This Date in 1864--The Battle of Atlanta ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - If we turned back Atlanta's clock to July 22, 1864, we'd find Atlanta attempting to defend itself from General Sherman's Union Army. "The Battle of Atlanta," as a singular event, only lasted about eight hours, but it set in motion a six-week siege. Georgia State University historian Cliff Kuhn talks about the scene with WABE's Steve Goss: © Copyright 2012, WABE