Atlanta And Its Builders, Vol. 2 - A Comprehensive History Of The Gate City Of The South. Thomas H. Martin
the war are here reproduced as worthy of preservation in this volume. The Intelligencer said:
"The headquarters of General Sherman after the occupation of Atlanta was at the residence of Judge R. F. Lyon, corner Mitchell and Washington streets. Gen. Thomas's headquarters was at the residence of Mr. M. Meyers, on Peachtree street; General Geary's at Mr. E. E. Rawson's. on Pryor street; General Stanley's at the residence of Mr. Lewis Scofield, on Peachtree street, and Gen. Slocum's at Mr. William H. Dabney's, on Washington street."
"The whole number of killed and wounded around Atlanta, from the time the armies crossed the Chattahoochee river until the city was invested by the United States army, including the Jonesboro battles, is unknown to the writer, but must have been at least 18,000 to 20,000 Confederates, and as many Federals. How quickly fade from the memory of man the impressions made by the contemplation of such a scene! Yet. the citizens of this bustling city, however heedless they may be, sleep nightly in the midst of one vast graveyard. Friend and foe lie shoulder to shoulder, and will take up arms against each other no more; but must one day stand together before their Creator. Let us hope that they died with such charitable feelings, and with such faith in their Savior, as shall. secure to them the salvation of their immortal spirits."
"By those who returned to Atlanta soon after its destruction, a disgusting and heart-sickening scene was witnessed. Ruin, death and devastation met the eye on every hand. The legions of carrion crows and vultures, whose vocation it might have been to hover over and pick at the decaying carcasses of animals that lay among the scarred and broken walls of our ruined city, were surpassed by the hosts of Georgia's own sons, who might, otherwise, have been styled our brothers, congregated here from a distance of fifty miles, in every direction, not to guard unprotected property, but, many of them, to steal and haul away the effects of their absent and unfortunate countrymen. There were, also, numerous packs of dogs that had become wild on account of the absence of their masters, attacking citizens, and belching forth their frightful howls, as if to render the scene still more gloomy, fearful and desolate. During the months of December and January, after the destruction of the city by the Federals, some of the citizens who went South returned home. A few found shelter in their own houses, while the majority of them were compelled to take up their abode in the houses of other parties, or live in tents with their families. The .destitution consequent upon the scarcity of provisions and fuel, and the utter worthlessness of Confederate currency during the winter months of 1864 and 1865, produced an amount of suffering beyond the comprehension of most persons who did not witness the facts. For want of teams, some parties were forced to carry their fuel a distance of nearly a mile, and many suffered severely from both hunger and cold. But they managed to survive the winter, and some had. by the spring following, accumulated considerable little stores. On the surrender and parole of Lee's and Johnston's armies, as the soldiers were passing through Atlanta en route for their homes, they made free with everything that came in their way, leaving many, again, utterly destitute. So much for war which, under every circumstance and for whatever cause, is demoralizing in its tendencies, rendering, in some instances, the best men incapable of performing an act of kindness, or even of administering simple justice to his fellow-men."
"Atlanta, during the year 1865, presented quite a picturesque appearance. There might have been seen small houses, put up in many instances expressly for rent, which presented the appearance of having been built of the remnants of half a dozen houses. Calico fences, too, still remain quite fashionable in some localities. But it is to be hoped that the city will outgrow the effects of the war, and that at an early day her citizens may again become comfortably situated, and that good feelings and a disposition to encourage and foster each other's interests, may be cultivated by them. Then may we hope and expect to see education advanced, fraternity revived, Christianity practiced, and society much improved and benefited."
