Historic Ground -- 1964

Marker Text:

In an area bound by Memorial Drive, Clifton Road, Glenwood Avenue, and Moreland Avenue, was were the major part of the Battle of Atlanta was fought. July 22nd.

In terms of present day landmarks, the battle began at present day Clifton road and Memorial drive where Hardee's right wind (CS) was repulsed in an unexpected clash with Sweeny's 16th Army Corps division (US). This was followed by an assault of Hardee's left wing which crushed the left wing of the 17th Army Corps at Flat Shoals road and Glenwood Avenue and dislodged the right of the 16th Army Corps, forcing them north to a second line at and east of Leggett's Hill - eight hours of battle in which two major Generals, Walker and McPherson, were killed.

044-68 Georgia Historical Marker erected 1956

Location: McPherson Avenue and Monument Avenue

GPS

Date Visited: July 01, 2008

Re-iteration of the ferocity of the battle and the surprise of the attack and the surprise of Sweeny's division. If McPherson hadn't have brought down Sweeny's division, then the full brunt of the attack would have fell directly on the line at Memorial Drive near Leggett's Hill. The 17th Army Corps of the Federals would have had no were to retreat towards. McPherson apparently had pretty good instincts tactically. I believe that he knew Hood well from his time at West Point and possibly the Mexican War. The point that McPherson had been worried about was indeed the area that gave him the greatest test. His armies passed the test ultimately, but he did not. Further research into this moment has determined that Sherman grieved at his loss. Not only did he grieve for his friend, but he also would sorely miss his most trusted "right hand" commander.

General Walker Monument

Monument Text:
In memory of General William H.T Walker C.S.A.


Location: Glenwood Avenue at Wilkinson Drive, near the Interstate 20 intersection
GPS:
Visited: June 26, 2008

Here, in this little triangle of land off of a busy avenue in East Atlanta, a memorial and cannon monument to General Walker, killed in the battle of Atlanta July 22, 1864.
As stated in my last post on "Terry's Mill Pond," I have known about this cannon for many years, probably a good 30 or more. I may have had an inkling of an idea of what it was for, but not a clue as to who it was for. I think that I believed it was for the dead (all of them) in the Battle of Atlanta, but I did not quite know why it was here on the east side of Atlanta. A General lost in battle on the first major engagement in the siege of Atlanta (other than Peachtree Creek battle). This would make the second general killed in this same engagement. And there deaths occur not more than a mile or two away from each other.
At this point I was wondering why there was no historical marker for General Walker's death. I have since learned that there was one that was placed behind the cannon monument, but it is currently missing. I will post the text of that marker under a different post as well as another photo of the site that was taken on July 22, 2008.

Terry's Mill Pond

Marker Text:
The flat area south was the bed of Terry's mill pond- the impounded waters of Sugar Creek. Tom Terry (1823-1861) operated the grist mill that stood 800 yards downstream. It was burned by Federal troops on July 29, 1864 and was rebuilt and operated some years after the war.
The considerable area of the pond made it a landmark in the 1850-1860s, and further prominence attached to it because it is cited in military annuals recording the movement of Walker's & Bate's divisions, Hardee Army Corps (CS), to the battlefield of July 22, 1864, which indicate that General Walker was killed near the upper end of the mill pond.

044-52 Georgia Historical Commission erected 1956

Location: Glennwood Avenue at Interstate 20 interchange
GPS:
Visited: June 26, 2008

On my route towards McPherson's Avenue to see if there was a monument or marker to his death at what I assumed was his point of death, I see come across this marker as well at the General Walker monument. I presumed initially that this was the General Walker Death marker, but was mistaken. I now believe that the marker for General Walker's death is missing. More on that later.
This marker denotes the location of a large pond that, at one time, had a grist mill. It was located in the route of Walker's and Bate's men as they came up Sugar Creek towards what they thought was the rear of McPherson's line.
A couple of questions pop up immediately here for me, some of them for the Civil War and some of them for current day.
Where is Terry's Mill Pond? There is no pond here at the intersection of Glennwood Avenue and Interstate 20. For that matter, where is Sugar Creek? I am not familiar with either one of these bodies of water. This exit is familiar to me since my father used it for many years as he went to work. I remember passing the cannon as we cut down Wilkinson road towards his office. That was in the mid to late 70s. I have no recollection of a creek or pond. I can barely make out any flat area around since the interstate has obviously been constructed since the sign was installed and has destroyed the flat ex-pond area. This is one of those things that you can only say...hummm okay, there used to be a pond here, but there isn't know and hasn't been one for some time. I would have never known if the marker hadn't been here.
As for the Civil War question: General Walker was killed near the north end of the pond on July 22, 1864, which happens to coincide with the date of the skirmish that was a little north of here. If the battle started half a mile north of here at Memorial Drive and Clay Streets, how did he die here? Where there skirmishers positioned this far south? If there were skirmishers and there was gunfire, don't you think that the divisions north of here would have heard and not been surprised?
I will post the General Walker monument next, but I wanted to relay something that happened after that here were it is relevant.

