Allatoona was garrisoned as follows: Ten companies, 4th Minnesota, 450 men
(of whom 185 were recent recruits), Major Edson, commanding; 10 companies,
93rd Illinois, 290 men, Major Fisher, commanding; 7 companies, 18th
Wisconsin, 150 men, Lieut.-Colonel Jackson, commanding, a total of 890
men, organized as a brigade, with six guns of the 12th Wisconsin Battery,
under Lieutenant Amsden (number of men not given), and all under the
command of Lieut.-Colonel Tourtellotte of the 4th Minnesota, as earnest,
brave and steadfast a man in the discharge of duty as ever drew a sword.
Prior to Corse's arrival, the little garrison, with a full consciousness
of its responsibility for the defence of the Post and of the safety of the
huge accumulation of rations stored in the neighboring warehouses, warned
of danger, and later stimulated to the utmost endeavor by messages from
Sherman, and inspired by the calm and fearless determination of its
commander, had been busily preparing for the attack.
The two small redoubts, one on each side of the railway cut, have been
mentioned. The Eastern one, perhaps 75 feet in diameter, stood at the
extreme Eastern end of the ridge, looking into the valley of Allatoona
Creek, and distant about 280 yards from the railroad and 340 yards from
the Western redoubt, towards which it had an open view. Guarding the
crooked crest between the railroad and redoubt were three detached lines
of entrenchments, one looking Southward towards the storehouse 200 yards
distant, and two guarding the Northern aspect, with flanks refused on each
side of a ravine that lay between them and down which went a road to the
Northward.
On the West side of the railway cut, and almost on its verge, stood the
other redoubt, about 90 feet in diameter, occupying an elevation from
which the ground fell in all directions. Westwardly, after a moderate dip,
the ground rose again to a second elevation or spur, on which stood a
house, distant from the redoubt about 170 yards. Beyond this the ground
again fell, and the road ran West and Southwest, undulating with the roll
of the ground. The exterior defences of the West side, in addition to the
ditches surrounding the redoubt, were a short line of entrenchments near
the crest Southwest of the redoubt, and a longer line of rifle-pits lying
completely across the ridge, beyond the house and about 260 yards distant
from the redoubt. These rifle-pits, held by the 39th Iowa and the 7th
Illinois, were later the scene of one of the most savage encounters in the
history of war.
About three-quarters of a mile out on the road, occupying an open
elevation, were still other small works and rifle-pits, not, however, any
portion of the regular defences. They had low parapets and were supposed
to have been constructed by Johnston's army when it occupied the locality
in June previous. It was from these outer works, which there was, of
course, no serious attempt to hold, that our outposts were driven in by
the arrival of French's troops on the morning of the 5th.
Tourtellotte was made aware on the 3rd that the enemy was operating on the
railroad South of him, and on the 4th was signalled by Sherman through
Kenesaw that the enemy was moving upon him, and that he must hold out, but
not till the evening of the 4th was any direct demonstration made on
Allatoona.
Feeling the paucity of his isolated force, he had worked night and day to
construct and strengthen his defences and mature his plans.
The two redoubts were well located for mutual support, each being able to
take in flank an enemy assaulting the other from the North or South. The
relative disadvantage of the West redoubt, irrespective of its exposure to
the probable brunt of an attack, was the fact that higher elevations to
the West and Southwest partly commanded it. Tourtellotte therefore built
the rifle-pits across the crest of the ridge to the Westward with the
object of holding off the enemy as long as possible, and if the crest were
taken, of retiring to the redoubt, to reach which the enemy must cover a
distance of some 220 yards without shelter. In addition, he partly
enclosed the West redoubt with a stockade, at the junction of the outer
slope and the surrounding ditch, to prevent escalade if the enemy should
reach it, slashed such timber as remained for abattis, and collected some
cotton bales with which to close the entrance.
His gunners in the East redoubt, and the infantry as well on the East side
of the cut, were charged to watch the flanks of the West redoubt, and
direct their fire so as to cover the slopes to the North and South of it.
His garrison was depleted by his orders to maintain a force to guard the
block house at the bridge across Allatoona Creek, about two miles South of
the post, where three companies of the 18th Wisconsin were stationed.
They were summoned by French on his way to Allatoona to surrender, but
refused, and held the block house, but as French was sullenly withdrawing
after the battle, the post was heavily shelled and set on fire, and when
the roof was blazing and the men suffocating with the heat and smoke, they
surrendered; 4 officers and 80 men being taken prisoners. These men,
though included in the return of casualties of the 18th Wisconsin, were
not concerned in the Battle of Allatoona.
Tourtellotte, on the evening of the 4th, apprehending a night attack,
which would impair the advantages of his position, strengthened his grand
guard, barricaded as well as he might the roads to the South and West, and
made arrangements to fire a house or two so as to illuminate the site of
the little village and the storehouses; but about midnight was immensely
relieved by the arrival of Corse, which more than doubled the strength of
the garrison and made it possible to man the defences with some measure of
effectiveness.