July 24, 1864 
The Atlanta Journal Constitution Presents
The Atlanta Century

IN ATLANTA 
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Commotion Reigns; Federal Shell Kills Child

A little girl walking with her parents was killed about noon Wednesday by a federal shell, apparently the first such victim in Atlanta, now besieged.  The event occurred on Whitehall St., about five blocks south of Five Points, near Ivy and E. Ellis, close to the home of attorney JOHN COLLIER.

Many other shells have been lobbed into the city since.  The scenes this week:  Wild excitement at night and considerable pandemonium at Union Depot as thousands seek to flee south with possessions...Trains constantly arrive empty and leave full...The streets are jammed with vehicles... Federals have broken the rail line between Atlanta and Decatur... wounded are being sent to points on the West Point railroad, though many have remained at now-captured Oxford hospitals (the long closed University's chapel, recitation and literary society rooms house the wounded)... Many wounded federals are treated at the Atlanta Medical College... Fires erupted here last night. 

Many residents are building "gopher holes" or crawl into cellars, anticipating bombardment.  (Joseph Willis, Laban Helm and William White built a gopher hole off Sandtown Road, near Willis' Mill, and it accommodates 26 persons).  

The Memphis Appeal, a refugee was the last paper to remain here (save The Atlanta Century)... Coffee in Atlanta is $20 a pound, sugar $15 a pound, flour $300 a barrel, (when you can get them).  Unavailable butter, chickens, vegetables.  Ham and eggs and coffee at a restaurant is $25.   

Some Confederate soldiers have ransacked local stores and citizens have been detailed to stand night guard on the streets...Merchant W. B. Young sees no hope of selling (or saving) 2,000 sewing machines.  


Transcribed 2002 - (C) Brenda Pierce - All Rights Reserved.