Of the four-pronged simultaneous movements ordered by Ulysses S. Grant in the spring of 1864, only one was successful in its initial design. Early in May, William Tecumseh Sherman, commanding the Military Division of the Mississippi consisting of three armies of eight corps, marched and rolled out of Chattanooga on a 100-mile mission to Atlanta. Four months, four rivers, numerous streams, formidable mountains, and a “Hell Hole” later, Sherman proudly announced, “Atlanta is ours and fairly won.” The cost was atrocious; nearly one-third of the engaged Union army was killed, wounded and missing—31,687 soldiers in all. But Sherman’s men gave as well as they received, inflicting nearly identical casualty numbers on the Confederate army, commanded first by Joseph Eggleston Johnston, and last by John Bell Hood. The Union victory in this vital campaign injected new life into Abraham Lincoln’s re-election bid and is often cited today as the most decisive campaign of the Civil War.
Despite its size and significance, the Atlanta campaign wanes in the shadow of the Eastern Theater action. This, however, does not diminish the colorful characters comprising the opposing armies and the scintillating drama that played out during the spring and summer of 1864. Today, the region provides a full spectrum of Civil War preservation: from pristine killing fields to strips of ground encroached and destroyed by modern development.
During a busy, two-day tour we will explore nine battlefields that approach or surround Atlanta. From our base in Marietta, after an overview on Thursday night, we will launch our campaign on Friday by heading to Resaca, scene of a two-day, 7,000-casualty battle that tested the mettle of North and South. From Resaca we will follow the sparring match between Sherman and Johnston and re-wage the May 25-29 contest along a three-mile rugged battle line where 170,000 Union and Confederate soldiers engaged in one of the largest protracted actions of the Civil War. Key stops along the line include New Hope Church, Pickett’s Mill Historic Site, and the Dallas Battlefield, an off-the-beaten-path treasure complete with original entrenchments and 20-pounder Parrott gun placements! We will conclude our first day with an exploration of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, site of the brutal battle of June 27, 1864.
Saturday will be dedicated to the four summertime 1864 battles surrounding Civil War Atlanta: Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Church and Jonesboro. Included in this tour day is a stop at Grant Park to view the 120-year-old Atlanta Cyclorama, the largest oil painting in the world offering a spectacular depiction of one of the most exciting battles fought on American soil. Our subsequent tour of the Atlanta battlefield will focus on scenes vividly portrayed by the cyclorama. In addition to the battlefields, our tour will also include stops at the Marietta National Cemetery, where more than 10,000 Union soldiers are interred, and the Marietta Confederate Cemetery, the final resting place of more than 3,000 Southern soldiers from every state of the Confederacy.
Please note, as you review the registration fee information below, that the first ten adult full-pay registrations will enjoy a 20% discount. We hope you’ll join us for this summer tour of the Atlanta Campaign!
About Our Tour Leaders
Gary Ecelbarger is the author of several books including Black Jack Logan: An Extraordinary Life in Peace and War. He also contributed two works to the Time-Life Books’ Voices of the Civil War series, and has authored more than a dozen magazine articles.
Scott C. Patchan is a leading authority on the American Civil War. He is the author of The Forgotten Fury: The Battle of Piedmont and was a consultant and contributing writer to the Time-Life Books’ Voices of the Civil War series.
Thursday, July 26
8:00 PM-8:45 PM Overview – Wingate Inn, Marietta, Georgia
Friday, July 27
8;00 AM Depart for Tour
12:3O PM Lunch at Ryan’s Buffet in Hiram, GA
5:30 PM Arrive Back at Wingate Inn, Marietta, Georgia
Saturday, July 28
8:00 AM Depart for Tour
12:00 N Lunch in Atlanta
5:00 PM Arrive Back at Wingate Inn, Marietta, Georgia
Registration Fees (lodging not included):
· Regular Fee: Adult: $325
· Fee for Under Age 23: $95
Please Note: If You Must Cancel: Your registration fee will be 100% refunded.
What is Included in your Registration:
· the services of expert historians chosen for their knowledge and experience
· transportation to sites described
· Friday and Saturday lunches
· refreshments and snacks during the tour
· admission to the Cyclorama
· maps & related materials
Location and Lodging: We will be based at the Wingate Inn, 1250 Franklin Road, Marietta, Georgia 30067 where we have reserved a block of sleeping rooms at the special nightly rate of $75.65 + tax - Single or Double. To reserve a room under our block call 770-989-0071 and reference group code P04491. If you need shuttle transportation from Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, call Vik Panchal at 404-787-6483. The one-way shuttle fee is $20 per person (minimum of two persons). Or call A & M Limo at 770-955-4565. Their rate is $30 per person one-way or $55 round trip.
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