B717-200 CREW WAS HIT BY A BAGGAGE CART TUG DURING PWR BACK FROM THE GATE AT ATL.

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WE RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM RAMP TWR TO COMMENCE THE PWR BACK; 'TAIL N.' THE FO AND I OBSERVED THAT THE AREA ON OUR RESPECTIVE SIDES OF THE ACFT WAS CLR AS FAR BACK AS WE COULD SEE. I FLASHED THE TAXI LIGHT TO THE MARSHALLER INDICATING THAT WE WERE CLRED TO PWR BACK. I WAS GIVEN THE SIGNAL TO COME AHEAD AND THEN TO PWR BACK. ON THE PWR BACK AND ONCE CLR OF THE IMMEDIATE RAMP AREA; THE MARSHALLER GAVE ME THE SIGNAL TO INITIATE A TURN 'TAIL N.' I INITIATED THE TURN 'TAIL N' ON THE MARSHALERS SIGNAL AND TURNED THE ACFT SO AS TO BE SLIGHTLY INSIDE THE TAXI LINE ON OUR SIDE OF THE RAMP. AT THIS POINT THE PWR BACK WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL AND ROUTINE IN EVERY RESPECT FROM THE CREW'S PERSPECTIVE. APCHING A 'NOSE S' DIRECTION; I CAME OUT OF REVERSE ON BOTH ENGS AND ADDED PWR TO STOP THE AFT MOMENTUM OF THE ACFT AND TO LINE UP THE ACFT PARALLEL WITH THE NS TAXI LINE. I DID NOT RECEIVE A 'STOP' SIGNAL FROM THE MARSHALLER AT ANY TIME DURING THE PWR BACK. SHORTLY AFTER LINING UP PARALLEL WITH THE NS TAXI LINE; I HEARD AND FELT A NOTICEABLE; MODERATELY LOUD THUMP OR BANG ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. I EXCLAIMED; 'WHAT WAS THAT!' AND AFTER ENSURING THAT THE ACFT WAS ROLLING IN A FORWARD DIRECTION; I STOPPED THE ACFT AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS THAT WE HAD A COMPRESSOR STALL ON THE L ENG OR THAT SOMETHING HAD HIT THE ACFT. AS A RECALL; THE MARSHALLER WAS THEN GIVING ME THE 'STOP' SIGNAL AND PEOPLE WERE COMING TOWARDS THE ACFT. I LOOKED BACK TOWARDS THE L WING AND COULD SEE AN ACR Y BAGGAGE TUG STOPPED BEHIND US AND A BAGGAGE CONTAINER ON THE GND. IT LOOKED AS IF OUR L WINGTIP/AILERON WAS DAMAGED. I ASKED THE FO TO CONFIRM WITH RAMP TWR WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WAS TOLD BY THE RAMP TWR WE HIT A BAGGAGE CART. I THEN HAD THE FO CALL ACR X OPS TO INFORM THEM. I THEN MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PAX TELLING THEM WE WOULD BE GOING BACK TO THE GATE TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER WHAT HAPPENED AS SOON AS THE INVESTIGATORS ON THE GND INSPECTED THE ACFT.