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i < ' ZA & / \ ._. AA' * A'i ’'7 /' • 7- ■-<'A Ws’’'-* 7- (kt AG’’ x. z . tIX ■ .t iiAvv'F-i- /_ ■ Z.' jWrZ-?A rJ&aiO.'F .". -‘»'g.. 7 ..„✓*< —-.. VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT OF KENNESAW MOUNTAIN, LOOKING NORTH. The High Peak on the Horizon in the Center is Allatoona Signal Mountain, to which General Sherman’s Signal Message to Gen, Corse was sent. Kennesaw. Besides, if Hood had have attempted to protect French, the Hank of the assisting column would have been exposed to Sherman’s supe rior numbers. And still another im portant consideration, if French de cided to remain at Allatoona and cap ture the works, troops and stores, and call on Hood to send him aid to hold what he had gained, how was he to get his message to Hood ? Only by sending some reliable officer to him on horseback, and this would necessarily be slow. Recalling his former convictions, that, at this time, the Southern Con federacy existed only in the strength of its army, General French deemed it of more importance to save his division by rejoining General Hood at New Hope, as ordered, than to remain, capture the works, and then be caught in a cul de sac, and perhaps have to sacrifice most of his command. Calling his boy-guide aside, General French said to him, “When we capture this fort I wish to go to New Hope Church. What road must we take? ’ He answered, “You can take the road funning over th is ridge through the fortifications, or go back to the bridge across Allatoona creek where you left P"- jOm Uh U > -B U If!// 11l I 111 1 " ’"7 r ON KENNESAW, OCT. 5, 1864, Signaling Allatoona. that gun and a regiment, and take the Acworth and Dallas road which turns to the right.” “But,” said General French, “I don’t want to go back towards Acworth.” The boy was then questioned in re gard to reaching New Hope Church by crossing Pumpkin vine creek, and he declared that neither artillery nor wag ons could go that way, and that the water in the creek would be up to the arm-pits of the men. General French, under the circum stances, sent for General Young, com manding Ector’s brigade, and other available commanding officers, showed them the dispatch and repeated what the guide had said. He asked them if it were better to hold on and capture the garrison—which he be lieved to be only a question of a few hours’ time —or to withdraw, and gain the Dallas road before it was in posses sion of the troops advancing from Big Shanty to assist the garrison, and save the division and join the army under General Hood twenty miles distant. They were not inclined at first to re linquish the attack and give up so much already gained to insure a vic tory ultimately. But the necessity of withdrawing by reason of Sherman’s THE KENNESAW GAZETTE. pushing his advanced column up the railroad (and not doubting that they were already in Acworth), and the time that must be consumed in bring ing a fresh supply of ammunition by hand from the wagons and distributing it to troops sheltered as they were in broken lines around the two forts would have required at least twc hours before arrangements could be made for a concentrated attack en masse on the weak side —these were all grave considerations. The idea of abandoning the attack was humiliating to all. Colonel Eli jah Gates, of Missouri troops, ex pressed the opinion that, considering that the fire from the forts was so completely subdued, he could & carry the main fort by assault in twenty minutes after ammunition was dist ri b uted, and that his attack would be made on the sally-port on the north easterly side, and that he had posses sion of a ditch in front of the fort. This was probably the old and, at that time, abandoned Cartersville and Ac worth road above that which comes up the hillside on the south and is for a short distance but a few steps from the fort. As previously shown the pre sent one was cut into the hillside, form ing an excellent cover for troops in line, and the old one was just below the fort. Colonel Gates could have passed around to the north under cover of the upper slope of the pass. *** General Sherman was on Kennesaw Mountain. This-dispatch in substance was received from him by the Federal commander, “Hold on to Allatoona to the last. I will send you help,” and was urging his relief columns to move forward rapidly. The writer has talked with General Cockrell about this battle. The Gen eral said: While sitting on my horse, with my opera glasses I could plainly see the signals from General Sherman on Kennesaw Mountain to General Corse. In General French’s report, refer ring to his delay at Acworth he says : From an eminence near Acworth the enemy could be seen communicating mes sages by their night signals from Allatoona, with the station on Kennesaw. Further on in his report he says: I did not doubt thst the enemy would endeavor to get in my rear to intercept my return. He was in the morning but three hours distant, and ha I been signaled to re peatedly, during the battle. iW Ty iS: CT - THE SIGNAL TREE-* On Allatoona mountain. Continued on page 10. 7