A Changing Wind: Commerce and Conflict in Civil War Atlanta

Description

In 1845, Atlanta was the last stop at the end of a railroad line, the home of just twelve families and three general stores. By the 1860s, it was a thriving Confederate city, second only to Richmond in importance. A Changing Wind is the first history to explore the experiences of Atlanta’s civilians during the young city’s rapid growth, the devastation of the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era when Atlanta emerged as a “New South” city.   A Changing Wind vividly brings to life the stories of Atlanta’s diverse citizens—white and black, free and enslaved, well-to-do and everyday people. A rich and compelling account of residents’ changing loyalties to the Union and the Confederacy, the book highlights the unequal economic and social impacts of the war, General Sherman’s siege, and the stunning rebirth of the city in postwar years. The final chapter of the book focuses on Atlanta’s historical memory of the Civil War and how racial divisions have led to separate commemorations of the war’s meaning. Contents Acknowledgments Map of Atlanta, 1864 Prologue: City of the Dead 1. Gate City to the South 2. Unionism and Secessionism in the Gate City 3. The Rise of a Confederate City 4. A City of Considerable Importance 5. Second City of the Confederacy 6. Difficult Questions and the Search for Answers 7. Civilian Loyalty in a Time of “Intense Anxiety” 8. The Barbarous War 9. Rebuilding, Reconstruction, and the New City 10. Remembering and Forgetting Notes Index