Atlanta Campaign - American Civil War - HISTORY.com Google William T. Sherman and Atlanta Campaign: Background William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-91) was an Ohio native who attended West Point and served in the U.S. Army before becoming a banker and then president of a military school in Louisiana . When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Sherman joined the Union Army and eventually commanded large numbers of troops, under General Ulysses S. Grant (1822-85), at the battles of Shiloh (1862), Vicksburg (1863) and Chattanooga (1863). In the spring of 1864, Sherman became supreme commander of the armies in the West and was ordered by Grant to take the city of Atlanta, then a key military supply center and railroad hub for the Confederates. Did You Know? Today, the city of Atlanta’s motto is “Resurgens,” Latin for “rising again.” The city also adopted the phoenix, a mythical bird that is reborn from its own ashes, as a symbol.

1864 Atlanta Campaign Sherman’s Atlanta campaign began in early May 1864, and in the first few months his troops engaged in several fierce battles with Confederate soldiers on the outskirts of the city, including the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, which the Union forces lost. However, on September 1, Confederate forces under John Hood (1831-79) pulled out of Atlanta and the city, a symbol of Confederate pride and strength, was surrendered the next day. Sherman’s men continued to defend it through mid-November. Before he set off on his famous March to the Sea on November 15, Sherman ordered that Atlanta’s military resources, including munitions factories, clothing mills and railway yards, be burned. The fire got out of control and left Atlanta in ruins. March to the Sea After leaving Atlanta, Sherman and some 60,000 of his soldiers headed toward Savannah, Georgia . The purpose of this March to the Sea was to frighten Georgia’s civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. Sherman’s troops did not destroy any of the towns in their path, but they stole food and livestock and burned the houses and barns of people who tried to fight back.

Sherman’s troops arrived in Savannah on December 21, 1864. The city was undefended when they got there. (The 10,000 Confederates who were supposed to be guarding it had already fled.) Sherman presented the city of Savannah to President Abraham Lincoln (1809-65) as a Christmas gift. Early in 1865, Sherman and his men left Savannah and pillaged and burned their way through the Carolinas. The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865, when the Confederate commander in chief, Robert E. Lee (1807-70), surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia . Atlanta: After the Civil War After the war, Sherman succeeded Grant as commander in chief of the U.S. Army, serving from 1869 to 1883. Sherman, who is credited with the phrase “war is hell,” died in 1891 at age 71, in New York City.

The city of Atlanta swiftly recovered from the war and became the capital of Georgia in 1868, first on a temporary basis and then permanently by popular vote in 1877. Tags Sherman and the Burning of Atlanta Video - American Civil War History - HISTORY.com American Civil War History American Civil War History Videos Sherman and the Burning of Atlanta (2) Before setting off on his epic march, General Sherman and his troops set fire to the city of Atlanta. Sherman and the Burning of Atlanta (2 min) tv-pg Before setting off on his epic march, General Sherman and his troops set fire to the city of Atlanta. Videos © 2017, A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. We know you love history. Sign up for more! Get the Inside HISTORY newsletter for in-depth historical articles and videos. Please enter a valid email address By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. More details: Contact Us You're almost done! You will soon receive an activation email. Once you click on the link, you will be added to our list. If you do not receive this email, please contact us .

To ensure delivery to your inbox, add us to your address book . Oops, there's a problem. This email address has previously opted out from receiving any emails from HISTORY and/or A+E Networks. If you changed your mind, please contact us . You have already subscribed to this list. If you completed your subscription and still have not received an email, please contact us . Oops, there's a problem. Union: 3,600 Confederate: 8,500 Battle Of Atlanta Summary: The Battle of Atlanta was fought on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman, wanting to neutralize the important rail and supply hub, defeated Confederate forces defending the city under John B. Hood. After ordering the evacuation of the city, Sherman burned most of the buildings in the city, military or not. After taking the city, Sherman headed south toward Savannah, beginning his Sherman’s March To The Sea . The battle is known not only for it strategic and military significance but for its political importance.

The victory greatly increased northern morale and is credited for aiding the reelection of Abraham Lincoln over George Mcclellan Articles Featuring Battle Of Atlanta From History Net Magazines Featured Article Eyewitness to the Battle of Atlanta In late July 1864, Major General William T. Sherman’s Union army closed in on General John B. Hood’s Confederate army defending Atlanta. On July 20 Hood lashed out against the Union right wing north of the city. Repulsed but undaunted, Hood turned to strike the Federal left wing, Major General James B. McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee, east of Atlanta. He deployed Major General Benjamin F. Cheatham’s corps northeast of the city and sent Lieutenant General William J. Hardee’s corps around McPherson’s left flank with orders to crush the Army of the Tennessee on the morning of July 22. Both corps were then to assail the rest of Sherman’s host. Among the blue-clad soldiers moving against Atlanta was Major Thomas T. Taylor of Georgetown, Ohio. Twenty-seven years old and dashingly handsome, Taylor was a lawyer and sometime newspaper editor who had been with the 47th Ohio since the fall of 1861.

During the opening phase of the Atlanta Campaign, Taylor had remained with his regiment, part of Major General John A. Logan’s XV Corps, Army of the Tennessee. In mid-May he had been placed in command of Brigadier General Morgan Smith’s divisional skirmishers, 15 companies in all. By July 22 he was highly adept in skirmish tactics, as will be seen in the following passage from the letter he wrote four days later to his wife, Netta, describing what he saw, experienced, and did during the Battle of Atlanta, ‘the most eventful day of this campaign.’ Taylor’s letters have been lightly edited for clarity. An the morning as usual at daylight I went down to the skirmish line to learn the condition of things. Soon Gen’l Morgan L. Smith sent an order to move forward my line and feel the enemy. I pushed forward and soon began driving his [the enemy’s skirmish] line.

At his skirmish pits I redressed it [Taylor’s own line] and advanced on his main works and soon drove his skirmishers in, but without giving them time to form I hurried forward with a shout and a volley which set the rebels skedaddling and a regiment of reserves in full and rapid retreat. In the main [out-lying] works I again dressed the line and pursued them, capturing a few prisoners and two lines of skirmish pits and drove them square into their [main] works and occupied with my line a portion of the corporation of Atlanta, not more than 600 yards from their forts. Here they served us with ‘minnies’ [mini bullets], case and solid shot and shells. I soon discovered where their skirmish pits were and made my line crawl forward in some places within 20 yards of them and build rail barricades. I found one set [of his own skirmishers] timid and awkward and I had to crawl up to a point where I wished a post, show them the bearings and range and help them build it … . Their skirmishers were kept so close [to the ground] that I had only two wounded by musket balls.

One solid shot knocked down a rail pile and buried the men under it. A Captain thought destruction had come and wished to retire but I make it a point never to give up my ground if my flanks are protected [and] so they rebuilt it. I sent back for shovels to dig good pits but our Division General was not at liberty to send them to us. Our men in authority appeared to think the enemy were evacuating Atlanta because they were moving columns to the left. About 9 or 10 a.m. Logan’s Senior Aide came out and I showed him how earnestly they [the Confederates] were working in town upon their fortifications and asked if it looked like an evacuation. He said no. I then asked him for tools, but they came not. Our Commanders appeared infatuated with the thought of evacuation of Atlanta. After a time two regiments of infantry and a section of artillery were sent out as a second reserve. I laid down and got a good nap and awoke about 121/2 m. Just after I got up Lieut.

[Adolph] Ahlers [of the 47th Ohio] and two men were wounded near me and I was struck with dirt, bark or something and Ahlers reported me wounded. My negro went to the rear with the horses, but came back. About 1 p.m. I moved to a high point in the line and sat down. Firing soon commenced and became very heavy on the extreme left and in the rear … . Oh! how anxiously I listened and waited, how anxious for the cheers! The enemy cheered before [his] charges, our men cheered after repulsing [them]. For two hours they appeared to drive our line back until it was at almost right angles with my [the XV Corps’] line. Can you imagine how my heart throbbed, every pulsation grew more rapid. There I sat under a big oak tree…only 600 yards from the main line of [enemy] works, from which solid shot was being thrown and case & shells, too, with fearful rapidity at and over us. I was anxious not from fear, but dread that we might lose our advantage, the ground we had gained and again be compelled to retake it by charges.

At three o’clock the tide of war seemed rolling back. I could not mistake those cheers and that firing–the enemy at last were checked and being driven oh, how rapidly. At 4 p.m. we had regained our old lines and the fighting on the left had subsided like a fierce rain & wind storm, [and] only gusts and sobs sounded in the ear. My attention was called from this by a Captain saying: ‘Look, Major, look!’ What a grand sight–I was almost entranced by it. The enemy’s [Major General Thomas C.] Hindman’s Division of 25 regiments [commanded by Maj. Gen. John C. Brown] were moving out of the works and deploying in line of battle. How well they moved, how perfectly and how grandly did the first line advance with the beautiful ‘battle flags’ waving in the breeze [and] not an unsteady step nor a waver was perceptible in it. Anon they moved by the right flank, then halted and fronted and a second line was formed.

I saw them complete it and an Officer rode a short distance from us to advance their skirmish line & [I] ordered several of the men to shoot him but they failed. I then saw the 4th Div [skirmish] line [to the left] break and run, called my line to attention and remained until I saw their line of battle approach within 250 yards of us. By the retreat of the 4th Div. [skirmishers], my left was exposed and I marched back to my first reserve. Here I shall tell you that as soon as I saw the 2nd [Confederate battle] line form and the advance toward us begin, I sent back word. At the reserve we halted and again opened [fire] on the enemy, drove in his skirmishers and, when the line flanked us on the left and was within about fifty yards [I] rallied on the 2nd reserve. Here we made a fine little fight and broke their [skirmish] lines but being outflanked we were compelled to fall back.

In making this distance part of the time I moved leisurely and part lively–picked up a canteen of coffee and moved for the [Union] works when some miserable [Southern] traitor with murder stamped on his countenance deliberately shot at me. But I was a little too far away & his bullet almost spent struck me a glancing blow in the muscles of my left thigh as I was lifting my leg to run. I knew if I was hurt it would bleed in my boot so I went on as rapidly as I could as other bullets were dropping too close to make it at all pleasant. The rebels reformed and advanced upon our main line in three columns. Two columns moved up on our right…and were both after a heavy fire severely repulsed and took refuge behind some outbuildings and a large house where they reformed. About twenty yards from our works on the left of the rail and wagon roads is a ravine which at the railroad was so thick [with] undergrowth as to completely screen as well as protect an advancing column. The railway through our lines is built in a cut about 15 feet deep. On the left of the railway was a section of artillery occupying three rods [about 50 feet].

[The] width of cut at top [is] 3 rods [and] between cut & wagon road on right of railroad is a space four rods wide [65 feet], protected by a log earthwork terminating a few feet from the railway. The wagon road is almost two rods [33 feet] wide and on the right of this road was a section of artillery [two cannons] occupying about three rods more and all of this space of 15 rods had only one company in position [and only] one platoon [of] 16 men…was between the [artillery] section in the space between the wagon and rail roads. The cut was open and clear, nowhere was it occupied by troops nor blockaded, the wagon road was likewise open and unoccupied by works or troops. When Col. [Wells S.] Jones, 53rd Ohio, came for the reserve, he suggested to Genl’s Smith & [Brigadier General John] Lightburn the propriety of burning said outbuildings & placing his regiment in rear of this artillery to support it and shut the gaps, yet they disdained the proffer and they were not filled.

Concealed by the dense smoke of the artillery the first we saw of the third [enemy] column it was rushing in the gap in the wagon road around the low works between the rail & wagon roads and over the parapet at the guns. Every one was surprised but none thought of moving, the platoon between the guns fired and fought with bayonets & butts of their muskets, the other platoon lying down in the rear of it could not fire without killing their comrades and artillerists in their front. Some of the men [in the platoon] were bleeding at the ears and nose from the concussion, yet fought until all were killed, wounded and captured except four. I started across the road to move the other platoon to make it effective when I happened to look at the upper end of the cut and saw a column of rebels deploying from it. This 2nd [Union] platoon was shut in by a line of fire on every side and to avoid capture retired. Simultaneously the whole line began to fall back. Gen’l Smith moved over to the right & Lightburn went off on a run.

I heard no order given and after vainly trying to rally the men dashed into the woods, where on a small ridge I halted a few men and again tried to form [a line]. Then, hearing someone shouting halt, I went to the road supposing it was one of our officers trying to form the line. I came within five feet of a rebel officer on a white horse with a flag in his hand and a revolver in the other. I took this in at a glance, he said ‘Halt! we’ll treat you like men.’ I said, ‘Hell, stranger, this is no place for me to halt!’ and went for the bushes. I told a man at my elbow to shoot him. When I got out of his reach I went slow and got some men of the 47th to go down and run off two caissons which the artillery had abandoned. I then went down to the works. Lt. Col. Wallace & Capt. [Hananiah D.] Pugh [of the 47th Ohio] while striving vainly to form a line were captured, [Capt. Charles] Haltentof wounded and Adjt. [John W.] Duecherman wounded.

Only four officers [of the 47th Ohio] were left. I was relieved as Div. Picket Officer to take command of the regiment and reformed it very quickly and then was ordered forward and marched up the road some distance by the flank … . I [then] was ordered into line [and] to fix bayonets and to retake the works [with] one small company and [some men] from other regiments [who] joined me … . I advanced on the ‘double quick’ and got within a few feet of the works, when such was the hail storm of fire and bullets which swept over us that both flag staffs were shot off, the regiment’s standard was torn from the staff by the fragment of a shell, one color bearer killed, and a color corporal wounded, [and] others as a matter of course fell. Finding I was completely flanked [I] withdrew to avoid capture. On account of an entanglement and the dense undergrowth in my rear, the command became separated. Meeting a line upon a ridge in the rear advancing I halted and with them made a second assault. A portion of the regiment under Capt. [Joseph L.] Pinkerton went to the right of the railroad.

I kept on the left, we reached the point I reached in the first assault but were again compelled to fall back. This time we went to an open field when reforming as best we could, [then] again advanced. Upon reaching the crest of the first ridge the men halted and laid down to avoid the sheet of bullets which swept over … . I pushed through the line, dashed ahead, shouting, cheering and exhorting [but] only one man followed. I went fifty yards in this manner and finally halted and gave three lusty cheers, [then] without waiting I pushed on and in a moment had the pleasure to see that the line was hurrying [forward]. I soon struck another line [of Federal troops] on the left which had halted. I sent Capt. Pinkerton & Lieut. [William] Brachman with a portion of the regiment again on the right, while I with the rest of it and the remainder of [the men from other regiments] pushed up immediately on the left, pouring a continuous and deadly fire upon the enemy, driving them from their works and recapturing a section of artillery upon the left of the railway which the [Rebels] had turned upon us … .

Lightburn said we had disgraced ourselves. I told him ‘that was enough of that! I would show him whether we had.’ I had no idea that I had such determination, such stubbornness or strength. I was almost frantic, yet perfectly sane–directed the entire line. All the officers obeyed me and ran to me for advice and directions. I saw men perform prodigies, display the most unparalleled valor. One man, Joseph Bedol [Bedall] of Co. ‘D’, was surrounded and knocked by rebels, he came to, jumped up & wounded them and knocked a fourth down with his fist and escaped. Dear, I would not write this to any other one as it seems egotistical, but is nevertheless true. The men of the Division give me credit for much more. Following the Battle of Atlanta Sherman moved the Army of the Tennessee west of the city for the purpose of cutting the railroad to Macon, Hood’s sole remaining supply line. Hood countered by sending Lieutenant General Stephen D. Lee’s corps to block this thrust while another corps under Lieutenant General A.P. Stewart swung around the Union right flank.

Before Stewart could do this, Lee attacked on the morning of July 28, bringing on the Battle of Ezra Church. Two days later Taylor described to his wife what ensued: Well dear, on the 28th of July we had another big fight … . After moving forward and occupying a part of the ridge, the enemy were discovered moving around the right. To check this I was ordered over on the right and deployed. This extension of the line only made them move further to the right but we dashed over an open field and [took up a] position on a road. Presently I saw a column of the enemy move from a wood a short distance in front, [then] pass up a ravine near my left and between the 53rd Ohio and the 47th. To prevent them from cutting me off, I moved out of the road & half way across the field behind the crest [of the ridge]. This movement thwarted their designs and after a heavy fire the column retired to the woods [beyond the ridge]. Again I advanced but shortened my line by moving obliquely to the left and connecting with the 53rd. We first took position about 10 a.m.

and from that time had very lively work. After advancing to the fence [along the Lick Skillet Road] I placed men on posts of observation who discovered the enemy still moving to the right and likewise massing in our front. Of this I sent word to the Division Commander who said ‘Now I know it is so when Major Taylor sends word.’ After a short time the enemy made his appearance, this time moving from the woods, in line of battle and then moving by the flank in three or four columns. We held our position, firing heavily and doing much execution but finding them too heavy to check we retired to the crest of the hill or ridge before mentioned where we made a stubborn stand from which we were driven by another forward movement of the enemy. This time they were moving by right of Co[mpanies] to the front, in columns of regiments, followed by a line of battle with bayonets fixed. This meant work and again we were compelled to retire. In the meantime we had been reinforced by one regiment [the 54th Ohio] but it was impossible to withstand this avalanche of bayonets and again we retired. I halted behind a fence in the skirt of the woods and gave one shot [volley].

[Then] Col. [name illegible] hollored to look out or I would be cut off as they [the Confederates] were rushing up a hollow passing in our rear. At the same time I received notice from the right and beheld a [Confederate] column…both on the left and right, the enemy converging [and] leaving us a gap only about two or three hundred yards in width to escape through. All three regiments hurried through this and escaped the enemy [by] only about 50 yards … . Our [new] line was formed upon [a ridge] at least half a mile from the line [just abandoned] and as it afterwards turned out this move of ours saved the day. Immediately upon gaining this ridge we reformed…as best we could behind the yard and garden fences and fought the enemy as they charged our position. We maintained our ground until they moved right up to us and pressed us over the hill by superiority of numbers but we were not yet defeated … .

Every officer and man in the Division knows me and will fight under my orders, therefore, I began rallying men and officers and started after a gallant Captain of the 53rd Ohio up the hill, leading a varied lot of men and shouting and cheering to the best of my ability and having every one do likewise … . We took possession of the hill and I got a color bearer of the 54th & one of [the] 53rd Ohio and rushed to the garden fence through a perfect storm of bullets and exhorted but only three or four ventured to follow, as the rebels, deeply chagrined to think so small a force had made them yield such a position gave us volley after volley which made us move from the garden fence to a less exposed position … . We then had a little independent fight of our own–four regiments under Col. Jones, 53rd Ohio. [The fourth regiment was the 37th Ohio]. He arranged our lines so as to give us complete cross fire over every part of the ground in our front.

This we had to do as our four regiments were compelled to hold over a mile of space and we had many gaps and this was the only way by which we could defend them, [because] across these gaps we had only small skirmish lines. This occurred about noon [according to Confederate reports it was much later than that]. After this time the enemy made four successive assaults; my men fought from open ground, almost as clear as our yard except [for] a few brush [heaps] which I [had] piled up in front of the lines to offer some slight obstacle to their approach … . At half past three we were relieved by the 81st Ohio and at 5 p.m. again went on duty. We lost ten wounded and three captured. The Commander of the III Division [Harrow’s] thanked me and said he believed my fire had saved him twice. I never saw more stubborn assaults & more bloody repulses. Three times they were compelled to go back and leave colors standing on the field. We soon learned that the same Division [Brown’s] was in our front that charged us a few days ago and we did our best to repay them for the heavy loss which was inflicted upon us by them on that occasion.

