CHAPTER XVI.

From Lovejoy's to Lost Mountain--Big Shanty--Acworth--Destroying 223 Railroad--In the Rear of Sherman--Situation of the Two Armies--Orders to Destroy the Etowah River Bridge--To Fill Up the Railroad Cut at Allatoona--Hood Not Aware that Allatoona Was Fortified and Garrisoned--March to Allatoona--Summons to Surrender--No Answer--Gen. Corse's Report Erroneous--The Fortifications--Strength of Forces--Equalization of Forces--Some Federal Dispatches--The Battle--Corse's Account--Col. Ludlow's Description--Desperate Fighting--The Main Line Captured--Enemy Driven into an Interior Fort--Dispatches from Gen. Armstrong Respecting Movements of the Enemy at Big Shanty--Withdraw to Avoid Being Surrounded by Converging Forces--Corse's Dispatch to Sherman--Provisions--Confederates Three Days and Nights without Rest or Sleep--Pass by the Enemy--Evangelist P. P. Bliss Writes the (Gospel) Hymn, "Hold the Fort"--Hood and His Erroneous Publications in His Book--His Admiration for Corse--My Admiration for the Confederates--The Soldier's Grave--The Lone Grave--Lieut. Gen. A. P. Stewart's Note in Regard to This Account of the Battle