View source for Battle of Allatoona

{{short description|Battle of the American Civil War}}

{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Battle of Allatoona
| image= Battle of Allatoona Pass by Thure de Thulstrup.jpg
| image_size = 300
|caption=''Battle of Allatoona Pass'', 1897 illustration
|partof=the [[American Civil War]]
|date= {{start-date|October 5, 1864}}
|place=[[Bartow County, Georgia]]
|result=[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] victory
|combatant1= {{flag|United States|1863}} ([[Union (American Civil War)|Union]])
|combatant2= {{flag|CSA (Confederacy)|1863}}
|commander1=[[John M. Corse]] ([[Wounded in Action|WIA]])
|commander2=[[Samuel G. French]]
|strength1=2,025<ref name=Kennedy391>Kennedy, p. 391.</ref>
|strength2=3,276<ref name=Kennedy391/>
|casualties1=706 (66 KIA, 438 WIA, 202 MIA/POW)<ref name=Kennedy391/>
|casualties2=897 (153 KIA, 657 WIA, 87 MIA/POW)<ref name=Kennedy391/>
}}
{{Campaignbox Franklin-Nashville Campaign}}
[[File:Allatoona_Battlefield_Georgia.jpg|305px|thumb|right|Map of Allatoona Battlefield core and study areas by the [[American Battlefield Protection Program]].]]

The '''Battle of Allatoona''', also known as the '''Battle of Allatoona Pass''', was fought October 5, 1864, in [[Bartow County, Georgia]], and was the first major engagement of the [[Franklin-Nashville Campaign]] of the [[American Civil War]]. A [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] division under [[Major General (CSA)|Maj. Gen.]] [[Samuel G. French]] attacked a [[Union Army|Union]] garrison under [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brig. Gen.]] [[John M. Corse]], but was unable to dislodge it from its fortified position protecting the [[Western and Atlantic Railroad|railroad]] through Allatoona Pass.

==Background==
[[File:Allatoona Pass, Ga., 1864 - NARA - 524962.jpg|thumb|right|Allatoona Pass, circa 1860-65.  Photo by [[Mathew Brady]].]]
[[File:Georgia, Allatoona Pass - NARA - 533401.jpg|thumb|right|Allatoona Pass, circa 1862-65.]]
After the fall of [[Atlanta Campaign|Atlanta]], [[Lieutenant General (CSA)|Lt. Gen.]] [[John Bell Hood]] moved the [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] [[Army of Tennessee]] northward to threaten the [[Western and Atlantic Railroad]], [[Major general (United States)|Maj. Gen.]] [[William T. Sherman]]'s supply line. Hood's corps under Lt. Gen. [[Alexander P. Stewart]] attacked a number of minor garrisons and damaged track from October 2 to October 4. Hood ordered Stewart to send a division to attack the Federal supply base where the railroad ran through a deep gap in the Allatoona Mountain range and then move north to burn the bridge over the [[Etowah River]]. At Hood's suggestion, Stewart selected the division of Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French—three brigades commanded by Brig. Gens. [[Claudius W. Sears|Claudius Sears]], [[Francis M. Cockrell]], and [[William Hugh Young]].<ref>Kennedy, p. 390.</ref>

The small Federal garrison, commanded by Col. [[John Eaton Tourtellotte]], was a partial brigade (1st Brigade, 3rd Division, [[XV Corps (Union Army)|XV Corps]]), consisting of the [[93rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment|93rd Illinois Infantry]], [[18th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment|18th Wisconsin Infantry]], and Tourtellotte's own [[4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment|4th Minnesota Infantry]]. Before the Southern division arrived, Sherman ordered reinforcements be sent from [[Rome, Georgia|Rome]] (3rd Brigade, 4th Division, XV Corps) to Allatoona, under the division commander, [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brig. Gen.]] [[John M. Corse]], who took command of both brigades. The Federal troops occupied strong defensive positions in two earthen [[redoubt]]s on each side of a {{convert|180|ft}}, {{convert|65|ft}} deep railroad cut and many of the men, including most of the [[7th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment|7th Illinois]], were armed with [[Henry rifle|Henry repeating rifles]].<ref>Welcher, p. 584; Kennedy, p. 390.</ref>