How well we accomplished this you can judge when I tell you they left 300 dead in our front, [and] altogether we buried 900 of them in front of the 15th A.C. after they had been most of the night engaged in removing their killed and wounded … . The 53rd & 47th Ohio brought on the whole affair. [If] I can, the General [Smith] said, be recommended for Colonel, he will do so and he says the Generals above him will take pleasure in recommending me … .A rebel officer, a prisoner taken on the 28th inst. said ‘Hood has about enough [men] left to make two more killings.’ Co. ‘F’ [Taylor’s former company] had William Weber [from Georgetown] slightly wounded by an explosion of his load by ramming. I can’t give you any more particulars. Wait until I get home. Taylor next fought in the Battle of Jonesboro (August 31-September 1), which resulted in Hood evacuating Atlanta.

Starting on November 15 Taylor participated in Sherman’s March to the Sea until December 13, when during the storming of Fort McAllister outside of Savannah a bullet sliced off his right index finger. This ended his combat career but not his wartime letters to his wife, which by the time he was mustered out in July 1865 totaled nearly 300. For more great articles, be sure to subscribe to Civil War Times magazine today! Atlanta's Role in the Civil War Georgia In 1864, Union troops captured Atlanta, Georgia. This is a photograph of a camp for the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry near the Atlanta City Hall. Atlanta's Role in the Civil War Atlanta played an important role during the Civil War. Do you know what it was? Founded in 1837 as a railway center for northwestern Georgia, Atlanta's original name was "Terminus." By 1852, its population had reached 3,000, including some 500 slaves. Because of its location and commercial importance, Atlanta was used as a center for military operations and as a supply route by the Confederate army during the Civil War. Therefore, it also became a target for the Union army.

General William Tecumseh Sherman and his troops captured the city in 1864. In order to weaken the Confederate military organization, Union troops burned Atlanta to the ground before they moved on. Do you think that burning the city was an extreme action? Today, Atlanta is the capital of Georgia. It is known for its robust economy and as the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. page 1 of 1 Sherman Burns Atlanta Sherman Burns Atlanta Robert E. Lee Portrait Civil War Harper's Weekly, January 7, 1865 This site features an incredible collection of Harper's Weekly newspapers published during the Civil War. This paper is part of our online collection, and it features impressive illustrations and news reports of the war . . . created within hours of the important events depicted. (Scroll Down to See Entire Page, or Newspaper Thumbnails below will take you to the page of interest) Atlanta Civil War History Guide - Historical Sites, Landmarks and Attractions Atlanta's Civil War History Atlanta's Civil War History Atlanta’s Civil War history will never be forgotten. Hollywood immortalized it in “Gone With the Wind,” the classic 1939 film based on Margaret Mitchell's world-famous novel of the same name.

Against a backdrop of flames, Rhett Butler took leave of Scarlett O'Hara as the city of Atlanta burned down around them and they reflected on the American Civil War. The reality of Atlanta Civil War history was equally dramatic, though not nearly as romantic. At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Atlanta was a city vital to Southern commerce and transportation. But its importance as a major railroad hub and center for manufacturing ultimately proved lethal to the Confederate stronghold. In September 1864, General William T. Sherman and his Union forces captured the city, a victory that helped secure President Abraham Lincoln's bid for re-election the following November. The victorious Union general ordered the burning of Atlanta and launched his March to the Sea, which left a 300-mile trail of destruction all the way to Savannah, Ga. Afterwards, the once-prosperous Atlanta lay in ruins, eventually rebuilding itself as a center for civil rights and cementing its stature as a vibrant economic powerhouse. Civil War History Sites More than a century and a half later, there are numerous reminders of Atlanta Civil War history. The Atlanta History Center , located in Atlanta's Buckhead district, features one of the finest Civil War exhibits in the country.

In Grant Park, the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum houses the world's largest oil painting, a panoramic depiction of the 1864 Civil War Battle of Atlanta. Another stop on any American Civil War history itinerary is Oakland Cemetery , the final resting place for nearly 3,000 Confederate soldiers, 16 Union soldiers and “Gone With the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell. Other great Atlanta Civil War history sites include Civil War cemeteries in nearby Marietta, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and the antebellum homes of Roswell, Ga. A larger-than-life granite carving at Stone Mountain pays tribute to three of the Confederacy's greatest leaders: Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee. Sign Up for Email Updates Quick Links Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Established in 1913, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau is a private, nonprofit organization created to favorably impact the Atlanta economy through conventions and tourism.

