“Observe this solemn place” I say. Here stands the McPherson Monument. It marks the spot where Major General James B. McPherson died during the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. The monument was erected by U.S. Army Engineers.
James B. McPherson was a remarkable man. He graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy in 1853. His classmates included Philip Sheridan and John Bell Hood. Hood would later become his foe. After graduation, McPherson joined the Corps of Engineers. He helped improve New York Harbor. He also worked on Fort Delaware. McPherson even helped construct fortifications on Alcatraz Island.
At the start of the Civil War, McPherson asked to be transferred east. He briefly served on General Henry Halleck’s staff. Then, he joined Ulysses S. Grant. He served as Grant’s Chief Engineer. He was with Grant during the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. McPherson also served during Grant’s advance on Corinth in 1862. At the Battle of Shiloh, McPherson warned Grant. He said the forward camps were indefensible. A horse was killed under him during the battle.
McPherson was promoted to Brigadier General on August 19, 1862. After the Battle of Corinth, he became a Major General of volunteers on October 8, 1862. He commanded the Seventeenth Corps in the Army of the Tennessee. He served under Ulysses S. Grant. McPherson was capable throughout the Vicksburg Campaign. At the Battle of Raymond on May 12, 1863, he nearly destroyed a smaller Confederate force. The Confederate force mistakenly attacked his 10,000-man column.
On August 1, 1863, McPherson became a Brigadier General in the regular army. On March 26, 1864, he took command of the Army of the Tennessee. This happened after William T. Sherman was promoted. Sherman now commanded all armies in the West.
McPherson’s army formed the right wing of Sherman’s force. They moved against Atlanta in May 1864. McPherson and his troops participated in the Atlanta Campaign. They tried to outmaneuver Confederate forces. Joseph E. Johnston led these forces. On May 9, 1864, McPherson tried to flank and destroy Johnston at Rocky Face Ridge. But a blocking force of 4,000 Confederates thwarted his 25,000-man column. Sherman told McPherson he had missed the opportunity of a lifetime. McPherson’s army also suffered heavily. They assaulted Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864. The slopes were steep.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis replaced Joe Johnston with John Bell Hood on July 17, 1864. Hood was McPherson’s former classmate. On July 22, 1864, Hood attacked the Union forces in front of Atlanta. During the battle, McPherson rode south from the Georgia Railroad. He heard firing in Sugar Creek valley. Confederate divisions attacked Dodge’s 16th Army Corps there. McPherson paused to observe. Then, he rode toward the left of the 17th Army Corps. This was on a road through the pines. Confederate skirmishers ambushed him. He refused to surrender. He was shot while trying to escape.
Both Sherman and Hood mourned McPherson’s death. The Union forces received his body for burial. Ulysses S. Grant called McPherson one of the army’s “ablest, purest, and best generals.” Sherman said he was “a man who was qualified to heal national strife.” Even John Bell Hood expressed friendship, admiration, and gratitude.
The McPherson Monument stands as a reminder. It reminds us of a brilliant military leader. He died too young in the service of his country. The monument’s inscription tells a simple story. It notes that his comrades erected it. They were members of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. This place marks not just a death. It marks the end of a promising life.