==Battle==
French's division arrived near Allatoona Gap during the early morning hours of October 5. The battle began at 7:00 A.M. when eleven Confederate-manufactured [[Canon obusier de 12|12 pounder bronze Napoleon guns]] began firing upon the Union fortifications. Confederate artillery involved were two batteries of Myrick's Artillery Battalion<ref>Major John D. Myrick</ref> manned by men of Capt. Alcide [[Pointe Coupee Artillery|Bouanchaud's Battery]] of Louisiana,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ecFZAAAAYAAJ&q=coupee&pg=PA222 The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington, D.C., Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part I, p. 821.]</ref> Capt. James J. Cowan's Battery of Warren County, Mississippi and a battery from Storr's Artillery Battalion, French's Division, Capt. R. F. [[Barbour Alabama Light Artillery|Kolb's Battery]] of Alabama. French had ordered a one gun detachment to force the surrender of the blockhouse a few miles away on Allatoona Creek. Six guns of [[12th Independent Battery Wisconsin Light Artillery|the 12th Wisconsin Battery]] answered the Confederate artillery. After a two-hour artillery bombardment, French sent a demand for surrender, which Corse refused. French then launched his units in an attack — Sears' brigade from the north (against the rear of the fortifications) and [[First Missouri Brigade|Cockrell's Missouri brigade]], supported by Young, from the west.
Corse's men survived the sustained two-hour attack against the main fortification, the Star Fort on the western side of the railroad cut, but were pinned down, requiring Tourtellotte to send reinforcements from the eastern fort. Under heavy pressure, it seemed inevitable that the Federals would be forced to surrender, but by noon French received a report from his cavalry that a strong Union force was approaching from [[Acworth, Georgia|Acworth]], so he withdrew at 2 p.m.<ref>Welcher, p. 584; Kennedy, p. 391; Sword, p. 56.</ref> More reinforcements from Rome reached Allatoona the next morning.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=otUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+of+Gen.+Frenchs+staff+captured.+Allatoona&pg=PA98 Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p. 97-98.]</ref>

==French's surrender request and Corse's reply==
Confederate General French sent this message across the lines to Union General Corse:

{{Blockquote
|I have placed the forces under my command in such positions that you are surrounded, and to avoid a needless effusion of blood I call on you to surrender your forces at once, and unconditionally.
Five minutes will be allowed you to decide. Should you accede to this, you will be treated in the most honorable manner as prisoners of war.
}}

General Corse answered immediately:

{{Blockquote
|Your communication demanding surrender of my command I acknowledge receipt of, and respectfully reply that we are prepared for the "needless effusion of blood" whenever it is agreeable to you. <ref> William T. Sherman's memoirs, Volume II, Chapter XX.</ref>
}}

==Aftermath==
Allatoona was a relatively small, but bloody battle with high percentages of casualties: 706 Union (including about 200 prisoners) and 897 Confederate. Nonetheless, in his autobiography, General and President U.S. Grant praised the stand made by Corse and his men. Corse was wounded during the battle and on the following day sent a message to Sherman: "I am short a cheek bone and one ear, but am able to whip all hell yet." French was unsuccessful in seizing the railroad cut and Federal garrison, regretting in particular that he was unable to seize the one million rations stored there, or to burn them before he retreated.<ref>Kennedy, p. 391; Jacobson, p. 38; Sword, pp. 55–56, 59.</ref>

Gen. Sherman's message to Allatoona via signal flag to "[[Wikiquote:William Tecumseh Sherman#On War|hold the fort]]" inspired the later popular religious hymn entitled ''Hold the Fort'' by Chicago evangelist [[Philip P. Bliss]], which featured the chorus, 'Hold the fort, for I am coming,’ which then became a common expression.<ref>Smith, pp. 282-84</ref>