Quick Links The burning of Atlanta, seared into America's memory | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The burning of Atlanta, seared into America's memory August 31, 2014 12:00 AM This historic photo shows the site on the east side of Atlanta where Confederate Gen. John B. Hood blew up his munitions train on Sept. 1, 1864, as his troops fled the city ahead of approaching Union armies. This was the historical basis for the famous scene in “Gone With the Wind” that shows the burning of Atlanta. The most memorable scene in "Gone With the Wind" was the recreation of Confederate Gen. John B. Hood's destruction of his own munitions train. The scene was filmed on a studio lot in Los Angeles in December 1938. Associated Press/Library of Congress In this 1864 picture, Gen. William T. Sherman inspects battlements in Atlanta prior to his "march to the sea" during the Civil War. After his capture of Atlanta, Sherman went on to capture Savannah and divide the Confederate States of America.

Associated Press This is a section of one of the most ambitious paintings in history, "The Battle of Atlanta," a work by three German artists depicting one of the deciding battles of the Civil War, year unknown. The destruction of railroad tracks in Atlanta by Union troops, in the weeks following their occupation of the city on Sept. 2, 1864. Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara in the 1939 "Gone With The Wind." By Frank Reeves / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette There were fears in late 1939 that Pittsburgh-born David O. Selznick’s much anticipated film “Gone With the Wind” might not be shown in the producer’s hometown. Or, if it was shown, scenes from the Civil War-era love story between Clarke Gable’s Rhett Butler and Vivian Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara might be cut. For many who saw the film during its premiere that year in New York and Atlanta, the most memorable scenes were Selznick’s recreation of the “burning of Atlanta,” as retreating Confederate troops torched 80 railroad box cars of ammunition on Sept. 1, 1864.

Southern soldiers hoped to prevent the supplies from falling into the hands of the Union armies closing in on the city. By the next day, Sept. 2, 1864, the Confederates had fled and Union forces captured the city. The fall of Atlanta 150 years ago this week was pivotal to the outcome of the Civil War. It increased the odds that Abraham Lincoln would be re-elected president on the Republican Party platform to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. The immediate effect was to destroy a key Confederate railroad center and manufacturing center, thus depriving Southern armies of vital supplies needed to carry on the war. When “Gone With the Wind” finally opened in Pittsburgh on Jan. 26, 1940, nearly 2,000 “GWTM enthusiasts,” as they were dubbed by The Pittsburgh Press, braved near-zero temperatures and icy winds to attend the premiere at the old Warner Theater on Fifth Avenue in Downtown. “Now it can be told,” wrote the Post-Gazette’s film and stage critic Harold Cohen, in a review that appeared the morning after the show opened, “that out of the pages of a magnificent book has leaped a magnificent motion picture.” Nine weeks later the film closed.

During its initial run at the Warner, the Press reported that about 302,000 people saw the movie, and ticket sales topped $243,000 — a staggering sum for those days. The background for much of the film, and Margaret Mitchell’s 1,000-page novel on which it was based, was the drive by Union armies, led by Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, south from Tennessee into northwest Georgia during the spring and summer of 1864. In April, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union Army’s top commander, had ordered Sherman to attack the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Grant had also ordered Sherman “to get into the enemy’s country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can against their war supplies.” The Union high command also hoped Sherman would be able to prevent Johnston’s forces from reinforcing Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, thereby assuring, as one historian has put it, “Grant’s expected war-ending victory in Virginia.” With the capture of Atlanta, Sherman was well on his way to accomplishing part of his mission.

“So Atlanta is ours and fairly won,” Sherman telegraphed his superiors in Washington, hours after Confederate forces, now under the command of Gen. John B. Hood, abandoned the city. Soon his words were emblazoned in headlines in newspapers across the North. “Wild celebrations,” as some newspapers described them, greeted the news in many cities. “The fall of Atlanta is the severest blow — considered both in military and political aspects — which the rebels have received since Vicksburg and Gettysburg,” wrote the editors of the Pittsburgh Evening Chronicle, a Republican-leaning newspaper. The partisan press at work It was a presidential election year in 1864. And dispatches from the war front often competed with news of the upcoming election in Pittsburgh’s principal newspapers. The city’s newspapers were unapologetically partisan. And often their commentary on events on the battlefield was influenced by their politics. For the editors of the Republican-leaning Pittsburgh Evening Chronicle, Sherman’s victory was a sign of God’s “special Providence.” A blessing, which in their view, had perhaps saved the nation from electing a president who might seek peace with the Confederacy at any price, including the recognition of the South as an independent nation.

