The Hard Hand of War: Soldiers, Weapons, and Mass Production

Following the March to the Sea, the November-December 1864 military campaign from Atlanta through the southern states that debilitated the Confederacy and led to its eventual surrender, Union Major General Willliam Tecumseh Sherman composed a letter to Chief of Staff Henry W. Halleck. In it, he wrote, “We are not only fighting armies, but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war, as well as their organized armies.” 

The “hard hand of war” was felt by all during Sherman’s march, as he led tens of thousands of Union soldiers through Georgia, destroying railroads, burning farms, and confiscating food supplies. But the “hard hand of war” was the entire nation experienced during the four years of fighting, as advancements in military strategy and weaponry resulted in catastrophic loss of life on both sides. 

The Hard Hand of War: Soldiers, Weapons, and Mass Production, located in the Goldstein Gallery, is slated to open in Fall 2026. It will be a dramatic armory-style installation focused on the battlefield experience. Featuring weapons, uniforms, military gear, and personal items, this gallery will explore the brutal realities of combat and the conditions faced by soldiers on both sides of the conflict. 

Showcasing the breadth and depth of Atlanta History Center’s Civil War collection, The Hard Hand of War will not only illuminate for visitors the choices Americans made about industrialization before and during the Civil War but will explore the long-term global consequences of the advancements made in weapons technology that was used during the fight.

More information coming soon!