Changing Wind Commerce & Conflict in Civil War Atlanta

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 Atlantaand#8217;s civilians during the young cityand#8217;s rapid growth, the devastation of the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era when Atlanta emerged as a and#147;New Southand#8221; city.

and#160;

A Changing Wind vividly brings to life the stories of Atlantaand#8217;s diverse citizensand#151;white and black, free and enslaved, well-to-do and everyday people. A rich and compelling account of residentsand#8217; changing loyalties to the Union and the Confederacy, the book highlights the unequal economic and social impacts of the war, General Shermanand#8217;s siege, and the stunning rebirth of the city in postwar years. The final chapter of the book focuses on Atlantaand#8217;s historical memory of the Civil War and how racial divisions have led to separate commemorations of the warand#8217;s meaning.

andquot;Venet shows that to understand Atlantaandrsquo;s early history, we must recognize the significance of a variety of ambitious speculatorsandmdash;entrepreneurs, politicians, soldiers, benevolent reformers, consumers, and slavesandmdash;who built, tore down, and rebuilt an urban social order. . . . andnbsp;[A Changing Wind] deserves a wide readership.andquot;andmdash;Brian P. Luskey, The Civil War Monitor

andldquo;A solid account of the cityandrsquo;s experience, as told by the residents themselves. . . . The real value of A Changing Wind is found in Venetandrsquo;s careful reconstruction of the wartime experience of everyday Atlantans. . . . The deep immersion into the day-by-day unfolding of the Civil War in the Gate City showcases Venetandrsquo;s skills as a narrative historian. And although we know the outcome of the struggle, her depiction of the panicked city injects a sense of contingency and urgency rarely found in historical accounts of the Civil War. . . . A Changing Wind reminds us to pause amidst Atlantaandrsquo;s relentless quest to be the city of the future and remember the remarkable nature of its past.andrdquo;andmdash;Sean Patrick Adams, Civil War Book Review

Aand#160;compelling exploration of what real life was like for residents of Civil Warand#150;era Atlanta

A compelling exploration of what real life was like for residents of Civil War-era Atlanta
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.

Wendy Hamand Venet is professor, Department of History, Georgia State University. She is editor of Sam Richardsand#8217;s Civil War Diary. She lives in Decatur, GA.