page_title: Atlanta in the American Civil War
section_title: Evacuation of all civilians (September 8–21, 1864)
hierarchical_section_title: Atlanta in the American Civil War / Occupation of Atlanta (September 3 – November 16, 1864) / Evacuation of all civilians (September 8–21, 1864)
caption_attribution_description: English: Camp of 2d Massachusetts Infantry on the grounds of the Atlanta, Ga. City Hall.
context_page_description: The city of Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County, was an important rail and commercial center during the American Civil War. Although relatively small in population, the city became a critical point of contention during the Atlanta Campaign in 1864 when a powerful Union Army approached from Union-held Tennessee. The fall of Atlanta was a critical point in the Civil War, giving the North more confidence, and leading to the re-election of President Abraham Lincoln and the eventual surrender of the Confederacy. The capture of the "Gate City of the South" was especially important for Lincoln as he was in a contentious election campaign against the Democratic opponent George B. McClellan.
context_section_description: On September 5, the commander of the Provost Guard of Atlanta, Col. William Cogswell, issued the following order: "All families now living in Atlanta, the male representatives of which are in the service of the Confederate states, or who have gone south, would leave the city within five days. They will pass the lines and go South …"The next day, Lt. Col. C. F. Morse, the provost marshal instructed that the population was to assemble at the City Hall for registration on September 12. Those planning to go South were permitted to take wearing apparel, a limited amount of furniture and a small quantity of food. When General Sherman informed General Hood of his intent to evacuate all the citizens from Atlanta, a series of heated letters were exchanged between the two generals, Sherman defending his order while Hood protested the order. Mayor Calhoun also appealed to Sherman to relent, but to no avail.
  On September 8, 1864, General Sherman issued special order No 67, "The city of Atlanta, being exclusively required for warlike purposes, will at once be vacated by all except the armies of the United States". The order also instructs the chief engineer to survey the city for the permanent defense and to mark all structures that stand in his way to be set apart for destruction. The order also prohibited soldiers from occupying any house. The order allowed soldiers to "use boards, shingles, or materials of buildings, barns, sheds, warehouses, and shanties" to build their own quarters.
  On September 8, the mayor of Atlanta, James M. Calhoun, notified its citizens that they would have to evacuate the city. Each citizen was required to register with Lt. Col. Le Duc the number of adults, children, servants and a count of the number of packages or parcels they were taking with them.
  NOTICE,
  ATLANTA, GA., September 8, 1864. 
  To the Citizens of Atlanta:
  
  Major-General Sherman instructs me to say to you that you must all leave Atlanta; that as many of you as want to go North can do so, and that as many as want to go South can do so, and that all can take with them their movable property, servants included, if they want to go, but that no force is to be used, and that he will furnish transportation for persons and property as far as Rough and Ready, from whence it is expected General Hood will assist in carrying it on. Like transportation will be furnished for people and property going North, and it is required that all things contemplated by this notice will be carried into execution as soon as possible.
  All persons are requested to leave their names and number in their families with the undersigned as early as possible, that estimates may be made of the quantity of transportation required.
  
  JAMES M. CALHOUN
  
  Mayor
  — James M. Calhoun, Notice to the Citizens of Atlanta
  Lieut. Col. Le Duc sat behind a table on the porch of Richard Peters house at Mitchell and Forsyth Streets. He began registering and issuing travel permits to the citizens that were evacuating Atlanta to the South. Between September 10 and September 20, Col. Le Duc registered 1,651 individuals. There were 705 adults, 860 children and 86 servants. Together they all they carried 8,842 packages of baggage.
caption: Camp of 2d Massachusetts Infantry on the grounds of the Atlanta, Ga. City Hall
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