The Bonfire: The Siege and Burning of Atlanta (2009)

I have traveled through Atlanta historian Franklin M. Garrett’s multi-volume work on the history of Atlanta; but Marc Wortman’s book is much more focused in its scope and is a masterful exploration of the primordial roots to the founding, growth, and destruction of the City of Atlanta.

I have toured many of the regional battlegrounds and historical sites to discover Atlanta’s past and Georgia’s roots. Wortman’s writing, however, enlivens the area’s economic, societal, cultural, and political foundations as witnessed through the eyes of several individuals. He knits together upstart business, economic chicanery, and political strife as witnessed through primary characters that include: William Tecumseh Sherman; James Calhoun, cousin to Southern firebrand John C. Calhoun and the long-suffering mayor of Atlanta; Robert Yancey Webster, illegitimate son of Daniel Webster and clever entrepreneur; Samuel P. Richards; Cyena Stone; as well as rendering short reflections on military commanders, a few soldiers, and several scalawags.

What are quite intriguing are the inaugural travails of early settlers within Georgia and the struggles of early immigrants against the numerous Indian uprisings, conflicts and dispersals. Workman portrays the region’s early development that grows very naturally, organically—especially reflected in the maturing national political dissention and separatist fervor—and he paints a very compelling picture for the reader to understand a Civil War match point bursting in one city’s conflagration.

There are plenty of military operations drawn here, although the intention was not to concentrate merely on Sherman’s strategic military achievements. This work shows the underbelly of war as presented through its impact and suffering of civilians and soldiers. The buildup to Atlanta’s burning is considerably extensive but a brief review of the aftermath and the Gate City’s rise from ashes fosters the hopeful portrait of the City that will rise again.

Workman’s two-page “Acknowledgments” section reveals the incredible research that supports this book. He thanks museums, archives, and libraries—both public and private collections—that evidence his efforts. Certainly the 50 pages of copious endnotes for each chapter suggest more extensive and elaborate study of the material.

This is a worthy read for anyone interested in American history, especially concentrating on the War of Northern Aggression, as it has been termed around here. Now I have a keener understanding of why those Civil War re-enactors fired off the cannonade a few Saturdays ago—July 21st marks an anniversary for the Battle of Atlanta. ( )

I just visited Jamestown, both the Jamestown Settlement and the National Park Service museum,where I purchased this book. While his books certainly celebrate his own life and are selections are required reading for most high school students studying American Literature, they still truly give a flavor of this facinating man. The maps, illustrations, and text are excellent. I would recommend it for anyont visiting the Jamestown parks or wanting to learn about the first days of these Virginia settlers ( )