Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-11-05
The Rattle Of Lllateona. Ga.


on AIIatoona, its heroic defense and the dis
astrous repulse Of the attacking party, 1t
does not differ materially from the account
already published. The writer, 2. 7. CHAM.
BERLIN, of Co. 81, however, gives some inter-
resting items about the affair.
He saws our pickets were attacked on the
9TH, and during that night the sound OF
wagons and artillery was heard, apparently
moving toward the post, so the attack was
expected. 1T was understood the rebels had
a large force and were determined on captui-
ing the place, butts defenders made up their
minds that it should not be done, at least,
not without desperate fighting The 18th
Battery opened the ball and very sharp ar
tillery contest ensued. When this lulled,
yell from thousands Of voices showed that
the rebels had moved round to our left, where
the ground was the most favorable, and were
about to make charge. The 18th was then.
ordered to fall back to some forts on an emf
nence of about loo feet. Though exposed
TO severe fire of artillery and musketry,
this was accomplished with little loss. The
enemy came on and the battle ragged furious
ly, our forces holding their position only with
great difficulty. Some Of the rebels reach
ed the first rife pits, but there found the fire
so hot that they could neither advance or re-
treat, but sheltered themselves as best they
could, till our fire slackened about the middle
of the afternoon, when they crawled of and
retreated in all directions.
Our correspondent says the field in front
of our works presented most sickening sight
and was covered with the dead and wounded,
many of the wounded men begging for aid.
He relates the following incident:
Zone old man, shot through both hips and
in diving condition, called out to me as
was passing around among the dead and
wounded and asked me for drink of water,
which happened to have with me and gave
him. He remarked as follows: Boys you
are fighting in just and noble cause, -one
that will win. / was opposed to seeding,
and tried always to escape fighting for the
rebellion; but at last they got me, and here
am without firing gum
This correspondent estimates the rebel loss
at 200 or ], 800, and says our men picked
up about that number of small arms and bur-
led some 800 dead rebels. An Adjutant Gen
eral and several Colonels were included in
the killed. Out of some 1000 or 100 en-
gagged the Union forces lost 100 killed, $50
prisoners, and in all about 700, which shows
the desperate nature of the contest. The
rebel force was division of infantry under
Gen. FRENCH, with part of three batteries
Prisoners were taken from l6 different regi-
ments, showing that the force of the enemy
was largely superior, yet the victory over
them was complete.
A correspondent of the New York EUeaing
Post gives highly interesting account of the
fighting in defence of Allatoona, which he
saws twill be celebrated in the history of
war as one of the bravest, noblest struggles
in all the record" Speaking of the value of
Allatoona he says:
In view of the future possibilities, there
was concentrated a million and half of ra-
tions at Allatoona. 1t now appears that some
women in the place learned this and gave in
formation to the enemy. so General Hood
sent from Dallas French's division of Stew
arts corps to surprise and capture the place.
Here was a prize of priceless value to Hood
with but seven DAYS rations, and encamped
in barren country If he could have occu-
pied Allatoona with ten thousand men, such
was the strength of the position, he could
have held ten times his force at bay so long
as the supplies held out. This might have
necessitated the evacuation of Atlanta, and
the costly fruit of the ablest campaign of this
war, if not of all time, would have been
wrested from our grasp.
SHERMAN however had taken the necessary
precautions to thwart the rebel designs and
was moving heavy columns of troops north.
At noon on the 5th he assembled Kenesaw
mountain, and from that place, by signals, di-
rected the movement of the different col
umns of troops. Early in the afternoon a
fog which had hid the Allatoona mountains
cleared away, and puffs of white smoke were
seen, from one and another fort defending
the town, gradually slackening till it was con.
fined to single redoubt, finally ceasing in
that, and followed by column of black from
the position where Pumpkin Vine creek was
known to be. There was time of great anxi-
ETY.. No answer could be obtained to the
constant call from Kenesaw signal station,
but SHERMAN expressed his confidence that
CoRsE, who had been ordered by signal to AL
latoona with roinforcements would hold out
to the last. And so it proved. He refused
the rebel summons to surrender, and kept
the flag flying, stoutly resisting the rebel at
tack, fighting with desperation, and sending
back shot and shell for that rained on him by
the rebels, meeting bayonet with bayonet,
till the rebels, with terrible loss, were forced
to withdraw. The Posts correspondent con-
cludes:
We lost some six hundred killed, wounded,
and prisoners out of force of seventeen
hundred men, consisting OF infantry and one
six-gun battery. 1t was hard-fought battle,
with severe losses on both sides. In an en-
trenchment opposite the main fort, after the
fight, there were found amongst the dead
both Union and rebel soldiers with bayonets
transfxed in each other. The town was de-
stroyed by shot and shell. All the cavalry
and artillery horses were killed, but the val
liable stores were saved, the fort and the
pass were held. .tt
The regiments engaged were the 4th Min
nesota, 18th Wisconsin, 93d, 9th and 5Oth
Illinois, seth Iowa, and 18th Wisconsin bat
terry.
al honor 10 the dead who died no doubt
full death, conscious that liberty and their
country owe them an eternal debtof glory !!
Brave General Corse Brave soldiers who
survive the battle, to receive from their fell
IL. q