The spirit of fraternity and the desire to help one another was strongly manifest in the people of Atlanta the first year after the surrender. The town was bustling with commercial activity and ambitious with enterprise, but the citizens were never too busy or self-centered to forget the duties imposed by the tribulations from which the city was slowly emerging, and "sweet charity" was ever met with an open hand. Organized relief did much for the unfortunates left destitute by the war. The charitable societies were many and the methods of relieving distress various. In the good work the ladies were especially active. They held bazaars, and fairs, and entertainments, and balls with great frequency the first few months after the return of peace. On January 18-19, 1866, a large fair was held by the ladies of Atlanta, which was well attended and patronized. All the churches of the city took part in contributing to the success of the fair, as will be seen from the following list of names of the general committee and the churches represented: Central Presbyterian church, Mrs. P. P. Pease, Mrs. George G. Hull and Mrs. William Rushton; First Presbyterian church, Mrs. E. A. Gordon, Mrs. James Robinson and Mrs. T. G. Simms; Wesley chapel, Mrs. J. N. Simmons, Mrs. Joseph Winship and Mrs. Willis Parker; Trinity church, Mrs. E. E. Rawson, Mrs. O. H. Jones and Mrs. L. S. Salmons; First Baptist church, Mrs. Jared I. Whittaker, Mrs. I. R. Foster and Mrs. J. J. Thrasher; Second Baptist church, Mrs. Ed. White, Mrs. J. J. Toon and Miss Ellen Chisholm: St. Philip's and St. Luke's churches, Mrs. William Solomon, Mrs. J. M. Ball and Mrs. Richard Peters; Church of the Immaculate Conception, Mrs. J. H. Flynn, Mrs. Dooly and Mrs. Hayden. Ward Committees — First ward, Mrs. J. A. Taylor; Second ward, Mrs. F. M. Richardson; Third ward, Mrs. Caroline Larendon; Fourth ward, Mrs. W. B. Cox; Fifth ward, Mrs. A. Leyden. The committee met at Wesley chapel on the 20th to ascertain the amount of the net proceeds and to provide for the distribution of the fund. Dr. J. N. Simmons, chairman of the relief committee, was instructed to prepare for publication in the local papers, a statement of the amount cleared by the fair, which was done. The net proceeds amounted to $1,535.90. The ladies passed resolutions thanking the Masons for the use of their hall, and the press, merchants and public generally for their assistance. The sum thus raised was judiciously distributed and was instrumental in relieving much real suffering in Atlanta that winter.
In 1867 a little city directory of Atlanta was issued from the press of the Intelligencer, from the preface of which the following interesting information is taken:
"Atlanta has, already, made rapid strides in the way of improvement. There were licensed by the city council, during the last six months of the year 1865, about three hundred and thirty-eight business houses, representing various branches of trade — nearly all of which commenced on very small capital, occupying mere shanties as store houses. There was very little manufacturing done in Atlanta in 1865. Planing mills, etc., were much needed to assist in the work of rebuilding the city; among the first of such establishments put into operation was that of Hoge, Mills & Co., on Marietta street. Others of a similar character rapidly sprang up. The several railroad companies went to work in good earnest, repairing their respective roads, and rebuilding their depots and shops, and at this time they are all in comparatively good condition. Foundries and machine shops were established; first class business houses took the place of the shanty substitutes which had at first been thrown up by the impoverished citizens, and large stocks of goods soon found their way into them.
"The city fathers, too, went to work with great energy. Two neat and tastily arranged market houses were soon completed; the bridge across the Macon & Western and Western & Atlantic railroads, near the site of the old market house, was rebuilt, and Broad street opened from Alabama to Mitchell, and widened from Alabama to Peachtree street. The city cemetery received their early attention, and has been re-fenced, enlarged, and otherwise improved. The streets of the city, though filled with huge heaps of rubbish less than two years ago, have been put in a fair condition. The incorporate limits have been extended so as to enclose the area of a circle three miles in diameter, the center of which is still located near the general passenger depot. They have also provided a place for the M. & W. R. R. depot, at the corner of M. & W. railroad and Mitchell street, for which they have taken in exchange the site on which stood the old depot, corner Railroad and Whitehall street — making a decided improvement by this transaction. The gas works have also again been put into operation, and at this time the city is tolerably well lighted. The rolling mill, owned by Messrs. Markham and Scofield during the first years of the war, having been destroyed, has not yet been rebuilt. Another, however, on a very extensive scale, has been erected and put into operation, on the W. & A. railroad, near the city, under the firm name