The forests of East Atlanta bore witness to the Civil War long before they were criss-crossed by today’s streets. On July 21, 1864, amidst the confusion of a late-breaking Confederate attack, General James Birdseye McPherson, commanding officer of the Union ranks, received a fatal rifle blast through his back as he attempted a hasty retreat. McPherson’s death marked the lone high point in the Confederate’s sound defeat in the following days, as the Union marched onward toward the sea. McPherson’s death is commemorated at the terminus of Monument Avenue by the upright cannon, a historical marker plaque, and well-tended landscaping that keeps the memorial blooming most months of the year.
Please complete a quick 2 minute survey to tell us about your experience.