The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-19
FRANKLIN AND NASHVILLE.
CONTINUED from page one.)

snxiety. He knew that the force at
Afiatoona was too small To resist any
strong column sent out by Hood, and
ne did not know whether or not Gen.
Corse had received his orders to go to
the garrison's arristance. The signal
officers reported that they had been
unable to get any message from ALA
toona since daylight, which increased
Sherman's anxiety, but while they We're
watching they caught sight of flag
waved from an embrasure, and pres
emily they made out the message:
"Corse is herei" This greatly relieved
Gen. Sherman's mind, and he replied,
using the words which have become SO
famous in song: Hold the fort, for /
am coming"
Gen. Corse says that the enemy at
first cannonaded him for nearly two
hours, pushing their Skirmishers up on
the south and west. Next, a brigade
and cut the railroad and telegraph
wires. At $50 a. m. Corse received
flag of truce from the north, and the
following summons to surrender:
Around Allatoona, Oct. 3, 1864.
Commanding Officer, United States
Forces, Allatoona.
"Sir: / have placed the forces under
my command in such positions that you
are surrounded, and to avoid needless
eIluSloil OF DlOOU L call Oh you 10 Sill
render your forces at once and uncon-
ditionally. Five minutes will be al
lowed you to decide. Should you accede
to this, you will be treated in the most
honorable manner as prisoners of war.
] have the honor to be, very respect
fully yours-S. G. French, Major-G Gen.
eral, Commanding Forces, Confed crate
States
To which Corse replied
Headquarters, Fourth Division, Fiji
teenth Army Corps, Allatoona, Ga,
$3.50 a. M, Oct. 5, 1864.
'Maj.-Gen. S. CT French, Confederate
States Army, etc:
Your communication demanding
surrender of my command I acknowl-
edge receipt of, and respectfully reply
that we are prepared for the needless
effusion of blood whenever it is agree
able 10 you. 1 am, very respectfully,
your obedient servant-John NJ. Corse,
Brigadier-General Commanding Forces.
United States"
Preparing for the Storm.
Corse Immediately went to each of
his commands, telling them of the sum-
mons to surrender and his reply, and
that they must now prepare for a des-
perate defense. This storm at oncel
burst with terrific force, and every part
of the line was asSailed with the ut
most fury by heavy columns of the en-
envy. With such persistent couragel
were these Sdirected that in some in
stances they forced their way into the
Union lines, but were checked in the
town. The Sighting was everywhere
as savage as had been seen during the
whole campaign, and it ragged with par
ticular violence until IL o'clock. About
l p. m. Gen. Corse was struck down by
a rife ball, which rendered him insen-
sible for some 80 or 40 minutes Then
he sprang 10 his feet, and urged isl
men to renew their eXertions, t. ling
them OF the dispatch of Sherman, and
that if they would only hold out littlel
longer the army would come to their
assistance. Making one more supreme
effort, in which the wounded who were |
able to do anything Joined, the Confed- |
crates were finally driven from every |
part of the line, and retreated in more
or less confusion, leaving their dead |
and wounded on the field. Corse re-
ports his loss as six officers and 100
men killed, % officers and $50 lnen
wounded and six officers and 2G6 men
missing, making n total of 707, or more
than one-third of his entire force
Sherman's anxiety was relieved towards |
evening by signal message that the |
attack had been completely repulsed I
tho Gen. Corse was wounded. Corse |
sent the following dispatch TO Col. Day.
ton, Shermans Chief of staff:
"Allatoona, Ga, Oct. i, 1864; 2 D. m.
Capt l.. NJ. Dayton. Aid-de-Camp: