Popular Atlanta Campaign Books

13+ [Hand Picked] Popular Books On Atlanta Campaign

4.5/5

Atlanta and the War by Webb Garrison

Sherman's destruction of Atlanta during the Civil War was not a planned Union strategy, according to Webb Garrison, but the campaign made Atlanta a household name and sparked the city's growth toward world-class significance. Illustrated and indexed.

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4.5/5

Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864 by Albert E. Castel

Following a skirmish on June 28, 1864, a truce is called so the North can remove their dead and wounded. For two hours, Yankees and Rebels mingle, with some of the latter even assisting the former in their grisly work. Newspapers are exchanged. Northern coffee is swapped for Southern tobacco. Yanks crowd around two Rebel generals, soliciting and obtaining autographs. As the Following a skirmish on June 28, 1864, a truce is called so the North can remove their dead and wounded. For two hours, Yankees and Rebels mingle, with some of the latter even assisting the former in their grisly work. Newspapers are exchanged. Northern coffee is swapped for Southern tobacco. Yanks crowd around two Rebel generals, soliciting and obtaining autographs. As they part, a Confederate calls to a Yankee, "I hope to miss you, Yank, if I happen to shoot in your direction." "May I, never hit you Johnny if we fight again," comes the reply. The reprieve is short. A couple of months, dozens of battles, and more than 30,000 casualties later, the North takes Atlanta. One of the most dramatic and decisive episodes of the Civil War, the Atlanta Campaign was a military operation carried out on a grand scale across a spectacular landscape that pitted some of the war's best (and worst) general against each other. In Decision in the West, Albert Castel provides the first detailed history of the Campaign published since Jacob D. Cox's version appeared in 1882. Unlike Cox, who was a general in Sherman's army, Castel provides an objective perspective and a comprehensive account based on primary and secondary sources that have become available in the past 110 years. Castel gives a full and balanced treatment to the operations of both the Union and Confederate armies from the perspective of the common soldiers as well as the top generals. He offers new accounts and analyses of many of the major events of the campaign, and, in the process, corrects many long-standing myths, misconceptions, and mistakes. In particular, he challenges the standard view of Sherman's performance. Written in present tense to give a sense of immediacy and greater realism, Decision in the West demonstrates more definitively than any previous book how the capture of Atlanta by Sherman's army occurred and why it assured Northern victory in the Civil War.

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4.3/5

Battles for Atlanta: Sherman Moves East by Ronald H. Bailey

A gripping, comprehensive account of the Civil War, including eyewitness testimony, profiles of key personalities, period photographs, illustrations and artifacts, and detailed battle maps. Part of Time-Life Books' popular series on the Civil War, this book covers the Atlanta Campaign of 1864, starting in the winter of 1863-64 when Union general William T. Sherman and Conf A gripping, comprehensive account of the Civil War, including eyewitness testimony, profiles of key personalities, period photographs, illustrations and artifacts, and detailed battle maps. Part of Time-Life Books' popular series on the Civil War, this book covers the Atlanta Campaign of 1864, starting in the winter of 1863-64 when Union general William T. Sherman and Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston took command of the two opposing armies and continuing with the capture of Atlanta by Union forces in September 1864. The book is illustrated by maps, period engravings and paintings, and several dozen photographs.

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4.9/5

Slaughter at the Chapel: The Battle of Ezra Church, 1864 by Gary L. Ecelbarger

The Battle of Ezra Church was one of the deadliest engagements in the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War and continues to be one of the least understood. Both official and unofficial reports failed to illuminate the true bloodshed of the conflict: one of every three engaged Confederates was killed or wounded, including four generals. Nor do those reports acknowledge the fl The Battle of Ezra Church was one of the deadliest engagements in the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War and continues to be one of the least understood. Both official and unofficial reports failed to illuminate the true bloodshed of the conflict: one of every three engaged Confederates was killed or wounded, including four generals. Nor do those reports acknowledge the flaws—let alone the ultimate failure—of Confederate commander John Bell Hood’s plan to thwart Union general William Tecumseh Sherman’s southward advance. In an account that refutes and improves upon all other interpretations of the Battle of Ezra Church, noted battle historian Gary Ecelbarger consults extensive records, reports, and personal accounts to deliver a nuanced hour-by-hour overview of how the battle actually unfolded. His narrative fills in significant facts and facets of the battle that have long gone unexamined, correcting numerous conclusions that historians have reached about key officers’ intentions and actions before, during, and after this critical contest. Eleven troop movement maps by leading Civil War cartographer Hal Jespersen complement Ecelbarger’s analysis, detailing terrain and battle maneuvers to give the reader an on-the-ground perspective of the conflict. With new revelations based on solid primary-source documentation, Slaughter at the Chapel is the most comprehensive treatment of the Battle of Ezra Church yet written, as powerful in its implications as it is compelling in its moment-to-moment details.

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4.2/5

Sherman's 1864 Trail of Battle to Atlanta by Philip L. Secrist

"Sherman's 1864 Trail of Battle to Atlanta traces the principal routes and sites of battle used by the Confederate and Union armies in the 120-day Atlanta Campaign. Special care is given to locating and identifying local families living along this path of war in 1864, and through their letters, diaries, or books, shares their experiences of war. Frances Howard's book In an "Sherman's 1864 Trail of Battle to Atlanta traces the principal routes and sites of battle used by the Confederate and Union armies in the 120-day Atlanta Campaign. Special care is given to locating and identifying local families living along this path of war in 1864, and through their letters, diaries, or books, shares their experiences of war. Frances Howard's book In and Out of the Lines, chronicles the hardships experienced by families in the path of marching armies, and Lizzie Grimes's diary describes the burning of her house and town of Cassville, Georgia." "Through historic and modern topographical and highway maps and photographs, roads and houses along the march are located, and their present state of preservation or use is noted. Exact location of events along the way have been identified through the recovery of military artifacts on the site and through comparing terrain features described in official reports by battle commanders with the existing character of the site today. Other skirmishes or battle sites were located from recorded information on Sherman's official maps." The work is particularly valuable in its connection between the archival record and the physical location to which that record refers. The commander's decision to "stay and fight" or extract himself from a difficult situation by "maneuver" is often substantially influenced by the terrain upon which he finds himself and the advantage enjoyed by the enemy. By drawing these points of data together, Sherman's 1864 Trail of Battle to Atlanta brings the beginning of the infamous march to life.

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4.1/5

The Battle of Resaca by Philip L. Secrist , Tom Watson Brown (Introduction)

The battle of Resaca in May 1864 represents a series of firsts: the first major battle of the Atlanta Campaign, the first occasion in Georgia in 1864 of Confederate and Federal armies in their entirety facing one another across a field of battle, and the first major encounter between Joseph E. Johnston and William T. Sherman as army field commanders. The two-day battle of The battle of Resaca in May 1864 represents a series of firsts: the first major battle of the Atlanta Campaign, the first occasion in Georgia in 1864 of Confederate and Federal armies in their entirety facing one another across a field of battle, and the first major encounter between Joseph E. Johnston and William T. Sherman as army field commanders. The two-day battle of Resaca proved to be an experience for Sherman that would cause him to alter the patterns of strategy and tactics in the campaign that followed. The practical result of this switch in strategy would be Atlanta's capture in September - the timing of Atlanta's fall would have a profound political impact on the reelection of an American president and subsequently, the outcome of the war.

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4.8/5

Guide to the Atlanta Campaign: Rocky Face Ridge to Kennesaw Mountain by Jay Luvaas (Editor)

Following William T. Sherman’s capture of Chattanooga, the Union Army initiated a series of battles and operations that took it from the Tennessee border to the outskirts of Atlanta—with bloody confrontations at places such as Resaca and New Hope Church. Grant had ordered Sherman to penetrate the enemy’s interior and inflict “all the damage you can against their War resour Following William T. Sherman’s capture of Chattanooga, the Union Army initiated a series of battles and operations that took it from the Tennessee border to the outskirts of Atlanta—with bloody confrontations at places such as Resaca and New Hope Church. Grant had ordered Sherman to penetrate the enemy’s interior and inflict “all the damage you can against their War resources,” and from the first major engagement at Rocky Face Ridge to the bitter standoff at Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman proceeded to do just that. This latest in the Army War College Guides to Civil War Battles offers a concise and easy-to-use introduction to Sherman’s route, focusing on this first and most critical phase of the Atlanta campaign. The Guide to the Atlanta Campaign leads visitors to all of the pertinent sites—Dug Gap, Adairsville, Pickett’s Mill, and more—to help them relive the experiences of battle-hardened troops on the ground. Authors Luvaas and Nelson show respect for both sides of the fighting, but especially convey Sherman’s special genius in mastering the logistical challenges that confronted him, moving reinforcements and supplies, and directing diverse offensive actions over immense—and immensely hostile—territory. Like previous guides in the series, this volume helps Civil War enthusiasts vividly envision the actual historical setting. It combines official histories and on-the-scene reports, orders, and letters from commanding officers, and it features specially drawn maps that depict the opposing armies and the terrain in which they fought. It also includes easy-to-follow drive-and-stop maps that guide visitors along and just off Interstate 75, with the stops arranged to present the most important phases of the campaign as it developed. And this book supersedes most previous guides by moving beyond battles to more broadly consider the overall campaign. The guide culminates with the battle of Kennesaw Mountain (urban growth beyond that battlefield precludes a tour), and also provides full coverage of the operational and strategic decisions that led to Sherman’s ultimate victory at Atlanta. It will become an essential traveling companion for visitors to these Civil War sites—and an insightful guide for armchair travelers.

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4.7/5

The Battle of Allatoona Pass: Civil War Skirmish in Bartow County, Georgia by Brad Butkovich

In the 1840s, engineers blasted through 175 feet of earth and bedrock at Allatoona Pass, Georgia, to allow passage of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Little more than twenty years later, both the Union and Confederate armies fortified the hills and ridges surrounding the gorge to deny the other passage during the Civil War. In October 1864, the two sides met in a fier In the 1840s, engineers blasted through 175 feet of earth and bedrock at Allatoona Pass, Georgia, to allow passage of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Little more than twenty years later, both the Union and Confederate armies fortified the hills and ridges surrounding the gorge to deny the other passage during the Civil War. In October 1864, the two sides met in a fierce struggle to control the iron lifeline between the North and the recently captured city of Atlanta. Though small compared to other battles of the war, this division-sized fight produced casualty rates on par with or surpassing some of the most famous clashes. Join author Brad Butkovich as he explores the controversy, innovative weapons and unwavering bravery that make the Battle of Allatoona Pass one of the war's most unique and savage battles.

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4.2/5

War So Terrible: Sherman And Atlanta by James Lee McDonough , James Pickett Jones

The Atlanta campaign was one of the Civil War's most significant endeavors. In War So Terrible authors James Lee McDonough and James Pickett Jones have written an extensive, highly readable new history, focusing our attention on the pivotal and fascinating events that led tot he downfall of the "Gate City" and eventually to the Confederacy itself. Throughout, their narrati The Atlanta campaign was one of the Civil War's most significant endeavors. In War So Terrible authors James Lee McDonough and James Pickett Jones have written an extensive, highly readable new history, focusing our attention on the pivotal and fascinating events that led tot he downfall of the "Gate City" and eventually to the Confederacy itself. Throughout, their narrative is evenhanded in its view of the participants of both sides, yet never fails to look to the final outcome as the consequence of all. An Epilogue offers some intriguing insights into the writing of Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell and into the research she undertook in her version of the event that turned the tides of one of the most devastating wars yet fought by man.

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4.1/5

The Day Dixie Died: The Battle of Atlanta by Gary L. Ecelbarger

One of the most dramatic and important battles ever to be waged on American soil, the Battle of Atlanta changed the course of the Civil War and helped decide a presidential election. In the North, a growing peace movement and increasing criticism of President Abraham Lincoln’s conduct of the war threatened to halt U.S. war efforts to save the Union. On the morning of July 2 One of the most dramatic and important battles ever to be waged on American soil, the Battle of Atlanta changed the course of the Civil War and helped decide a presidential election. In the North, a growing peace movement and increasing criticism of President Abraham Lincoln’s conduct of the war threatened to halt U.S. war efforts to save the Union. On the morning of July 22, 1864, Confederate forces under the command of General John Bell Hood squared off against the Army of the Tennessee led by General James B. McPherson just southeast of Atlanta. Having replaced General Joseph E. Johnston just four days earlier, Hood had been charged with the duty of reversing a Confederate retreat and meeting the Union army head on. The resulting Battle of Atlanta was a monstrous affair fought in the stifling Georgia summer heat. During it, a dreadful foreboding arose among the Northerners as the battle was undecided and dragged on for eight interminable hours. Hood’s men tore into U.S. forces with unrelenting assault after assault. Furthermore, for the first and only time during the war, a U.S. army commander was killed in battle, and in the wake of his death, the Union army staggered. Dramatically, General John “Black Jack” Logan stepped into McPherson’s command, rallied the troops, and grimly fought for the rest of the day. In the end, ten thousand men---one out of every six---became casualties on that fateful day, but the Union lines had held. Having survived the incessant onslaught from the men in grey, Union forces then placed the city of Atlanta under siege, and the city’s inevitable fall would gain much-needed, positive publicity for Lincoln’s reelection campaign against the peace platform of former Union general George B. McClellan.

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4.7/5

The Bonfire: The Siege and Burning of Atlanta by Marc Wortman

The destruction of Atlanta is an iconic moment in American history—it was the centerpiece of Gone with the Wind. But though the epic sieges of Leningrad, Stalingrad, and Berlin have all been explored in bestselling books, the one great American example has been treated only cursorily in more general histories. Marc Wortman remedies that conspicuous absence in grand fashion The destruction of Atlanta is an iconic moment in American history—it was the centerpiece of Gone with the Wind. But though the epic sieges of Leningrad, Stalingrad, and Berlin have all been explored in bestselling books, the one great American example has been treated only cursorily in more general histories. Marc Wortman remedies that conspicuous absence in grand fashion with The Bonfire, an absorbing narrative history told through the points of view of key participants both Confederate and Union.The Bonfire reveals an Atlanta of unexpected paradoxes: a new mercantile city dependent on the primitive institution of slavery; governed by a pro-Union mayor, James Calhoun, whose cousin was a famous defender of the South. When he surrendered the city to General Sherman after forty-four terrible days, Calhoun was accompanied by Bob Yancey, a black slave likely the son of Union advocate Daniel Webster. Atlanta was both the last of the medieval city sieges and the first modern urban devastation. From its ashes, a new South would arise.

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4.4/5

War Like the Thunderbolt: The Battle and Burning of Atlanta by Russell S. Bonds

Called “the greatest event of the Civil War” by New York diarist George Templeton Strong, the epic struggle for the city of Atlanta in the bloody summer of 1864 was a pivotal moment in American history. Union commander William Tecumseh Sherman’s relentless fight for the city secured the reelection of Abraham Lincoln, sealed the fate of the Southern Confederacy, and set a p Called “the greatest event of the Civil War” by New York diarist George Templeton Strong, the epic struggle for the city of Atlanta in the bloody summer of 1864 was a pivotal moment in American history. Union commander William Tecumseh Sherman’s relentless fight for the city secured the reelection of Abraham Lincoln, sealed the fate of the Southern Confederacy, and set a precedent for military campaigns that endures today. Its depiction in the novel and motion picture Gone with the Wind established the fight for Atlanta as an iconic episode in our nation’s most terrible war. In War Like the Thunderbolt: The Battle and Burning of Atlanta, award-winning author Russell S. Bonds takes the reader behind the lines and across the smoky battlefields of Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Church, and Jonesboro, and into the lives of fascinating characters, both the famous and the forgotten, including the fiery and brilliant Sherman; General John Bell Hood, the Confederacy’s last hope to defend Atlanta; Benjamin Harrison, the diminutive young Indiana colonel who would rise to become President of the United States; Patrick Cleburne, the Irishmanturned- Southern officer; and ten-year-old diarist Carrie Berry, who bravely withstood and bore witness to the fall of the city. Here also is the dramatic story of the ordeal of Atlanta itself—the five-week artillery bombardment, the expulsion of its civilian population, and the infamous fire that followed. Based on new research in diaries, newspapers, previously unpublished letters, and other archival sources, War Like the Thunderbolt is a combination of captivating narrative and insightful military analysis—a stirring account of the battle and burning of the “Gate City of the South.”

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4.2/5

Kennesaw Mountain: Sherman, Johnston, and the Atlanta Campaign by Earl J. Hess

While fighting his way toward Atlanta, William T. Sherman encountered his biggest roadblock at Kennesaw Mountain, where Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee held a heavily fortified position. The opposing armies confronted each other from June 19 to July 3, 1864, and Sherman initially tried to outflank the Confederates. His men endured heavy rains, artillery duels, snipi While fighting his way toward Atlanta, William T. Sherman encountered his biggest roadblock at Kennesaw Mountain, where Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee held a heavily fortified position. The opposing armies confronted each other from June 19 to July 3, 1864, and Sherman initially tried to outflank the Confederates. His men endured heavy rains, artillery duels, sniping, and a fierce battle at Kolb's Farm before Sherman decided to directly attack Johnston's position on June 27. "Kennesaw Mountain" tells the story of an important phase of the Atlanta campaign. Historian Earl J. Hess explains how this battle, with its combination of maneuver and combat, severely tried the patience and endurance of the common soldier and why Johnston's strategy might have been the Confederates' best chance to halt the Federal drive toward Atlanta. He gives special attention to the engagement at Kolb's Farm on June 22 and Sherman's assault on June 27. A final section explores the Confederate earthworks preserved within the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

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