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/ / T.— Eastern Fort.—Tourtellotte’s Headquarters.
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. %7 I y/ C. V. Road. — Road to Cartersville.
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——•—Federal Entrenchments.
Profile* of Top of Ridge from R to C' ic —Federal Rifle Pits.
from the two commanders down to ■
those holding minor rank.
As a conclusion he will state that if
the result of his researches will be of
assistance to those who would write his
tory truthfully his ambition in the mat
ter will be satisfied.
On October 4, 1864, when Stewart’s
corps of Hood’s army was engaged in
destroying the Western & Atlantic
Railroad from Kennesaw Mountain on
up to Acworth, both Generals Stewart
and French were told by citizens re
siding in the vicinity that the Allatoo
na Pass was fortified and garrisoned.
At about two p. m. General Stew
art received the following orders from
General Hood, who was near Lost
Mountain:
Headquarters Army of Tennessee, ]
October 4, 1864, 7.30 A. M. j
Lieutenant-General A. P. Stewart,
Commanding Corps,
General:
General Hood directs that later in the
evening you move Stevenson back to
Davis’ cross roads, and that you bring two
of your divisions back to Adams’ and be
tween Adams’ and Davis’ Cross Roads,
placing them in such away as to cover
the position at Adams’ now cccupied by
Stevenson, and that your third division
(say French’s) shall move up the railroad
and fill up the deep cut at Allatoona with
logs, brush, rails, dirt, etc.
To-morrow morning at daylight he de
sires Stevenson to be moved to Lieutenant-
General Lee’s actual left, and that two of
your divisions, at that time at Adams’, to
draw back, with your left in the neighbor
of Davis’ cross roads, and your right in the
neighborhood of Lost Mountain, and the
division that will have gone to Allatoona
to march thence to New Hope Church and
on the position occupied by your other
troops; that is, that the division shall re-
join your command by making this march
out from the railroad and via New Hope.
General Hood thinks that it is probable
that the guard at the railroad bridge on
Etowah is small, and when General French
goes to Allatoona, if he can get such infor
mation as will justify him, if possible move
to the bridge and destroy it. General
Hood considers that its destruction would
be a great advantage to the army and the
country. Should he be able to destroy the
bridge, on coming out, he could move as
lias been before indicated via New Hope.
Yours respectfully,
A. P. Mason,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
A little later in the afternoon the
following order was received :
Headquarters Army of Tennessee.
Office of Chief of Staff, -
Oct. 4,1864, 11.30 a. m. J
Lieut.-Gen’l Stewart, Commanding,
General:
General Hood directs me to say that it is
of the greatest importance to destroy the
Etowah railroad bridge, if such a thing is
possible. From the best information we
have now he thinks the enemy cannot dis
turb us before to-morrow, and by that time
your main body will be near the remainder
of our army. He suggests that if it is con
sidered practicable to destroy the bridge
when the division goes there and the artil
lery is placed in position, the commanding
officer call for volunteers to go to the bridge
with lightwood and other combustible ma
terial that can be obtained, and setfire to it.
Yours respectfully,
A. P. Mason,
Major and Ass’t. Adj’t-Gen’l.
When General Stewart brought
them to General French he remarked,
“From the wording of these orders
General Hood does not appear to
know that Allatoona has been fortified.
You now have an independent com
mand, and I hope you will be success
ful.”
General French then asked, in
THE KENNESAW GAZETTE.
view of the fact that he was to assault
a position well fortified, for an increase
of his artillery. General Stewart as
sented to this, and ordered Major My
rick to increase the number of guns to
twelve (12), and accompany the expe
dition.
About dusk General French arrived
at Acworth, where he had to remain
until eleven o’clock for the rations for
his command. While waiting there
he was informed that two young ladies,
living close by, had just returned from
Allatoona.
From them he obtained the infor
mation of the composition of the garri
son and its reported strength. Being
without a guide, through the aid of
the citizens, he obtained the services
of a boy about eighteen years of age,
by the name of Thomas Moore (now
residing in Texas), who said he was ac
quainted with the localities around
Allatoona, having been raised in that
vicinity. Also before sunset Captain
James R. Taylor, of Pinson’s regiment
of cavalry, with twenty-five men re
ported to General French for duty.
Captain Taylor was ordered by Gen
eral French to take with him fifteen
men and without delay strike the
Western & Atlantic Railroad near its
bridge over the Etowah River, and
take up the rails and hide them, and
thus destroy the railroad, so as to
prevent any trains from the north
reaching Allatoona and reinforcing
the garrison, as well as to prevent any
trains that might be there from escap
ing. At eleven p. m. the rations
were cooked and the troops ready to
march.
The night was very dark and the
roads rough, which, with the delay at
the crossing of Allatoona creek, pre-
vented the division from reaching
Allatoona until near three o’clock in
the morning.
When the command was at Allatoo
na creek, three miles south of Allatoo
na Pass, General French left the
Fourth Mississippi regiment and one
piece of artillery under the command
of Colonel T. N. Adaire, with instruc
tions to capture the block house, which
was garrisoned by one hundred and
ten men, and destroy the bridge.
***
On arrival at Allatoona the first du
ty was to find a suitable position for
the artillery. The guide named an
elevation, on which the house of ex-
Gov. McDaniel’s father was after
wards built and now stands, and there
the guns were left under the command
of Major Myrick, supported by two
regiments of infantry the Thirty-ninth
North Carolina and Thirty-second Tex
as, both under Colonel J. A. Andrews.
These, by the way, took no part in
the subsequent assaults on the forts ex
cept about one company, as will be
shown later.
From this plateau the twinkling of
lights moving about the fortifications
was seen, as well as the Hash of musk
ets occasionally along the picket line
in advance of the works.
General French says in his report
of‘the battle: .
All was darkness. I had no knowledge
of the place, and it was important to attack
at the break of day.
The artillery having been left in a
position to sweep through the deep
railroad cut, and where it would be
effective on the main forts on either
side of the railroad, the guide was re
quested to lead the way over the ter
ribly rough and steep hills, so as to
