The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-02-09

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ElNH kravnznrss Cushing's marvel
| HGSN II 4 Gus feat In sending
fEEtaI n the terrible Con-
A E3ANa "A 8 federate ram AL
Al hYSRy&:;A n benarle to t he bot
| IA v1ilHSss.st tom of Cape Fear
| NsLAAl\r IN sEltsss:.rce, river and Sheri-
fas.5yA.\ VI tsS -r.iff.A.ss ~ dams picturesque
E9,Yssl N :s.,s,,, :s,sF,, M ride from Win
fIfltHsN' ffas.1ixtzfss chester. twenty
VII IaiSsssg-glII miles away"
HW Ats,ssEFI Corse's relief and
|h''" defense Of Allatoo-
ma Pass, Oct. 5, 1864, Is the best remembered
single figure episode OF the war. The hero
didn't save Allatoona single handed, but
neither did Sheridan nor Gushing achieve
the wonders that made them famous all
alone There was crisis lowering over
Allatoona, and Corse met it boldly. The
story has been but half told.
The capture Of Atlanta by Sherman's
forces at the close CT the summer of 1864
left the magnificent Union army of the
west loose In the heart of Dixie The Con
federate leader, General Hood, finding that
he couldn t cope with it in open battle, de
termined TO paralyze it for offensive opera
tions by doubling back on Sherman's long
line OF railway communications extending
from Atlanta past Marietta. Allatoona,
Kingston and Rome on to Chattanooga
and Nashville. Slipping out OF Atlanta
to the west, he "lay low until Oct. /, then
moved northward to the vicinity of Dallas
To keep pace with Hood, Sherman moved
back to Marietta, and while his columns
were toiling slowly over the mountains
north of that point Hood struck out on the
right flank to destroy the railroad from the
mountain district northward. On Oct 3
the track was completely destroyed for 10
miles north of Marietta. and the Confcder-
ate division of General s G. French was
ordered to march several miles farther
north to Alatoona, where the road passed
through q cut 65 feet deep, fill the cut with
stones, earth and logs, burn the Union
army stores at Aliato0na, then slip away
west and south and reion Hoods main
army on the Dallas line before Sherman
could intercept the raiding column. One
of Shcrman's divisions, under General j.
NJ. Corse, was scattered along the railroad
from Allatoona to Rome Us railroad guards
Corse was at Rome with the bulk Of his
troops. A small brigade was at Allatoona
FreEch's orders were imperative, and al
though his eyes were opened at every step
of the march as to the difficulties in the way
he had no choice but to go ahead. Among
other things, he learned that AllatoOna Pass,
which he was expected to bury under q
mountain Of rubbish, was fortified and gar
risoned, and taat there were Z MON reserves
northward at Kingston and Rome that
might speed soGthwafd by rail and reach
Allatoona ahead of his toiling foot soldiers
He learned also that from \ signal station
Oh lofty kerssav mountain Sherman was
sending messages north to alarm road
guards and reserves. Not 30 be outdone in
enterprise, he dispatched ) feet horsemen
across the eounsry 70 destroy tho railroad
bridge over sho Etowah river few miles
north OF Allatoona to shut Off Corsos re-
serves from tho pass. THAI clever plan
went "aglee;" hence Corsa's meteoric ad-
vent at Allatoona in nick O time to save
the pass
About noon on Oct. a message from
Sherman ut kenesaw, travelling from signal
station to signal station on the mountain
tops, reached Corse at Rome ordering him
to reinforce Allatoona, for the enemy was
marching upon it along the railway from
the south ahead Of Sherlnan's relieving
column There were no cars ut Rome for
the movement of troops A train ordered
up from Kingston was wrecked on the way
BY wiring and sending out engines in all
directions Corse got together 20 cars, loaded
LOCO men into them with 10000 rounds Of
ammunition, steamed toward Alatoona
clearing the wrecked train out of the path
ard reached the pass at 2 a. III. on the 5th
while the garrison outposts Were engaged
in a lively shirInish with Erench's Confel.
crates
French had made a night march OF 10
miles between II and 3 o'clock. The night
was pitch dsrli, and ho Yves without maps
or guides, end as soon AS his slirnishers
struck the garrison yidettes he snrnaised
that tho Sherman signals which he had
seen. but could not interpret. had forestalled
his expedition, ard the Cling in of ALA
toona cut would call into uao other tools
than AK and spade Picking their way over
crag and Drecipice ard through underbrush
and slashings, his men enveloped the place
on the south, east and west and waited for
daylight. Morning disclosed an abrupt,
fortified ridge extending east and west from
the railroad and defending the deep cut OF
all sides On the crest Of the ridge east of
tho pass was star shaped oarthwork with
guns, and rifle pits and abetis encircling ii
from the brink Of the cut above and below
Tho ridge on the west was crowned by
stronger fort. with shree small rcdoubts
and rifle pits and abatis additional In the
mouth OF tho Gus on tho south were the de
pot and Shore buildings, the latter contain
Ing l,CI0,OGO rations, and al under the guns
of the works ahovA The |, ,OOO men brought
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