Unfortunately my quest for McPherson's monument had run out of time for the day, I had to make my way back home before the full onset of Atlanta's afternoon rush hour traffic. Plus I had plenty of questions to digest for one day. As I made my way down Wilkinson Drive, I passed a low flat area that I found out was a DeKalb County park, Memorial Park. This park apparently encompasses some of the former Terry's Mill pond and butts up to the interstate boundary as well. So some of my question was answered. Now I know that there was a Terry's Mill pond and I can see some of the remnants of it.

Mersy's Brigade

Marker Text:
July 22, 1864. Colonel August Mersy's brigade of Sweeny's division, 16th Army Corps (US), was aligned on the right of the division when it went into action to meet the assault of Walker's division (CS) advancing up Sugar Creek valley (from Glenwood Avenue).
The left of Mersy's line rested on the hill were Murphy's High School stands. The right of the line extended southwest to join Fuller's 4th division, 16th Army Corps, on the high ground beyond the valley (near McPherson's monument).
General McPherson saw this part of the battlefield from the hill 3/8 mile due west of this marker (near Memorial drive and East Side avenue) enroute to his rendezvous with death.

044-50 Georgia Historical Commission erected 1956

Location: Memorial Drive at Dixie Avenue, Atlanta Georgia
GPS:
Visited: June 26, 2008

I left the last two markers and was driving east on Memorial drive towards Maynard Terrace in order to cross the Interstate, go to McPherson's Avenue and see if I could find his destination for the final ride. But I had to stop and turn around in order to go back to a small car wash where I passed a historical marker. Sensing it was of the first encounter of the Battle of Atlanta, I stopped.
This is part of Sweeny's men that had marched south. This would be part of the extension of the federal line near Glenwood avenue and Flat Shoals road. According to the marker, this line met with the men of Fuller's division, apparently near the Glenwood avenue and Flat Shoals road intersection, so McPherson's movement to protect his left flank had been completed or nearly completed when the battle began. But, to me, this line of protection accentuates the bulge in the federal line by flipping it back and around in a very narrow band. I could understand if Sweeny's men were to continue their southward movement to extend the line and had not yet arrived. I could also see the issue with determining the best defensive position to take in unfamiliar territory. Walker's men came up through a creek valley to the high point to the left of this marker so there must have been some consideration from Sweeny about how to get his men further south without breaking the brigades and therefore weakening his line further.
Note that the Murphy High School referenced on the marker is named as such, it is now Alfonso Crim High School. But it occupies the same ridge line apparent to the left, or east, of this marker. To the right, or west of this marker, about half a mile (3/8 a mile according to the marker), is "McPherson's Last Ride" marker (and "Gresham's Division" marker as well). After pausing to observe the encounter of Mersy's brigade here, McPherson rode off over the hill and down a rode through the pine trees to his death. This marker states what has been insinuated by the other markers.

McPherson's Last Ride

Marker Text:

July 22, 1864. When General McPherson heard the firing to the southeast while at luncheon (Whitefoord Avenue and the railroad), he mounted his horse and, sending away most of his staff on various missions, galloped south to this hill.
Here, he observed Dodge's 16th Army Corps in desperate combat with Bate's and Walker's divisions (CS) in Sugar Creek valley. Anxious about the left of the 17th Army Corps (at Glenwood and Flat Shoals Roads), he proceeded on a road through the pines in that direction, accompanied by an orderly and Signal Officer William Sherfy, who reluctantly followed after vainly warning the general that Confederate troops had seized the road.

044-44 Georgia Historical Commission erected 1956
Location: Memorial Drive near East Side Avenue
GPS:
Visited: June 26, 2008

Two days after Gresham's (and Leggett's) division pushed Wheeler toward Leggett's Hill, now the federals must defend the hill from a similar direction. This flanking attack should pin them against the defense line of Atlanta. There must have been a concerted effort to attack eastward from the siege lines, possibly at the railroad cut. But what could they really expect to achieve against an army that is basically surrounding them, cutting off their supplies, may be larger than there force, and does not have to worry about protecting the civilians or their long term welfare? It would be like taking little jabs at the heavy weight fighter all the while waiting for him to hit you with a left hook, a knock out blow. I mean I understand the will to fight for your home and country. I am not sure what was expected of General Hood at this time though. What did Jefferson Davis charge him with, the defeat of General Sherman's invasion?
This area was within a state of flux, changing hands just two days ago. Now from the marker, the left edge of McPherson's line was at Glenwood and Flat Shoals road not a mile from this marker and even closer to the intersection of Interstate 20 and Moreland Avenue, the sight of Leggett's Hill. That is not much of a buffer zone and quite a bulge that he should have expected to be vulnerable. Therefore the reason for shifting of Sweeny's division south to extend the line. Ah..the markers are starting to connect now and tell the story. A puzzle piece begins to show the picture now when connected to several other pieces, even if they are not located adjacent. I can fill in some pieces when there are blank spaces.
Now, the marker lets you know McPherson's fate. It was his last ride. I knew that McPherson died here in the Battle of Atlanta. The fort in East Point is named for him, Fort McPherson. There is a McPherson Avenue in East Atlanta. Now I am assumming that is where he died. I never knew the location of his death, only that it was in the battle for the city. I will quest for this marker as well.
But on my way towards McPherson's avenue, I was delayed by other markers, all along Memorial Drive and inter-related to this fateful day almost 144 years ago.