In June, the Republicans, rebranding themselves as the National Union Party in order to attract “war Democrats,” nominated Lincoln for a second term as president during their convention in Baltimore. But by August, with the war now in its fourth year and Union casualties rising rapidly, Lincoln despaired of being re-elected. On Aug. 23, even as Sherman’s army neared Atlanta, the president had his Cabinet sign a letter, without revealing its contents, promising to help the incoming president save the Union between the November election and inauguration day in March. Later that week, the Democrats gathered in Chicago for their national convention and nominated Gen. George B. McClellan, who had led Union troops at the Battle of Antietem, for president. They also approved a party platform excoriating the Lincoln administration for trampling on constitutional rights and waging a futile war. In addition, the platform called for an immediate cease-fire, with the aim of holding a convention all the states to work out a permanent peace. McClellan accepted the nomination, but appeared to repudiate the spirit of his party’s platform, insisting that peace could only come if the Union was preserved.

The Democratic-leaning Pittsburgh Post applauded the Democratic convention’s indictment of Lincoln administration policies and felt it would resonate with the voters. It also predicted that McClellan, affectionately known as “Little Mac,” by the men under his command, would win overwhelming support among Union soldiers and their officers. On the day Atlanta fell, The Pittsburgh Gazette, in its commentary on the recent Democratic convention, asked its readers: “Who will vote for McClellan?” The Republican-leaning newspaper had no doubt: “Every full-fledged traitor. ... Every man who is opposed to ‘coercing a sovereign State.’... Every deserter from the army, every shirker of his duty to his country.” Atlanta, the Confederate boomtown Atlanta, far away from much of the fighting, had thrived during the war. Its population had more than doubled from about 9,000 in 1860 to over 20,000 before hell broke lose in 1864.

It was, as the Gazette informed it readers, “one vast [Confederate] Government warehouse.” Located within its confines were “the principal machine shops of the principal railroads; the most extensive rolling mills in the South, foundries, pistol and tent factories.” The Gazette noted that the now conquered city was the site of government factories capable of “casting shot and shell, making gun carriages, cartridges, caps, shoes [and] clothing.” In a word, though the Gazette didn’t say it, Atlanta was in many ways a mirror image of Pittsburgh. Now with Atlanta “fairly won,” Sherman had his own plans for the city. On Sept. 7, he notified Hood that he wanted to remove the 1,600 residents who had remained in the city as the Union armies closed in. Sherman said Union troops would escort those who wished to go north to Tennessee and Kentucky and asked Hood’s assistance in aiding those who wished to go south. In a letter to his superiors in Washington, Sherman explained his “real reasons” for advocating what he knew was a controversial proposal: He wanted to use Atlanta’s buildings for Union war supplies. He wanted to leave only a minimal force to guard the town.

He also did not want the responsibility of supplying food and clothing to the city’s beleaguered population. Hood protested Sherman’s decision “in the name of God and humanity.” There then passed between the two men— 44-year-old Sherman and 33-year-old Hood —an exchange of letters that set the stage for a debate that would last long after the Civil War was over. “The unprecedented measure you propose transcends, in studied and ingenious cruelty, all acts ever before brought to my attention in the dark history of war,” Hood wrote Sherman. But the Union general was unmoved, reminding Hood and other Southerners at every opportunity, that it was they who brought the war on themselves and the country. “If we must be enemies, let us be men, and fight it out as we propose to do, and not deal with such hypocritical appeals to God and humanity,” Sherman replied. “God will judge us in due time.” Atlanta’s mayor and city council members also implored Sherman to reconsider his expulsion order. But Sherman was adamant. “War is cruelty and you cannot refine it,” he told Atlanta’s leaders. “But my dear sirs, when peace comes, you may call on me for anything.

Then I will share with you the last cracker.” Hammered home by Hollywood Whatever his intentions, David Selznick, as much as anyone, has shaped the popular image of the siege of Atlanta. The scenes in “Gone With the Wind,” of the burning of Atlanta, filmed in a studio lot in Los Angeles while firefighters looked on in case the blaze got of control, are seared into the memories of many Americans. Indeed, one of the foremost historians of the Atlanta campaign, Albert Castel, dated his own fascination with battle to a Friday afternoon in October 1942 when he saw “Gone With the Wind” at a matinee performance in a Wichita, Kan., movie theater. With the civilian population expelled from the city, Sherman ordered his army to destroy machine shops, foundries, railroads, depots — anything that might aid the Confederate war effort. The extent of the damage wrought by Sherman’s troops during their two-month occupation of Atlanta is still a matter of debate a century and half later. “But the historical facts are clear that the entire city was not destroyed and Sherman was not solely responsible for the part that was,” wrote John F. Marszalek, one of the Sherman’s leading biographers.

“Hood had destroyed numerous houses during his defense of the city and his evacuation in September.” Mr. Marazalek continues: “Hood’s army exploded 80 cars of filled with ammunition, and as a later historian has phrased it, ‘the smoke and resulting fires [were] partially responsible for the loss of many homes and buildings later said to have been burned by Sherman.’ ” On Nov. 8, Sherman notified his army that soon they would be leaving their base in Atlanta and begin “a long and difficult march to a new one.” This seemingly routine maneuver history remembers as the “March to the Sea.” From mid-November to late December, Sherman’s troops would cut a swath of destruction across Georgia as they moved from Atlanta to Savannah. Frank Reeves: freeves@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1565. Civil War Tours & Attractions in Atlanta, Georgia - Civil War Itinerary Trace Atlanta’s Rise from the Ashes Trace Atlanta’s Rise from the Ashes Most visitors know about the burning of Atlanta during the Civil War, thanks to “Gone with the Wind.” In this itinerary, explore attractions dedicated to the history of the Civil War.

