Hold the fort, for I am coming

From Hugh Young: a surgeon's autobiography by Hugh Hampton Young. A fascinating story.

Recounting his father's Civil War career as one of the youngest Brigadier Generals. Brigadier William Hugh Young.

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At the outset of the war, in San Antonio, he recruited the 19th Texas Infantry and rose to Brigadier General. He was attached to the Army of Tennessee and fought in virtually all the battles. He had multiple horses shot from under him and was wounded six times, culminating in the loss of his foot. This is his last battle at the Battle of Allatoona.

His small army of seven thousand men had driven the Union forces back over mountainous terrain until they made their final stand at the fort towering above Allatoona Pass. The desperate condition of the Union defenders was signaled to General Sherman on Kennesaw Mountain some ten miles away. Back came the signal, "Hold the fort, for I am coming," a message that has been immortalized in the Union war poem of the same name. The battle raged most of the day, and the Confederates with consummate dash carried all before them. Father was following his men closely, and the capture of the fort seemed imminent when a shell fragment struck him down. With a badly splintered leg, Father was put in an ambulance and carried off the field. Lee was close by. Slowly they made their way over mountain roads to reach a line of evacuation, Lee bringing the two horses, one of which he rode. Other wounded were encountered, and at Father's orders Lee dismounted and put these Confederates into the saddles and led the horses. Suddenly from around a hill appeared a troop of Union cavalry. The ambulance had taken the wrong road. As Father had been in command of the Confederate forces, his captors thought him so valuable a prisoner that, although severely wounded, he was carried over many miles of rough roads up to the top of Kennesaw Mountain into the presence of General Sherman, who, in his memoirs, has described their interview.

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Two years ago, accompanied by Judge Shepard Bryan and Mr. Wilbur G. Kurtz, a Georgia historian, I went from Atlanta to Allatoona Heights. On the way we passed Kennesaw Mountain, headquarters of General Sherman during part of the campaign. The Western & Atlanta Railroad goes through Allatoona Pass in a low mountain range, at the summit of which are the defensive works of the old fort. We were able to go only a short distance in our motorcar. Then we took a mountain road, finishing the ascent by a rocky path. Although small, the fort with its high embankment evidently was a very strong position. In every direction was rough mountain country, rough hills covered with dense scrub timber. Mr. Kurtz, who has made a great study of the military campaigns in this region, said it had hardly changed at all since the Civil War. As I viewed the field of my gallant father's last fight, I was amazed at the splendid courage of the Confederates who were able to drive a strong force across these rugged hills up to the very embrasures of the fort itself.

After days of suffering and lack of medical attention, Father finally reached a hospital. By that time the shattered left leg, with splintered bones and a large flesh wound, had become gangrenous. Fortunately, he fell into the hands of an intelligent young surgeon who told him that the only thing that would save his life was to burn out the "proud" flesh with pure nitric acid. Father told how he was strapped to a stretcher and, without anesthesia, nitric acid was poured into the rotting flesh, which crackled until the smoke reached the ceiling. This heroic treatment was effective, the sepsis was routed, before long the slough was thrown off, and his life was saved. When in swimming with Father I often saw the large depression in his leg. But this was not the only mark of battle, as I remember clearly a depression in his chest from a bullet that entered beneath the collarbone and came out through the shoulder blade, penetrating the lung and missing (I know not how) the heart and the great vessels. There were also wounds in thigh, arm, neck, and scalp.

I am unfamiliar with the song/poem/hymn. From Grand Army War Songs/Hold the Fort.

Major Whittle relates the following incident, upon which the song is founded:

During October, 1864, just before General Sherman commenced his famous march to the sea, while his army lay camped in the neighborhood of Atlanta, the army of Hood, in a carefully perpared movement, passed the right flank of Sherman's army, and gaining his rear, commenced the destruction of the railroad leading north, burning block houses and capturing the small garrisons along the line. Sherman's army was put in rapid motion following Hood, to save the supplies and larger posts, the principal of which was located at Altoona Pass, a defile in the Altoona range of mountains, through which ran the railroad. Gen. Corse, of Illinois, was stationed here with a Brigade of troops, composed of Minnesota and Illinois regiments, in all about 1,500 men; Col. Tourtelotte being second in command. A million and a half of rations were stored here, and it was highly important that the earthworks commanding the Pass and protecting the supplies should be held. Six thousand men, under command of Gen. French were detailed by Hood to take the position. The works were completely surrouded and summoned to surrender. Corse refused, and sharp fighting commenced. The defenders were slowly driven into a small fort upon the crest of the hill. Many had fallen, and the result seemed to render a prolongation of the fight hopeless. At this moment an officer caught sight of a white signal flag, far away across the valley, fifteen miles distant, upon the top of Kenesaw Mountain. The signal was answered, and soon the message was waved across from mountain to mountain: "Hold the fort I am coming. W. T. Sherman." Cheers went up, every man was nerved to the full appeciation of the position; and, under a murderous fire, which killed or wounded more than half the men in the fort—Corse himself being shot three times through the head, Col. Tourtelotte taking command, though himself badly wounded, they held the fort for three hours, until the advance guard of Sherman's army came up, and French was obliged to retreat.

No incident of the war illustrates more thrillingly the inspiration imparted by the knowledge of the presence of the Commander; and that he is cognizant of our position; and that, doing our utmost, he will supplant our weakness by speedy reinforcements. So the message of Sherman to the soldiers of Altoona becomes the message of the Great Commander, who signals ever to all who fight life's battle, "Hold the Fort."

The lyrics:

1. Ho! my comrades, see the signal
Waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing,
Victory is nigh!

Chorus.
"Hold the fort, for I am coming,"
Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to heaven,—
"By thy grace, we will."

2. See the mighty host advancing,
Satan leading on;
Mighty men around us falling,
Courage almost gone.

3. See the glorious banner waving,
Hear the bugle blow;
In our Leader's name we'll triumph
Over ev'ry foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages,
But our Help is near;
Onward cames our Great Commander
Cheer, my comrades, cheer!

And here is a sung version.


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