There is a persistent myth that when Gen. Sherman [[Signal Corps in the American Civil War#Wig-wag signaling|signaled]] the garrison to "hold the fort" and "I am coming" he was only bluffing and never really sent re-enforcements to aid Gen. Corse in the defense of Allatoona. This myth goes further saying Gen. French relied upon false intelligence that Union re-enforcements were marching toward Allatoona to cut his Confederate force off from Gen. Hood's Army of Tennessee and thus mistakenly abandoned the attack on Allatoona. Even the most cursory review of available historical documents reveals that Gen. Sherman recalled in his memoirs that he ordered the Twenty-Third Corps commanded by Maj. Gen. [[Jacob Dolson Cox|Jacob D. Cox]] to the west toward Allatoona with instructions to burn houses and brush piles along the way to make a show of re-enforcements approaching. Sherman added, "The rest of the army was directed toward Allatoona..." Cox's force was assigned the task of cutting off Gen. French from the Confederate Army of Tennessee and although it arrived too late to assist in the defense of Allatoona or cut Gen. French off from the main Confederate army, Sherman recalled, "... still several ambulances and stragglers were picked up by this (Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox's) command on that road."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=L0gs53wIosMC&dq=%22I+watched+with+painful+suspense%22+Cox+Sherman&pg=PA622 Sherman, William T. 1990. Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman: Vol. 2, p. 622.]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=L0gs53wIosMC&dq=%22I+watched+with+painful+suspense%22+Cox+Sherman&pg=PA622 Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. 2, pgs 624, 625.]</ref>

However, a closer look at the orders actually issued that day reveals that by 2 p.m., the time French was beginning his withdrawal and therefore too late to influence events, Sherman had only ordered Cox and the Twenty-Third Corps to take position to the north and east of [[Kennesaw Mountain]]. They had spent the day marching north from Atlanta.  Sherman even supplied a staff officer to guide him into position to protect the right flank of the Fourteenth Corps. By 3 p.m a signal officer reported that Cox had only just then passed through [[Marietta, Georgia|Marietta]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=otUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+of+Gen.+Frenchs+staff+captured.+Allatoona&pg=PA99 Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p. 99-100.]</ref> Only on October 6, the day after the battle, did Sherman order Cox to “Have a brigade ready to go there to-morrow early.”<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=otUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+of+Gen.+Frenchs+staff+captured.+Allatoona&pg=PA136 Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p. 136.]</ref>  The brigade did not leave [[Kennesaw, Georgia|Big Shanty]] until dawn on the 7th, and did not arrive at Allatoona until approximately 11 a.m., two days after the battle.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=otUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+of+Gen.+Frenchs+staff+captured.+Allatoona&pg=PA133 Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p. 133.]</ref> Indeed, Sherman's memory was faulty.  He did order Cox to reconnoiter the Dallas-Acworth Road on the 7th, but the purpose of lighting the fires along the way was so that Sherman, atop Kennesaw Mountain, could track his progress.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=otUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+of+Gen.+Frenchs+staff+captured.+Allatoona&pg=PA136 Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p. 136-137.]</ref>
The closest Sherman came to ordering reinforcement to the pass on the 5th were several un-timed dispatches sent to his cavalry. Sherman ordered Brigadier General [[Kenner Garrard|Kenner Garrard's]] cavalry division to Allatoona, but clearly after the battle had ended.  The order was later modified, reducing the force to a single squadron after it became clear that the garrison had held.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=otUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+of+Gen.+Frenchs+staff+captured.+Allatoona&pg=PA92 Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXIX, Part III, p. 92.]</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|American Civil War}}
*[[Wikiquote:William Tecumseh Sherman|Sherman quotations]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==References==
* [[Clement A. Evans|Evans, Clement A.]], ed. [https://archive.org/search.php?query=publisher%3A%22Confederate%20Pub.%20Co.%22 ''Confederate Military History: A Library of Confederate States History'']. 12 vols. Atlanta: Confederate Publishing Company, 1899. {{OCLC|833588}}.
* {{cite book |last1=Jacobson |first1=Eric A. |last2=Rupp |first2=Richard A. |title=For Cause & for Country: A Study of the Affair at Spring Hill & the Battle of Franklin |publisher=O'More Publishing |location=Franklin, TN |date=2007 |isbn=978-0-9717444-4-8 |oclc=428436180 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lha-PAAACAAJ }}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Kennedy |editor1-first=Frances H. |title=The Civil War Battlefield Guide |date=1998 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Co. |location=Boston, MA |isbn=0-395-74012-6 |edition=2nd |url=https://www.amazon.com/Civil-War-Battlefield-Guide-ebook/dp/B006WQL38Y/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=The+Civil+War+Battlefield+Guide&qid=1606345040&s=digital-text&sr=1-3 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |format=Kindle}}
* {{cite book |last=Sword |first=Wiley |title=The Confederacy's Last Hurrah: Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville |publisher=University Press of Kansas |location=Lawrence, KS |date=1993 |isbn=9780700606504 |oclc=1285470936 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y4oOAAAACAAJ}}
* {{cite book |last=Thrasher |first=C.D. |title=Suffering in the Army of Tennessee: A Social History of the Confederate Army of the Heartland from the Battles for Atlanta to the Retreat from Nashville |publisher=University of Tennessee Press |location=Knoxville, TN |series=Voices of the Civil War series |date=2021 |isbn=978-1-62190-641-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=30RvzgEACAAJ |access-date=2023-05-26}}
* {{cite book |last=Welcher |first=Frank Johnson |date=1989 |title=The Western Theater |series=The Union Army, 1861-1865: Organization and Operations |volume=2 |publisher=Indiana University Press |location=Bloomington|pages=|isbn=978-0-253-36454-8 |oclc=1089613807 |url=https://archive.org/details/unionarmy18611860000welc }}
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ga023.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050728144435/http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ga023.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 28, 2005 |title=Allatoona |website=nps.gov |date=January 19, 2007 |publisher=[[U.S. National Park Service]] |access-date=September 14, 2017 |ref={{sfnref|NPS Allatoona}} }}{{PD-notice}}
* {{cite book |last=Sherman |first=William T. |author1-link=William Tecumseh Sherman |title=Memoirs of General William T. Sherman |publisher=D. Appleton and Co. |location=New York |date=1886 |volume=I |edition=2nd|oclc=3827633 |lccn=04017068|url=https://archive.org/details/memoirsgeneralw11shergoog/page/n10/mode/2up }}{{PD-notice}}
* {{cite book |last=Sherman |first=William T. |author1-link=William Tecumseh Sherman |title=Memoirs of General William T. Sherman |publisher=D. Appleton and Co. |location=New York |date=1886 |volume=II |edition=2nd|oclc=23799807 |lccn=04017068|url=https://archive.org/details/memoirsgeneralw07shergoog }}{{PD-notice}}
*Smith, Alfred B., ''Al Smith's Treasury of Hymn Histories,'' •	Better Music Publications; Keepsake ed (1985)  ASIN: B00070TQY4

==External links==
*[http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Battle_of_Allatoona_Pass Battle of Allatoona Pass] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519143800/http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Battle_of_Allatoona_Pass |date=2011-05-19 }} About North Georgia's detailed description of the battle
*[http://www.civilwarvirtualtours.com/allatoonapass/allatoona.html Allatoona Pass at Civil War Virtual Tours]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100211071150/http://www.evhsonline.org/allatoona/index.shtml Allatoona Pass Battlefield, "The Official Website"]
{{Gutenberg|no=32247|name=The Battle of Allatoona, October 5th, 1864}} (Text from 1891)
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/bartow/battle-of-allatoona Battle of Allatoona] historical marker
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/bartow/battle-of-allatoona1 Battle of Allatoona] historical marker
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/bartow/battle-of-allatoona-october-5-1864 Battle of Allatoona] historical marker

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{{Georgia in the Civil War}}
{{American Civil War |expanded=CTCBS}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Allatoona, Battle of Allatoona}}
[[Category:1864 in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Franklin–Nashville Campaign]]
[[Category:Union victories of the American Civil War]]
[[Category:Battles of the American Civil War in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Bartow County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1864]]
[[Category:October 1864]]