Battle of Atlanta Began Here

Well the title of the marker says it all. Imagine my surprise.





Text of the Marker - Verbatim, but translated by me without all the abbreviations.


July 22, 1864. Sweeny's 2nd division, Dodge's 16th Army Corp (US), having been held in reserve north of the Georgia railroad (Candler Park), was ordered to support the left of Blair's 17th Corps in East Atlanta.


Marching via Clay Road, Sweeny's column halted here at noon to await further orders. Mersy's brigade led the advance, followed by Rice's.


Thus, by mere accident, the two brigades were posted where they intercepted the surprise attack by Walker's and Bate's divisions (Hardee's Army Corps) (CS), aimed at the rear of Blair's 17th Army Corps intrenched (sic) along Flat Shoals road, 1 mile west of this point, thereby precipitating the battle.

Georgia Historic Marker Number 044-46 Erected 1983

Location: Clay Street at Memorial Drive
GPS:
Visited June 19, 2008

Alright before we get to the content of the marker and the significance of it, there are a couple of things that don't make sense to me from the information in this marker.
I presume that Mersy's and Rice's brigades were Union under Sweeny's command, but according to the marker they "led the advance." That wording makes it seem as though they charged the Confederate lines. The reality is probably more along the lines that they led the movement southward down along Clay road. In reality, this movement was spread out along front close to a mile or so long and was not only down Clay road. I will have to measure the distance to the Mersy's Brigade marker further west down Memorial Drive.
The second thing that doesn't make so much sense to me is the location of Blair's 17th Army Corps. The marker says that they were entrenched at Flat Shoals road, 1 mile west of this marker. The only way that Walker and Bate would be able to reach that area is if they were making a swinging loop around. The present day Flat Shoals road does not cross Memorial Drive and is close to a mile and a half away at this point. What were they doing all the way over here? They may have been trying to push up the Memorial Drive road towards Leggett's Hill, which was, from what I have gathered, near the intersection of Flat Shoals road and Moreland avenue in East Atlanta. That makes a little more sense because it would bring in the Confederates push directly into the rear of the Union lines. But it leaves the attacking force's right flank wide open for a counter attack. It would be a risky move. Especially given the fact that once the orders were written and dispatched, adjusting them was a difficult and uncertain task in the days of runners.
Okay, so here my perception changed again. What is defined as The Battle of Atlanta begins here, on the east side of Atlanta away from present day (and, I am sure 1864 day) downtown Atlanta.
Currently this is the in-town suburbs of Atlanta. This section is either in Kirkwood area, or directly south of the Kirkwood area. I wouldn't classify it as ghettos or slums, but it is economically depressed. The housing market here is sketchy. From the mid 1990s or so and on, several houses and areas near here have been renovated and updated in an effort to ride the wave of renovation that has struck several near by areas. But this area, like East Atlanta and Grant Park, are still hit and miss. But that has nothing to do with the battle or the markers.
Here is verification that my initial perception of the southeast attack from Chattanooga to Savannah is entirely incorrect. The encounter at Peachtree Creek, which precedes these events, is not included in the Battle of Atlanta, as per this marker. So now we have the Union, coming from the east and pushing south to cover a flank, being attacked by the Confederates who are marching north to attack to the west. Apparently everyone was in a state of confusion. I certainly am. These events warrant more investigation and information on troop movements prior to July 22, 1864 at noon.
Nevertheless, the two sides clashed here, along Memorial Drive, and the Battle of Atlanta had begun. Now I have used Memorial Drive as long as I can remember. It took me a long while to connect the end that crosses Interstate 285 and continues on towards Stone Mountain (I think that part is Cynthia McKinney Parkway now) to the end that passes the State Capitol. But it is a great thoroughfare. Never did I connect it with the battle though. I see it in different light now. I wonder if all of the people who live next to this marker (and the others as you will see) understand what happened here and how it has affected their black american community. Somehow I doubt that they know. I cannot guess if they would care.