Historic Battle Mural Moved T In this segment of Atlanta’s famo the Federal line east of Atlanta By Stephen Davis ATLANTA, GA.—One of the world’s greatest battle paintings
has finally found its home. Let’s hope this one is its last and the permanent one. Imagine a football field wrapped around you, and that’s how small you feel when standing inside the Cyclorama—359 feet in circumference and 42 feet tall. Formally titled The Battle Atlanta, the huge painting portraying the battle fought on July 22, 1864 has been housed for more than a century in an Atlanta amusement park. Now, after a massive effort, the Cyclorama is moving to its best-ever home, the Atlanta History Center, in th middle of our city. I’m an Atlantan, and we’re all excited.
America’s Monthly New manent Home clorama, Col. August Mersy’s Fede e afternoon of July 22, 1864. The story behind the painting,
the actual battle, will be familiar to many readers of Civil War
News. It was one of the major engagements of the Atlanta Campaign. Following two and a half months of hard fighting through north Georgia, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman had brought his forces to within a few miles of the city. Confederate Gen. John B. Hood was determined to drive them away. On July 22, Hood attacked Sherman. After eight hours’ fighting, the Southerners were repulsed and withdrew back into Atlanta’s fortified lin after they had given the Yankees one of the bloodiest fights of th campaign, inflicting some 3,700 casualties (against 5,700 of thei own). For a while that afternoon, Rebels had overrun some enemy
had captured twelve pieces of artillery. They also managed to kil
Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson, second-highest Federal officer to die in battle. Hood reported the battle as a victory, which caused the politicos in Richmond to whoop it up as such. The Battle of Atlanta is not t oldest battle-rendering extant.
July 23, 2014: (Right to left) At History Center President and Chie Hale, and Atlanta City Councilwom the move of the Atlanta Cyclorama
sized paintings hung circular for viewing from the inside—
were a European innovation of late nineteenth century. Subj chosen for depiction ranged f Jesus’ Crucifixion to combats the Franco-Prussian War. The American Civil War gave rise other battle paintings for Sh Second Manassas, Vicksburg,
Mayor Kasim Reed, Atlanta cutive Officer Sheffield ry Norwood announce
Preservation News From The CWT 48 Pages, April 2017
Inside this issue: 46 – Advertiser Index 35 – Ask The Appraiser 4 – Black Powder, White Smoke 26 – Book Reviews 44 – Classifieds 30 – Critic’s Corner 36 – Events Section 12 – Inspection, ARMS! 14 – Preservation News 3 – Roundtable News 5 – The Source 6 – Through The Lens 11 – The Unfinished Fight 7 – Small Talk-Trivia
Chattanooga and even the Monitor vs. Virginia. Frenchman Paul Philippoteaux supervised th cyclorama painting of the battle of Gettysburg, which came to thi country in 1884. It remains one of the most popular attractions for today’s visitors to Gettysbu National Military Park. Today, o all these huge Civil War canvase only The Battle of Gettysburg