Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-02-14
THE BOOMING CANNON
ReCiTkLS OF CAMP AND BAT-
TIE INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl
dents of Marches, Camp Life, Forag-

The signal service of the Federal
army played a part during the civil
war that is not generally under
stood nor sufficiently appreciated. In
this way most important Information
was conveyed from one part of the
army to another and in the face of the
greatest danger. 1t was often the only
means of communication at very crit
zeal times, says writer in the Pitts
burg Dispatch
An interesting illustration of the ma
ture of this branch of the service is
furnished by the part ii played in
connection with the campaign around
Atlanta in the early days of October,
1864. and on the eve of the terrible
battle of Allatoona Pass. AS usual,
newspaper men were at the front but
the language of the signal service
was one thing they did not under
stand 4 New York Tribune man tele-
graphed home: "a signal station hard
to the front is waving merrily its
little fiag-a flag that talks--hut
do not comprehend its language
At this time Gen. Sherman main
tanned his communication by signal
for a distance of seventeen miles over
the heads of the Confederate army at
the time when Gen. Hood had maved
his position south of Atlanta and
placed his forces between the Union
army ana Chattanooga Gen Sher-
man told one officer of the signal
corps that one dispatch sent by the
corps was worth more than Il million
of dollars.
One of the most interesting Incl
depts OF the occasion was the recep-
tiun of the famous dispatch from Gen.
SneIma1-"Hold fast: he is coming
which inspired the popular hymn sung
by Sankey the world around The
message was taken by Robert J.
Walker, who now lives at Osceola,
Pa, and whom recently visited. He
answered the message of the flag:
We hold out, general. Corse is
here"
Mr.. Walker served in the signal
corps under Gen. Sherman through the
entire Atlanta campaign.
1t was on the evening of October 3.
1864, that the signal corps discovered
the movements of the enemy near Lost
Mountain. The news was promptly
signaled to Gen. Sherman at Atlanta,
who replied TO watch closely, as Hood
was passing around Sherman's right,
going north. Mr.. Walker says:
We lost sight of the Confederate
column for a time, but soon found II
in the old line of earthworks near Big
Shaaty, a few miles north of Kenne-
saw Mountain. The distance from
Kennesaw TO Atlanta was about u
miles, and to Allatoona Pass about II
miles. We had great difficulty in
reaching Allatoona Pass, as the Con
burning the railroad and other prop
erty that had fallen into their hands.
"Allatoona was in immediate danger.
only garrisoncd by brigade. and
about to receive the attack of one of
the largest divisions of Hoods army,
that commanded by General French
General Corsc. at Rome. had been or
dered by signal to move his division
to Allatoona but there was doubt
whether the order had reached him.
1t was then that General Shermans
dispatch was sent to Allatoona.
october : dawned in all the glory of
a dense fog that hung around the brow
of Kennesaw. General Sherman came
up early and requested the news from
Allatoona. AT n. m. the fog lifted
little and | signaled. The answer
came at 1850 a. M: We hold out;
General Corse is here.
AT this time the battle was raging
afound Allatoona. We could hear the
roar of the cannon and with the tele-
scope see the charging Confederates.
Allatoona Pass, on which so much de
pended, the place where General Sher-
man had stored a vast amount of ra-
tions, ammunition and clothing. was
besieged by a vastly superior force and
we were the only means of c0mmuni-
cation. On our ability to dispatch and
pended the fate of AllatoOna
ITO say that the officers and men of
the Signal Corps deserved great credit
is saying no more than what General
Sherman said in his report to the Sec
rotary OF War. General Sherman and
his staff remained on the mountain all
day, and at 1915 p. m. we received the
welcome message from General Corse
at Allatoona:
TO Captain L. NJ. Drayton, Adju-
tani-Gcneral--I am short cheek bone
and one ear, but nm able TO whip all
b yet COrse.'
when / handed the message to
General Sherman he smiled and said.
I knew Corse would hold Allatoona.' "
Soldiers on the March.
Marching Is often more trying than
fighting The results Of a campaign
fighting The results Of campaign
heroism Of the march as by heroism
Of the battle. The private soldier