Middletown transcript., 1886-09-16
"HoLD THE FORT, FOR AM
COMING"
BY BENSON J. LOSING.

BY BENSON J. LOSING.
One of the most stirring and popu-
lar of the Moody and Sankey gospel
hymns and sacred songs is. the one
entitled "Hold the Fort, the cpl.
graph of which is the scripture text
/" Hold fast till l come''-Rev. 2:25,
1 OF the millions who have sung this
heart-stirring sacred song probably
very few are aware that it was sug-
gested to the author of it, P. P. Bliss,
by notable event in the history Of
the late civil war in the United States.
That such an event did suggest the
theme to the author I have unques-
toned authority for asserting. The
event alluded to occurred after Gene
raj Sherman. took possession of At
lanta, in Georgia, at the beginning Of
September, 1854, and was struggling
to maintain the great advantage he
had obtained.
General J. B. Hood, a dashing and
rather impudent officer, had succeeded
General Joseph E Johnston in COM
mand of the Confederate army in Geor-
gia. During the month of September
he and Sherman, taking advantage of
a iull in military operations, re-organ-
lied their respective forces, and at
near the close of the month hostilities
were renewed. 1t soon became evi-
dent to Sherman that Hood intended
to attempt the seizure of Tennessee and
cut off the communications of the ma
tional army and its supplies from the
north. To Illustrate this design Sher-
man sent General George e. Thomas,
of the Army of the Cumberland, his
second in command, to Nashville to
organize the new troops expected to
assemble there, and to take prelimi-
nary steps to meet and thwart the sus-
pected movement.
Suspicion was soon succeeded by
certainty. At the beginning of Octo-
ber the Confederates dashed across
the Chattahooche river, a few miles
from Atlanta, and by a rapid and
slightly circuitous march struck the
railway short distance north of Mari.
eta, and destroyed several miles of it.
This movement was designed: to cut
off Sherman's connection with Nash
vile, and to capture, if possible, his
supplies at Allatoona pass, over
twenty miles north of Marietta. He
had a million rations there, guarded
by only three regiments, commanded
by Colonel Tourtellette.
Sherman was startled by this meve-
ment, and marched at once with a
strong force for the defence of his
communications and his stores.
Leaving General Slocum with the
twentieth corps to hold Atlanta and
the railway bridge that spanned the
Chattahooche river between Atlanta
and Marietta, he began swift pur-
suit of Hoods active forces, with FIVE
infantry corps and two divisions of
cavalry. Meanwhile a division of
Confederate infantry, commanded by
General French, had pushed north
ward, and at dawn on October 5 ap-
peared before Allatoona.
During the earlier hours of the
same morning General Sherman, who
was in strong position near the
Kenesaw mountains, assembled Great
Kenesaw and set his signal officers at
work upon its summit. Expecting
an attack upon Allatoona, and know
ing the weakness of the garrison
there, he had telegraped and now sig
nailed with torches, to General John
M. Corse, of Indiana, who was in com
mand of a force near Rome, to hasten
to the relief of the endangered post.
The order was promptly obeyed
Corse started immediately. by railway
for Allatoona, and had arrived there
and was in command when French's
heavy forces appeared and invested
the place. They cannonaded the
fort fully two hours, when the confed-
crate leader commanded its surrender.
Corse refused, when the Confederates
assailed the little fort, that protected
the stores, most furiously. The gari-
rison had reserved its fire in order to
meet with vigor the assault. Now
they opened heavy volleys of small
arms upon the assailants, and sent
down plunging shot upon them from
two batteries upon the wooded ridge.
one on each side of the pass. The
battle ragged fearfully for awhile.
From the summit of Kenesaw Gen.
eral Sherman could see the smoke and
hear the booming of the great guns at