General McPherson’s Monument a Disgrace: Atlanta Battlefield in 1896

In 1896, Illinois veteran John Wiesman visited Atlanta and wrote of his disappointment at the degradation of the battlefield and the "disgraceful" monument to his fallen army commander General James B. McPherson.

    "In walking over the field, I found only one bullet but the natives have quite a stock of relics on hand and are disposing of them at a fair price. I was surprised to find nailed high up to a pine tree where General McPherson fell, a sign reading “Gen. John B. McPherson, killed July 22, ’64.” How or by whom such a blunder was made I cannot understand. One would suppose that anyone who was in the least familiar with the history of the late war and our generals, especially one so prominent as our beloved McPherson, would know it was James B. and not John B. The monument erected where General McPherson is a disgrace to our government. It is a condemned cannon enclosed by a cast iron rail fence about the size of a hen coop. That is all that marks the sacred spot where the gallant McPherson gave up his precious life for the nation," Wiesman said. 

    His account first saw publication in the May 28, 1896, edition of the National Tribune.

McPherson's marker still stands in residential Atlanta
(Photo by John Croland) 

As I went down here to Atlanta to visit the Cotton Exposition, I also visited the battlefield of July 22, 1864. Having been over the field in 1877 and again in 1881 and 1890, I have been able to a certain extent to keep track of the positions occupied by the different commands engaged. Now after a lapse of 31 years, I thought it might be of interest to the veterans to learn how it looks. A great many changes have taken place since and many of the old boys who fought on that bloody field would scarcely be able to recognize the place.

          I met some men here who were in the battle and had been out to Leggett’s Hill and they said they were unable to locate the place occupied by their regiment during the battle. A few were not even able to recognize Leggett’s Hill. There now stands a three-story brick residence on or very near the spot occupied by my battery [Battery D, 1st Illinois Light Artillery) and the 3rd Ohio Battery. This place is owned by a Mr. Koch who came down here soon after the war. I am indebted to him for much valuable information as he bought the place not many years after the war and before many changes had been made and he was able to show me where the breastworks were located which were erected on the afternoon of the battle.

          To the left of Leggett’s Hill, commencing at the southeast angle of the breastworks, in a northeast direction along the left of the Third Division, 17th Corps and the 16th Corps, nothing now remains of the breastworks except a small portion of the work occupied by the extreme left of the Third Division and here and there a patch where the 16th Corps stood. Along the McDonough Road, northwest of the angle on Leggett’s Hill and along that portion of the line occupied by the 45th Illinois and 20th Illinois and other commands of the Third Division, 17th Corps, everything has been leveled down and laid out in town lots and is occupied by residences.

A far more substantial monument to General McPherson was erected in his hometown of Clyde, Ohio. 

          Leaving the McDonough Road, turning almost due north in the direction of the 15th Corps through a strip of timber where the 17th Wisconsin stood, the breastworks are in a fair state of preservation. Along the line of the 15thCorps there is here and there a patch left, just barely enough to trace the line of battle. Of the Rebel breastworks, considerable is left at different places. Especially this is so across the ravine in front of the left of the Third Division and in front of the 16th Corps to the left of Leggett’s Hill. It will be but a few years till all traces of this famous battlefield will be gone.

          In walking over the field, I found only one bullet but the natives have quite a stock of relics on hand and are disposing of them at a fair price. I was surprised to find nailed high up to a pine tree where General McPherson fell, a sign reading “Gen. John B. McPherson, killed July 22, ’64.” How or by whom such a blunder was made I cannot understand. One would suppose that anyone who was in the least familiar with the history of the late war and our generals, especially one so prominent as our beloved McPherson, would know it was James B. and not John B.

          The monument erected where General McPherson is a disgrace to our government. It is a condemned cannon enclosed by a cast iron rail fence about the size of a hen coop. That is all that marks the sacred spot where the gallant McPherson gave up his precious life for the nation. It seems strange that Shiloh battlefield, away from any town or railroad, should be preserved as a national park and Leggett’s Hill and McPherson’s monument be neglected and forgotten. Especially when one considers its nearness to Atlanta, a city of 100,000, and which is destined at no far distant day to become the city of the South. 

To read more about General McPherson, please check out these posts:

Killing McPherson

Our Hearts Were Almost Rent Asunder: The Burial of General McPherson 

Source:

“Field of Atlanta: Disgrace of a Monument to Gen. James B. McPherson,” Private John T. Wiesman, Battery D, 1st Illinois Volunteer Light Artillery, National Tribune, May 28, 1896, pg. 3

 

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