New-York tribune., 1911-11-26

While Corse and his brave men were
fighting sherman and his signal officers
were on Kcnesaw Mountain straining their
eyes across the eghteen-mile interval and
its smoking evidences of the cnemys dcvas-
tation Of the railroad for a response to their
signals. a relieving column was on the
way. and at last message was caught
which was made ont to read "Corsc here"
: This helped to relieve the painful suspense.
Then the welcome signal was received that
/ the enemy had been rcpulsed. Later came
/ the famous dispatch 81 am short "a check
bone and one ear, but am able to whip all
I hell vet" This defence Of AllatOona was
considered so handsome and important
/ that General Sherman made it the subject
OF general orders. The well known Gospel
/ hymn. Hold the Fort" was suggested by
, the incidents Of this engagement.
! The ardOr Of Hood was not dampened by
: this setback however. and he continued 10
cut the railroad line further and further to
/ the north. He hoped To- draw sherman
/ after him, and then turn and defeat his
great antagonist 1T will be physical inn
possibility to protect the roads now that
I Hood. Forrest Wheeler and the whole batch
Of devils are turned loose without home or
habitation." Sherman telegraphed Grant.
But he had no notion Of turning back.
/ Hood continued his Progress as far north as
| Dalton. which surrendered and then turned
westward with the idea Of taking posi-
I ton in the beautiful valley at Cross Roads
and fighting a battle. The unanimous opin-
/ ion Of his officers that the army was not in
condition to fight caused him to give up
this idea.
Hood now dreamed a more pretentious
scheme than he had ever conceived before.
II was no less than an invasion OF Ten
/ nessee and Kentucky and the relief Of Lee
bv attacking General Grant i'm the rear.
| Lee at the head OF the combined armies.
was then to march upon Washington o.
turn upon Sherman and annihilate him.
General Beauregard, who had been placed
| by President Davis in general command OF
/ the movements in tflis region. after much
/ discussion accepted the plan and prepara-
: tons were made to carry ii out.
! Upon the broad shoulders OF General
/ Thomas, the Rock Of ChickamauGa,'
/ Sherman placed the responsibility Of de-
feating Hoods plans while he himself Sc
! renely prepared for his march 10 the sea.
! He left with the gallant Thomas the eth
Corps under Stanley and the I'D under
Schoheld Hood was now carromng along
i the south side Of the Tennessee River
across Northern Alabama seeking a point
at which 10 cross without interference.
! on October 81 he reached Tuscumbia. On
! November Y Thomas received his last mes
sage from Sherman. who had started for
/ the sea From that moment Nicolay
/ and Hay declare. there was no question
+ that one Of the gravest responsibilities of
the war rested upon the broad shoulders Of
{ General Thomas No man then
I alive on the continent was better suited 10
the work in hand"
The situation was considered extremely
grave Hood had succeeded IN recruiting
his army to between 1000 and $500 men.
1t was divided into three corps OF infantry
under Generals $. ID. Lee. Cheatham and
Z Stewart. and was accompanied by for
midable body Of cavalry under Forrest es-
;imated 10 number between 1900 and l2.
Coz. Thomass force on November was
I not only greatly inferior but a large part
J OF it was dispersed among the garrisoned
posts along the southern frontier of Ten
nessee His movable force was estimated
al 220CO infantry and "a little over 1900
cavalry Recruits from the North to the
number Of 1900 were received but these
did not make up for the losses due 10 ex-
/ piration Of terms OF service and 10 the fur
/ loughing Of soldiers
| Thomas relied painly on the two corps
sent him By Sherman and the corps of ex-