Nashville, his principal depot of supplies, was 130 miles away from Chattanooga, which is more than 100 miles from Atlanta. The supplies were brought from Louisville over a single railroad by way of Nashville and Chattanooga, to Atlanta. All the bridges, trestles and culverts along the railroad had to be guarded from the depredations of the enemy's cavalry and from the vandalism of a hostile population. Gen. Hood, after being driven from Atlanta, decided to take advantage of Sherman's long line of supplies. Being reinforced, he moved around Atlanta, and pushing rapidly north, he began tearing up the railroad, breaking down the telegraph, and threatening Sherman's line of communication. He expected to be able to draw the Union army from Georgia. A division of Hood's army, under Gen. French, marching up through Dallas, attacked Allatoona, Oct. 5, 1864, which was defended by about 2,000 men under Gen. John M. Corse. Gen. French had in his command about 5,000 men, who furiously assaulted the works, but were repeatedly driven back. Gen. Corse and men valiantly held out until aid came. This brave commander himself was wounded in the face, and 707 of his men-being more than one-third of his whole number-were killed or wounded. While the battle was raging, Gen. Sherman stood on Kenesaw Mountain, eighteen miles south, and, by means of signal flags, conveyed from peak to peak, over the heads of the enemy, the glad tidings of approaching aid in the famous message which has been perpetuated in the well-known song, "Hold the Fort," by P. P. Bliss: Chorus "Ho! my comrades, see the signal Waving in the sky! Reinforcements now approaching- "Hold the fort," etc. Gen. Sherman pursued the enemy through Rome, Resaca, Villanow, Lafayette, to Gaylesville, Alabama. After the lapse of a week he became convinced that his adversary was endeavoring to draw him out of Georgia, and refused to follow him who would not fight, and whom he could not overtake,-unincumbered as Hood was, without any heavy wagon-trains. He directed Stanley with the Fourth corps and Schofield with the Twenty-third to march to Chattanooga and thence report at Nashville, to Thomas, who had been dispatched thither Sept. 28, to meet the retreating foe. After Sherman had become assured that Thomas was strong enough to meet Hood's army, which now consisted of 35,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry, he turned his army southward. Gathering up his garrison, and sending some to Chattanooga to aid in the defense of Tennessee, destroying foundries and mills at Rome, cutting loose from all communications, and drawing around him all his remaining forces, Sherman made preparations for the great " March to the Sea," which became a potent factor in hastening the downfall of the Rebellion. HOOD'S TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN, NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER, 1864. Gen. Geo. II. Thomas had been detached from the main |