at ALL Sherman
determined to force the COnfederates 10
abandon the city BY cutting off their
supplies
This he proceeded to do by putting his
troops in motion on August 25 against
the Macon Railroad. the sole remaining
road entering the city. BY doing this
he broke away from his own COmmuni-
cations. which he left guarded by a
single army corps
The boldness OF the movement puzzled
Gen. Hood and 1t was not until August
81. when the bulk OF Sherman's army was
massed along the Macon Railroad, di-
rcCtly south of Atlanta, that the Con
federate commander awakened to the
gravity of the situation.
Nothing was left for him now but to
retreat and on September l he had is
sued orders for the evacuation OF Atlanta.
That night the city was ibandOned to
the enemy, and the Confederates con-
Centrated their forces near LOvejoy's
Station, twenty-five nils to the south.
Watch from Upper windows-
The night was a memorable one to
those within the city. II was still and
hot with sheet tightening and thunder
mutterings in the heavens. Citizens
barred their doors and watched eau
tiously from their upper windows the
dark figures of marching soldiers NOV
ing in long columns through the streets.
They were the Confederates in retreat.
The measured tread of thousands OF
feet, the heavy rumble OF wagons the
Clatter of horses hoofs and the rattle
of artillery carriages llled with omin-
Gus sounds the early hours Of the night,
wrote Thomas II. Martin in his story OF
Atlanta and Its Builders and then.
after the city seemed deserted OF SOL
diers, there was a short space Of breath
less silence Sherman is coming" was
the expression first on every tongue and
the thought uppermost in every heart.
Suddenly a series of explosions, deaf
ening in volume of sound and terrifying
beyond description, semed to rock the
city like an earthquake. The inky sky
became luminous with a iurid light in
the direction of the railroad shops and |
the great army warehouses. II looked ,
as though a million rockets and Roman |
candies were being set of with a med I
ley Of terrifying noises.
Then everybody knew the truth. At
anta was abandoned, and the last act |
in the stern drama Of war on the part !
of the Confederates was being per- ]
ammunition md war ma
terial that the army could not carry !
away with 1t was being destroyed.
Seventy carloads of ammunition were |
blown up by the cavalry force left be- |
aind for the purpose, and it was nearly I
sunrise OF the I'd before the last explo-
d city. The work OF destruction was
rot completed until this great mass Of
every locomotive and car in
Atlanta, and every army wagon and /
.annon that could not be moved in the
hurry Of fight. had been set on ire.
"The flames were communicated to
several buildings, and Cor a time il
ooked as IL great conhagration would
age over the city. Happily such a ca
amity was averted by the deathly still
less of the night. The very air Seemed
o hold its breath.
''In the morning when the citizens
,ontured out to view the wrecknge done
IN the Georgia Railroad, they found
conditions more menac.ng to life and
property than at any time during the
ieEe. The streets were full Of prowl-
srs bent on Iooting, and host Of
trange negroes waiting for Sherma1'sl !