Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-03-09
"HOLD THE FORT"
TnE STORY or THAT FAMOUS MESSAGE As
TOLD BY THE HERo HIMSELF.

TnE sToRy or THAT FAMOUS MESSAGE AS
TOLD BY THE HEHo HIMSELF.
Correspondence Dcs MoInes uowa) state Registsr.
] notice number Of newspapers
giving, or attempting TO give, u correct
statement Of the circumstances under
which our lamented friend aud broth.
er, Judge j. w. Mckenzie performed
the signal act Of hcroism at Alatoona,
none of which exactly coincide with
detailed statement Of the case, as
given to me by the "hero' himself /
had been especially intimate with him
for many ycans. Not one word ever
fallen from his lips relative to this
matter to my knowledge. One day,
learning incidentally from another of
his connection with Hold the Fort,
for | am Coming | took occasion
soon to ak him about il. lie seemed
at first reluctant to tell me, but /
pressed him, aud this is substantially
his own account of it. After dc-crib.
ing the situation Of the armies at Ala.
t0uua and kcncsaw he said
General Sherman = signal corps had
been trying to send dispatches from
kenesaw to General Corse. We could
read the dispatchcs with our tcIecope-,
but could not receive or answer them
back, because the rebel shots were 50
thick. The rebels had also a lot of
sharp,hopters posted watching our
squad, aud every time man would
show himself they would pick him of.
| At this time General Cor-c came up
and said. addressing the signal corps /:
Who is in command hercE Our cap
tain was absent, aud ! was in charge
of the squad, and i replied, j ain sir.
The general then asked ii message
could be sent TO General Sherman in
answer to his TO hold the fort for be
was coming, just read. replied
that it could be if it was absolutely
necessary. General Cor-e then
wrote out the message and han.
dcd it to me. Il read as follows:
"'To GENERAL SHERMAN: am
short check bone and one car, but
can whip hell out of them yet,
GEN. CoEsE.
81 took it and the signal flag and
called for volunteer from my lir,Ie
squad. No man responded. then
offered the flagstaff to each man and
asked him if be would volunteer aud
each declined. | then thought would
detail one, but my brother Tom was
I in the squad. and the thought struck
me If detailed another than him they
would say at once Partially. If !
/ detailed him and he was shot ! could
never forgive myself, and it seemed
/ like certain death TO any one TO under
/ take it, At this moment Of hesitation
/ the general, seeing no man going for
ward, said TO me firmly: Lieutenant,
| thought you said this message could
be seut z replied, 1t can, aud with.
out further delay mounted the signal
station aud commenced sending the
message, expecting every moment to
| be shot. The flag was about eighteen
/ feet long, and the wind was blowing
some, aud found it very hard work.
and felt as though ! must give out be.
| fore / was done. At this moment,
when it seemed | could stand it no
longer. stranger, not a member of
the signal corps, came up behind me,
( put his arms around me and along INV
arms, took hold Of the flagstaff, and,
standing behind me, helped the to wave
/ the answer back TO Sherman. | do
not think could have sent the whole
message without help or rest