On Sept. 11, 1864, Barnard - then stationed in Nashville - was summoned to the front around Atlanta and assigned to take photographs of the fortifications that ringed the city. In the process he took several photographs of various points in the city, documenting in some instances the work of Sherman's soldiers in destroying Atlanta's war-making infrastructure and railroads, but also to take pictures of the city itself. He used both his stereo camera as well as a larger format, 12 X 15-inch camera. Barnard revisited these scenes several times and in some instances misrepresented the fact that some were taken after the war - and the photo he shot of the "scene of McPherson's death" was largely fiction. But there is no question that the photos of the city shown here are authentic, since it is known many of these buildings were destroyed in November.

It is worth noting that the city we are seeing is one occupied by Federal soldiers. None of the commericial buildings seen here are doing any business; in fact, they had not done so for some time. None of the hotels were actual hotels - they were hospitals. Barnard's photos record what was left of Atlanta after the Confederate military essentially took it over to be followed by Union troops, which had bombarded the city for several weeks. In short, we are not seeing Atlanta exactly at its best, but it is the best we have.