Day One: Atlanta and the Civil War Morning Start the day in Buckhead, an upscale community 15 minutes north of downtown Atlanta at the Atlanta History Center with the exhibition, "Turning Point: The American Civil War." One of the nation's largest and most comprehensive exhibitions about the Civil War, explore more than 1,400 objects such as cannons, uniforms and flags. Photos and personal stories show the impact of the war on the South's people, along with videos and touch-screen computer stations. Lunch Travel to Grant Park and picnic among the 131 acres, where beautiful Victorian homes line the streets. Home to Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum, this is the oldest surviving city park in Atlanta, donated to the city by Lemuel P. Grant in 1883. Afternoon Enjoy the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum . The 1864 Civil War Battle of Atlanta literally revolves in this immense painting in the round, completed in 1886. The Atlanta Cyclorama has been on display in Atlanta since 1893 and is the longest running show in the United States, as well as the largest oil painting in the world. The museum features the locomotive Texas.

On April 12, 1862, the Texas chased and recaptured the locomotive General, stolen by Union raiders. Two floors of Civil War artifacts, weapons, photographs, uniforms and videos are also on display. (To find The General, visit the Kennesaw Mountain Civil War Museum on Day Two). Walking and Driving Tours: While the city of Atlanta doesn't have many preserved battlefields, portions of the Battle of Atlanta sites are still preserved. See beautiful mansions on what was once a bloody battlefield, as well as modern-day Atlanta landmarks. The tour should take about 45 minutes with no stops. Map of Inman Park. Historic Grant Mansion – It has been said that the 1857 Italianate mansion was spared by General Sherman in 1864 because Federal soldiers found a Masonic apron in a trunk in the attic, and Sherman forbade the burning of things connected with the Masons. Grant joined the Confederate Army in 1862 and as chief engineer, designed the defense fortifications for the city. Grant donated the land for Grant Park, and was recognized as one of Atlanta's best friends by The Atlanta Journal.

The mansion was also the birthplace of golf legend Bobby Jones and at one time owned by Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell. Saved by the Atlanta Preservation Center in 2001. Established in 1850, Atlanta's oldest cemetery is a fine example of Victorian statuary. The 88-acre Oakland Cemetery holds the final resting place of five Confederate generals, nearly 3,000 Confederate and 16 Union soldiers and the grave of Gone with the Wind writer Margaret Mitchell. Several walking tours are available at the Visitor Center. Visitors are encouraged to use the cemetery as a community park, so feel free to stroll the acres. On July 22, 1864, some of the bloodiest fighting in the Battle of Atlanta took place in this now-peaceful neighborhood. After the Civil War, Inman Park became Atlanta's first planned community and one of the nation's first garden suburbs. Enjoy viewing beautiful Victorian homes including Callan Castle at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Euclid Avenue, built in 1905 by Coca-Cola magnate, Asa Candler. Dinner Six Feet Under : Dine on burgers, shrimp tacos and salads while overlooking Historic Oakland Cemetery.

For delicious southwestern cuisine, visit Agave in Cabbagetown. There were a few Civil War battles fought in New Mexico, so you can stay within your theme. Day Two: Around Atlanta Emblazoned on the world's largest exposed piece of granite, Stone Mountain, are the faces of Confederate heroes Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson and Jefferson Davis. Also in Stone Mountain Park is the antebellum plantation, comprised of original buildings built between 1790 and 1845, which represent an authentic, pre-Civil War Georgia plantation. Lunch Mary Mac's Tea Room is an Atlanta tradition with Southern favorites like fried chicken, salmon croquettes and barbeque fit for a Twelve Oaks party. Insider Tip: First-timers receive a bowl of complimentary pot likker and cornbread, so be sure to let your server know. Afternoon The town of Historic Jonesboro saw bitter Civil War battles, including the 1864 Battle of Jonesboro, which ultimately resulted in the fall of Atlanta. Fictional book scenes were set in Jonesboro and Clayton County. Jonesboro is about 30 minutes south of Atlanta.

Jonesboro highlights: Road to Tara Museum & Gift Shop: Original props, costume reproductions, plate and doll collections and a photo gallery offer a glimpse into the book and movie. Patrick R. Cleburne Confederate Memorial Cemetery: The final resting place of Confederate soldiers who fell during the Battle of Jonesboro. Stately Oaks Historic Home: Built in 1839, this Greek Revival plantation stands among authentic outbuildings. Gone With the Wind - The Tour offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the true stories behind Gone With the Wind.

Question: Which general burned Atlanta in the American Civil War?
Answer: Sherman